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Main 6,Original Character,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-10-24T23:01:42+00:00

2011-10-24T23:01:42+00:00

Applejack’s forehead ached as she craned her neck up from the cold stone floor. A faint glow emanated from behind her, offering a small bit of warmth to the room. She slowly picked herself up off of the floor. “R-Rarity? Pinkie Pie? You girls here?” she asked, turning to face the glow. She was greeted by a massive stone archway, inscribed with deep etchings that appeared to be ponies along its frame. Before its massive form was a small glowing orb, and her two friends strewn about on the floor. Rarity shook her head, trying to shake stars from her vision as her eyes squinted to see Applejack. “I think so... though I’m more than a little shaken up after... whatever that was.” She was barely on her hooves before Pinkie Pie hopped between the two, giggling under her breath. “Hahaha, are you kidding Rarity? That was fun!” Pinkie’s balance was wavering as she continued, “Can we go on it again?! I mean it was all like vroom fizzle whip crash! And there were all these cool colors and it was super dizzy, like, I don’t think I can sta- Woah!” Pinkie fell down, still giggling as she landed on her side. “Whoops, there I go!” Applejack tried to hold back a chuckle while she helped Pinkie up, looking over the gateway. “Well, that sure looks like what we walked into. Though I can’t say if we’re in the right place.” Rarity flexed her legs before trotting over to her friends. “I certainly hope so. I don’t want to do that anymore than absolutely necessary. You think something designed for travel wouldn’t be so jarring. And why does it have to be so dark in here?” She felt the panels of her armor flex and bend, reflecting the light of the orb to illuminate the cave, the stone archway’s etchings becoming clear. “... Well that’s certainly helpful.” At the top was a brilliantly etched sun and moon, with earth ponies scattered along the arch’s sides. Those on the right side appeared different, with stripes drawn across their forms. Applejack looked at the high level of detail in awe before her attention was drawn to the other side of the cave. Rarity’s light managed to illuminate a small tunnel leading out of the cavern. Applejack motioned for Rarity and Pinkie to follow her as she trotted towards it. It was not long before Rarity’s armor relaxed to its original position, and her own horn lit itself to accommodate. The group trekked down the tunnel for what seemed like an eternity before they saw a light at the end of the tunnel, and it wasn’t the normal moonlight they had grown so accustomed to. It was daylight. Applejack galloped forward, not wanting to believe the possibility. Rarity and Pinkie did their best to keep up, the rough whistling of the wind outside filling their ears as they grew closer. Applejack slowed down just as she reached the tunnel’s entrance and gasped as her friends finally caught up to her. Stretched out before them was a vast desert, an ocean of sand that rose and fell like waves frozen in time. Winds whipped sand into the air across the desert’s length, and in the east, they saw a sight that was both welcoming and perplexing. Frozen in its earliest moment was the sunrise, its light casting long shadows across the desert, and its form giving off enough heat to keep the desert scorching. Applejack shook her head, trying to make sense of the situation. “This don’t make a lick of sense. I didn’t think this place was that far from Equestria...” She stepped out of the cave onto the soft sand, feeling her hooves sink in as its warmth slithered up her legs. She looked back to the others, motioning them forward. “We best get moving girls, don’t wanna stay in one place too long.” “How are we even supposed to find where we’re going?” Rarity asked, shaking her saddlebags lightly. “We can’t just pick a direction and wander aimlessly. We only have so much we could carry with us. And I doubt we’ll find another cave to rest in for miles.” Applejack rubbed her hoof lightly as she looked around, seeing nothing but sand in every direction. Her eyes squinted at a shimmer of light to the north, and a thin trail of smoke rising above it. “I reckon that’s about as good a bet we’re gonna get.” Pinkie hopped around in the sand, gazing in the same direction as Applejack. She giggled, “Yay, then we can start making even more friends. I wonder if zebras make good cupcakes. Do you think we’ll-” Pinkie was stopped as Applejack tried to hold her back. “Pinkie, this is serious. We ain’t here for sightseein’ or enjoyin’ ourselves. Everypony else is countin’ on us to find these zebra that are... hopefully out here.” Applejack’s voice sank low for a moment before she started trotting in the direction of the smoke, “Let’s... just get movin’. I’m sure somethin’ has to be makin’ that smoke.” Pinkie frowned before falling behind Applejack and Rarity. Even with the sun on the edge of the horizon, its heat still blanketed the desert, and the three ponies’ journey was not as smooth as the soft sand under their hooves. It took nearly an hour before the pillar of smoke began to grow closer, blending into the sparse clouds above their heads. Applejack let out a groan as her heavy hooves sank into the sand with each step. “Ya know... this’d be a whole lot easier... if I didn’t have ta wear all this junk...” Rarity sighed, her own armor shifting loosely along her flank. “You can say that again, and this air is so dry. Though it’s still more bearable than a humid summer night in Ponyville.” She felt her hooves stumble as the sand shifted underneath, a faint rumble coming from below. “D-did either of you hear that?” Applejack stopped as Pinkie continued to hop forward rhythmically. She held a hoof up to her ear and looked to Rarity with an eyebrow raised. “Hear what Rarity?” “It... I’m not sure. It sounded like, well, something moving.” She started moving again as her eyes scanned the surrounding sand, its shape shifting subtly, although her eyes could barely make it out. “I-I’m sure it was nothing.” Pinkie giggled, turning around to look at the two. “You two are worrying too much, what could there possibly be out here? It’s so empty and boring...” Pinkie’s bouncing ground to a halt as the rumbling grew, pits forming in the sand around them. Dark chitinous claws jutted up from the vortexes, four of them in total around the ponies and each one about the size of their heads. They backed themselves into the center of the circle they formed as the monstrous claws clung to the surface of the desert, pulling up the bodies they were attached to. In seconds they were surrounded by four large creatures. Their shapes were similar to that of a scorpion, but more twisted with bits of chitin jutting out like spikes along their shells. Their tough hides were segmented, and colored a mix of black and orange, barely hiding a bright pink membrane underneath. Their claws cracked open and shut as they closed in on the girls, their tails curling, preparing to strike at a moment’s notice. Applejack’s spear extended from her side as her front hooves bent down, prepared to charge. She turned her head just enough to look back at Pinkie and Rarity with one eye, her helmet locking into place. “Girls, I think we mighta stumbled onto some trouble here,” Applejack said, turning back to creature before her, its dark yellow eyes piercing through her. Rarity inched back into the others, an arrow floating up from her quiver as she kept her focus on one of the grotesque scorpions. “I think that’s an understatement darling. The only question is what are we going to do now?” Applejack kept her voice hushed, “I don’t know Rarity... We can’t sit here between all of ‘em, or we’re gonna end up even worse off.” Applejack’s mind raced trying to search for some way to turn the tide against... whatever these monsters were. She was interrupted as she heard the familiar sounds of Pinkie’s giggling. Turning to face the noise, Applejack was greeted by the pink filly hopping onto one of the scorpion’s heads, barely avoiding its claws and tail as she landed behind it. Its stinger was left impaled through its tough hide, the beast’s body writhing in pain as its claws and legs twitched uncontrollably. Applejack turned to Rarity as the other scorpions seemed distracted, and shouted at the top of her lungs, “Rarity! Let’s move, now!” Applejack kicked up sand as she galloped out of the circle, her spear retracting as she jumped over the incapacitated bug. Rarity followed close behind Applejack. The mirrors along her flank flexed and sent flashes of light behind her, blinding the three that tried to give chase to them. The fillies galloped quickly through the shifting sands, hoping to at least reach the smoke, in hopes someone would be waiting there. The sounds of clattering claws and skittering legs followed behind them, and the smoke grew ever closer with each moment. Applejack started to shout as the source of the smoke appeared in her vision, its form resembling that of a campsite, “Someone! Anyone! We need help!” Applejack’s head turned around to see Rarity and Pinkie right behind her, and their three pursuers close behind. She was astonished that they moved so swiftly, especially given how large they were. She saw a glimmer of light as Rarity let loose an arrow at the closest scorpion, the sharp tip bouncing off its rocky hide, barely leaving a scratch. Rarity cursed under her breath. “Really?!” She tried to take aim with another arrow, her magic bending around it like a bowstring drawn taught before it sailed through the air. She heard a small squeal of pain as it embedded itself between the thick plates of one of the beasts. However, her look of pride at the accomplishment faded quickly when the scorpion’s pursuit was barely hindered by the arrow. Rarity picked up her pace as she conceded that any further damage would have the same effect. “We’re... almost there... girls,” Applejack stammered between heavy breaths as her armor grew heavy along her haunches, “Keep up... the pace!” It was another minute’s trot before they arrived at the smoke’s source: a small tent over a large clay pot, its contents smoldering as if they’d been burning for days. Applejack stopped, shouting once again, “Someone, is anyone there?!” She turned back to see their pursuers closing in, cursing under her breath as she extended her lance again. Rarity moved behind the tent, taking aim with an arrow once more as her mirrors bent to shine the early sun at their attackers. One of them stalled from the burst of light, and another from an arrow’s impact. The third’s advance quickened as Applejack steadied her stance, bending forward for only a second before she leapt forward at it. Her spear twisted past its claws, impacting the shell roughly as it started to crack. The rough sound of the hide’s sharp spines scrapping against the spear mixed with the clattering of the creature’s jaws as its claws tried to grab Applejack. The armored filly tried to leap away, but found one of her hind legs trapped in a massive claw. Her armor creaked as the claw clamped down tightly, lifting her off the ground easily. Her other leg tried to buck at the claw, but her attempt appeared feeble, the spear retracting into her side as she shouted in pain. Rarity tried to keep the other two at bay with a spree of arrows as Pinkie dug into a saddlebag at her side. She pulled out a few small balls, which bore what looked like the shape of a green splatter on their surface. Applejack’s cries of pain stopped as the massive claw released her, her body hitting the sand hard as she looked up at the beast whose vision had been obscured by a green slime stuck to its body. Its claws tried to wipe the substance away as its tail curled to strike Applejack, missing her as she rolled away and back to her hooves. The other two scorpions suffered a similar fate, with one’s tail stuck to its back, and the other’s claws meshed together. Applejack took heavy breaths as she moved beside Pinkie, nodding to her. “T-thanks for the help there... Pinkie Pie,” she said between breaths, looking back at the empty “camp” behind them. “Dang it! There’s no one here, and I don’t think we can just outrun... whatever these things are.” Her spear extended as she looked back at Rarity and Pinkie. “I think we’re gonna have to find some way to stop ‘em...” “But how?” Rarity asked, readying another arrow as a scorpion managed to free its claws from the green muck. “They don’t seem to be backing down, even after all we’ve thrown at them.” Her breathing became unsteady as her horn flickered slightly, the arrow barely reaching its target. “And... I can’t keep this up forever.” “I-I know Rarity but... It’s the only option we got,” Applejack said, kneeling forward to prepare for another charge. “We can do this girls. I know we can.” As one of the freed scorpions began to charge forward, its tail raised, Applejack extended the lance as far as it could reach. She sprinted forward, trying to keep her aim steady before the tip impacted its shell, shattering the chitin plate as the spear sunk into the soft flesh beneath. A thick purple liquid sprayed from the wound as its body convulsed, falling limply into the sand with a cry of pain. Applejack took a few steps back, sweat dripping from her brow onto her hot metal armor with a sizzle, the two remaining scorpions freeing themselves from the green goop. Applejack was prepared for another assault before a shout came from a hill behind the three fillies, “Please! Over here!” The voice was deep, heavy with an accent the girls could barely comprehend from so far away, and belonged to a cloaked figure at the top of the ridge. Applejack’s eyes darted between her friends and the stranger before she turned back to the scorpions slowly advancing towards them. It only took a second for her to make up her mind as she galloped towards the hill, Rarity and Pinkie soon behind her. As the figure grew closer, its striped legs became barely visible underneath the beige cloak draped on its haunches. It reached down to its neck, holding onto a length of rope with three small gourds attached. Its head pulled back, the cowl sliding off to reveal a smooth black and white striped face with a short mane, colored a pale mix of grey and black. The zebra’s head shot forward, and the rope sailed through the air. The tips of the three gourds ignited with a faint spark as they fell down towards the ground, just in front of the scorpions’ path. With a crack the gourds exploded in a burst of fire, their contents aflame as they rained down on the sands, halting the scorpions’ charge. Their clattering claws and screeches filled the air as their legs scampered back, turning to try and run away. The flames continued to burn as a faint odor wafted through the wind which smelt like burnt grass mixed with stagnant sewage. The scorpions faded into the distance before burrowing down into the sands, leaving the three mares alone with the zebra. Applejack tried to suppress a cough as she breathed a sigh of relief, turning to face their “saviour”. “T-thanks for the help there. Things might not ah gone so smoothly if you didn’t show up.” The zebra’s face was stoic and silent as he trotted past Applejack and the others, heading past the dieing flames to the camp below. Applejack looked at Rarity and Pinkie who could only offer a shrug. Her helmet retracted, along with her spear as she followed him, shouting as she tried to catch up, “Hey! I was talkin’ to ya!” He arrived at the camp as Applejack caught up, and pulled up his cloak up to reveal a slim saddlebag lined with a plethora of pockets, flasks, and satchels. He looked back to Applejack, bowing his head as he spoke again, struggling with his accent, “I’m sorry, please, this is important.” He grabbed a small pouch, opening it gently before he poured the contents into the clay pot, adding to the smoldering pile within. He turned from the tent, his eyes locked on the still twitching body of the fallen scorpion as he approached it. “Kuraxxis blood is volatile after leaving body. Must be preserved fast.” Applejack raised an eyebrow at him as she walked over to the corpse and noticed him take a small flask from his side, holding it up to the scorpion’s oozing wound. After it was filled to the brim and its stop secured, he turned back to Applejack, bowing his head again. “Apologies, very important for research and ingredients... Name Zevra,” he began before he raised his head and looked the three over. “Nice ta meet ya Zevra,” Applejack said, raising a hoof to shake Zevra’s, “Name’s Applejack, and this here’s Rarity and Pinkie Pie.” She motioned to the two as she introduced them. “Thanks again for helping us.” Zevra bowed his head once more before he scanned the desert the three fillies had come from and inspected the shattered remains of the scorpion’s hide, muttering something incomprehensible under his breath. He reached back to pull out another pouch, holding it up to the girls. “Please, take one. It’s necessary.” Applejack seemed unsure as she looked inside the satchel, a few small green pellets scattered inside. “Umm, what exactly is this?” she asked and pulled three from inside the pouch, handing one each to her friends. On closer inspection it smelled worse than the burning mixture he’d used to scare off the scorpions. Zevra only repeated himself as he motioned a hoof at them, putting the satchel back on his side, “Please, it’s important, eat, please.” Rarity shrugged at Applejack as they ate the pellets slowly, while Pinkie had already swallowed hers whole. A bitter taste filled their mouths as nearly all the moisture inside dried up, and left the three coughing heavily. “W-what the?” Applejack stuttered between coughs, “W-what the hay was that?” Zevra pocketed a few shattered pieces of chitin from the sand before trotting back to the camp. “Stops dehydration. Increase water retention. Necessary for conserving water,” he said, inspecting the camp to make sure the clay pot was properly stocked with enough material to keep burning. “Have to deal with dry tongue, but saves water,” he finished with a chuckle before securing the cowl of his cloak back over his mane. Pinkie prodded her tongue lightly with a hoof, giggling. “Thif if phuni phelig...” Applejack cleared her throat before speaking up, “Umm, r-right. Listen, we’re here looking for help and-” “I know why you are here. I explain once we arrive at Komahra. Please, I need your trust...” Zevra turned away from Applejack as he trotted back up the hill and motioned the others to follow him. Rarity held Applejack back with a hoof, looking between her and Zevra. “Look, Applejack... I’m really not sure this is ummm, the best choice we can make,” Rarity whispered as her eyes wavered back to Zevra making his ascent on the mound of sand. “I mean some zebra just shows up out of nowhere when we need help? And then he just happens to offer us a place to go, and some weird pills or... whatever they were.” Rarity cleared her throat with a heavy cough as she finished, trying in vain to wet her tongue. “Rarity, we can’t just wander around here aimlessly looking for someone... And for all we know maybe this feller’s got our best interests at heart. I mean he did chase off those two... Kuh-racks-is whatchamacallits. If he wanted us gone he could have left us ta fight ‘em...” Applejack began following Zevra again as Pinkie hopped gleefully beside her. Rarity shook her head, muttering something as she begrudgingly followed them. Their trek through the desert seemed to last an eternity as the frozen sun showed no passage of time for the three fillies and their zebra “guide”. At least that was as much a term they could use for a stranger willing to show them the way to some sign of civilization. Luckily Zevra’s promise about the pellets they had taken was correct, and despite having severely dry mouths, they had yet to feel thirsty, though Applejack still had to struggle with her stuffy suit of armor. She let out a groan, trotted up to Zevra and tapped a hoof on his shoulder, pausing repeatedly to take breaths, “Umm, Zevra... Are we gettin’ any closer to this town of yours?” Zevra turned his head back and offered a faint smile to Applejack. “Of course. Komahra just over hill, promise. Please, keep moving. Kuraxxis do not stray far from Cluster, but some have been seen past border.” He pulled out a canteen from his cloak, taking a small sip before he continued forward, muttering something the fillies couldn’t understand under his breath once again. Applejack slowed down, and was soon beside her friends once again. “So... what do you girls think?” “That it’s hot, dry, and bright,” Pinkie said before she stopped her hopping, “Oh, you mean about Zevra... Well, he seems nice enough, and we don’t wanna be stuck with nowhere to go out here. Besides, if he is a meanie we can just defend ourselves.” Rarity offered Pinkie a smile. “Hopefully we’ll just have to talk to these zebra and be out of here in no time at all.” Rarity’s smile wavered as she spoke, “I-Isn’t that right Applejack?” “Uhh... Of course it is. I’m sure once we tell ‘em what we’re here for, they’ll be more than willin’ to lend a hoof. I mean it’s only a matter of time before Nightmare Moon shows up here right?” Rarity and Pinkie nodded in response before Zevra stopped in his tracks at the top of the hill. He pulled his cowl down and looked back at the others. “We’re here,” he stated plainly as Applejack, Pinkie, and Rarity arrived at the crest of the mound of sand. Before them in the bright glow of the sunrise was a massive village, though from its size it could have been called a city, built around the trees and glimmering water at its center. A mixture of tents and tan, adobe buildings of all sizes took up the majority of the space around the gleaming central oasis. However, the closer the ponies’ eyes drifted to the center, the more sparse the buildings and tents became, as if the oasis itself were untouched, and stood as a pristine core of the metropolis. All through the streets zebras walked as if everything were normal, and at the edge of the city they could see several citizens preparing for journeys through the desert. Zevra began his trek down the calm slope towards the city as Applejack and the others paused to take in the sight. “This is... it’s incredible,” Rarity said as she breathed a sigh of relief at seeing civilization once again. “All of this in the middle of the desert?” “It doesn’t sound too impossible Rarity. I mean they’ve been out here for a while,” Applejack whispered, keeping her voice low as she followed Zevra. “And they were pushed outta their homes, or at least left ‘em when Nightmare Moon came knockin’. They probably had ta make do quick.” “I know, but,” Rarity paused to gaze over the city again. “It’s still impressive...” Their conversations ended as they approached the bottom of the hill, a few zebras’ gazes drifting from their work or preparations to the new arrivals. The on-lookers began to mutter amongst one another as the strangers continued slowly into the city. Zevra sighed as he turned back to his “guests” and tried his best to ignore the stares and hushed words. “Please, keep moving. I promise everything is fine. They are just not... accustomed to seeing ponies.” Zevra forced a chuckle as he continued, “Very, well, odd sight.” Zevra closed his eyes for a moment before he looked forward again. The streets of the city itself were well-maintained, and there was plenty of activity, although it faded quickly as the ponies grew close. It wasn’t long before their path was blocked by a large crowd, just as they were within a stone’s throw of the oasis. The mass of zebra parted as two guards stepped forward, armed with spears across their flanks and rough chitinous armor on their sides. With them was an aged stallion, a wound underneath his eye and his mane shaved completely off. His voice was rough as he spoke in a language the three mares couldn’t comprehend, his eyes locked on Zevra. The only words they could truly grasp were Zevra’s name, and the word “pony”, though it was uttered with some hatred. Zevra’s response was filled with fervor, though it was similarly incomprehensible, except for one new word: Zecora. The conversation intensified with each speaker’s turn, Zevra suddenly stopped at a shout from the stallion. His stoic gaze shifted to the three strangers before he finally spoke, laboring to form his words correctly as his rough voice became deeper, “I will speak like this, so you can understand. You are not welcome, never. Leave, now, or you will be removed.” Applejack stepped forward, mouth agape in confusion for a moment. “W-what are you talkin’ about? We haven’t even done anything!” “And that is the way it will stay,” he stated plainly, “I will not risk peace in the Chieftain's absence, not now.” Zevra pushed Applejack to the side as she was about to speak, and shouted, “Baeloc! They are here to help us, the Zecora told me-” “The Zecora has told you nothing Zevra, and has said nothing of importance to the Chief.” Baeloc’s gaze shifted back to the ponies has he continued, “And if you think I’m going to believe this rabbl-” “They came from the Cluster!” Zevra shouted. The bickering within the crowd quieted as Baeloc shook his head. He began to speak before Zevra interrupted him again, “They couldn’t have come from Equestria! No one could have trekked across the desert, around every village, every patrol, and somehow ended up there. They couldn’t have even survived coming from the end of the desert!” His shouting stopped as he glanced back at the three mares, “I-I don’t know how they came here... but they are not here to hurt us...” “That’s right,” Applejack said as she stepped forward again, “We’re here lookin’ for your help. We’re from the Wilds near Equestria, where ponies are tryin’ to stop Nightmare Moon, the reason that sun is hangin’ there in the sky.” “And the reason that you lost your lands,” Rarity stated, joining Applejack. “It’s only a matter of time before she wants more.” “Nothing more than empty words,” Baeloc responded, spitting into the sand. “Zevra... you can take your guests with you... No one else is to offer them aid until the Chieftain has returned.” He repeated himself in the strange tongue the ponies couldn’t understand, and the crowd dissolved at his urging. He began to trot back to the oasis, the two guards at his side joining him as Zevra was left alone in the streets with the three ponies. Zevra sighed and turned to face them. “I... I am sorry, that you received this kind of greeting... Please follow me, I can explain more when we are safe.” He began to trot through the maze of streets with the three strangers at his back. Zevra’s path was jagged as he twisted through streets and around buildings, but the three mares managed to keep up with him. It was nearly a half hour’s trot before they arrived at a quaint hovel, shaped like a series of domes and built out of the same tan adobe as its counterparts. However, its design seemed more planned and intricate, rather than begin thrown together simply at a moment’s notice. Zevra pulled a green and blue curtain that served at the home’s door away before he led his guests inside. Applejack was surprised when she and her friends were greeted not by the same scalding heat they had felt outside, but a cool breeze flowing just inside the doorway. They found themselves inside of a large central room, with a few small curtained doorways leading to the rest of the building. All around they could see various flasks, bottles, and gourds filled with substances they couldn’t identify, or that were simply labeled in a way they couldn’t understand, seated on shelves built into the walls. Across a few similar shelves near the entrance were several saddlebags, already packed to the brim with supplies for future journeys or the fruits of past ones. One bag in particular was stuffed with shards of a material that looked very similar to the chunk of chitin Zevra had taken from the fallen scorpion in the desert. At the center of the room was a large wooden table and a bed surrounded by notes and scribbles littered on the floor. Zevra placed his saddlebags onto a shelf before trotting to a doorway, motioning his guests to sit. “Please, make yourselves at home. I apologize it not much.” The girls all took a seat around the table in the center of the room. Applejack flexed her hooves as sand fell out of the loose plates of armor, forming a small pile on the hard floor. Rarity let out a calm sigh as she did the same, though her pile did not seem so substantial. “I suppose it’s from one mess to another then?” “ ‘Fraid so,” Applejack responded, hearing the clash of pots from the doorway Zevra had taken. She made sure to keep her voice low as she continued, “What do y’all make of this? I mean with how that Baeloc guy was treatin’ us?” Rarity glanced at a few of the scribbles strewn about the table. “I don’t really know darling. Considering everything that might of happened to them, maybe they have the right. We barely know anything about them other than they left their homes so long ago... Maybe we should ask him.” “I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” Applejack replied with a bit of irritation. “I mean he’s willin’ to give us help like this, maybe we shouldn’t be a bother by jumpin’ down his throat with questions so soon.” “But we can’t just be clueless,” Rarity whispered as she glanced around the room. “Besides, he said he’d tell us what was going on, so it only makes sense for us to ask.” Their conversation drew to an abrupt close as Zevra returned to the room, carrying a small teapot with four cups hanging from it spout. He laid them out, carefully filling them before he took a seat across from the three mares. After taking a short sip he smiled. “Please, do not be shy. I understand that things may be... confusing for you.” Applejack looked at her friends before turning to Zevra as she spoke, “How exactly... did y’all get out here? I mean we know that zebras left their home a long time ago and...” “Yes... My ancestors decided to abandon our homelands when your... Queen decided that it was her grasp and right. Their hope was to avoid unwanted bloodshed, and so we fled across the mountains of the east, and back to the site the first zebra trotted upon.” “Wait,” Rarity interjected, “But Savanra was your people’s homeland, wasn’t it?” “For the longest time, yes. However, our elders and ancestors speak of a time long before, when zebras first walk on the earth in a vast paradise. It was Komahra: “origin” in our tongue. For hundred of years zebra lived in their paradise away from the rest of the world. However, our race was sinful in the paradise, and did not share bounty with others, and the land was stricken by calamity. All of Komahra began to wilter and die, and in its place there was only lifeless sand.” Zevra took another sip before he continued, “As our people left the shifting sands, pockets of land were left unharm to remind us and all of our mistakes. Luckily, the vast grasslands of Savanra, spared from the catastrophes in Komahra by the mountains that separated them, were plentiful enough to support us. And so it was there that we stayed, until she came.” “So y’all have just been livin’ out here since then?” Applejack asked, staring at the cup of tea in front of her, deep in thought. “Yes. Lucky, very little here that she wants,” Zevra said with a chuckle. “No zebra has seen pony for... nearly five hundred years. Not even a single one.” “But... how are you so calm about us?” Pinkie asked. “And why was everyone else so mean to us back there?” “... They fear all of you are like her. As for me... I have heard words that... convinced me when you arrived.” “What do you mean?” Rarity asked, her cup of tea hovering up as she took a sip. “... From one connected to our ancestors: a Zecora.” “About that,” Applejack interrupted, looking up from her cup, “Maybe we... need to be a little honest with ya bout something Zev. Ya see...” She looked nervously at her friends as she paused. She waited for a timid nod from each of them before continuing, “We’re... not really from here... or the Equestria that tried ta take your land...” “I... part assumed such,” Zevra said, letting Applejack continue. “We’re from a long time ago... back when y’all lived in Savanra, and Princess Celestia and Princess Luna ruled together.” “We don’t really know how exactly,” Rarity began, “But we woke up in the Everfree Wilds near Equestria nearly a month ago. We’re trying to help fix what we couldn’t stop, and we need your people’s help.” Applejack nodded to Rarity before she turned back to Zevra, standing on her hooves. “Ya see, we knew a Zecora a long time ago, who was visitin’ a town called Ponyville.” “You... knew a Zecora? The Zecora haven’t left our tribes in... as long as you say.” Zevra looked down, shaking his head from side to side. “No, that’s... that’s impossible. How could you have... come here, so much later?” “We don’t know, but you two talked about the Zecora, and a Zecora... We always assumed it was her name, but-” Applejack frowned as she adjusted her hat idly for a moment. “Yes, it is title. Zecora are... shaman, connected to ancestors. You no doubt heard her use Modra, yes?” “Mah-dra?” Pinkie asked after slurping down the last of her tea suddenly. “What’s that?” “It is... roughly means “rhythm”. Ancestors, spirits from beyond are in... tempest, like sand storm.” Zevra tried to motion with his hooves in an attempt to explain. “Very, very rough, and wild... chaotic. So many voice speak out and cannot be heard. Zecora and Modra are like... a drum, a beat in beyond. By offering beat, rhythm to spirits, ancestors can come forth with wisdom, knowledge, history...” Applejack quirked an eyebrow, tapping a hoof against her chin. “I was, well, always kinda wonderin’ why she did that...” “It is very, very difficult skill to learn. Takes many year to master, and often becomes habit...” “And you said a Zecora told you about us coming? Like a prophecy?” Rarity asked. Zevra returned a nod, Rarity rubbing a hoof along her chin in response. “But, didn’t Baeloc say something about not ‘the Zecora’? What exactly did he mean?” “The Zecora are few. There is only one to tribe. However, new Zecora are trained as current is close to... death.” Zevra cleared his throat before he continued, “I did not hear about you from the current Zecora. The next Zecora told me, in trance. My sister: Avira.” Applejack started to speak up, but was interrupted as Zevra jumped up to his hooves, looking past the three mares. He started shouting, although they couldn’t understand him as he trotted around the table and towards a doorway. As the girls turned to follow them, they saw a small filly rubbing a hoof idly across her eyes. Her voice sounded weak as she spoke, and her legs seemed barely able to hold herself up. Zevra held a hoof against her forehead as he spoke. The filly looked at the three ponies with a frown before she looked back to Zevra, nodding as she replied. With a cough, the filly turned back into the room and vanished from sight. Zevra sighed as he trotted back to the table. “I’m sorry... Avira has been ill for a few days. She should be fine with rest. Now, if you don’t mind, I have few questions for you.” “Umm, fire away partner,” Applejack said with a small smile. Zevra walked over to the front door, grabbing the pieces of chitin he’d pocketed in the desert and set them down on the table. “How did you do this?” "What do you mean?” Applejack asked with an eyebrow raised. “Kuraxxis shell is hard. Very, very hard. Zebra weapons are strong, but it takes many strikes to pierce, or great force. How did you break it?” “Well, we were kinda distracted durin’ the fightin’, but... I think it was cracking after one hit from my lance.” Applejack extended the spear from her side, but it was much shorter than it usually was. Rarity nodded, an arrow hovering out from her quiver. “And I suppose a few of these, though I’m not sure how much I really put behind them...” Zevra trotted over to inspect the two objects, muttering to himself, “I see, I see... This material is... it has to be very strong. Kuraxxis shells are hard, some more than others but...” "Some? What do you mean?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Kuraxxis is general term... Ones you saw are most common that we see on surface, but there are many others.” Zevra trotted over to a book shelf across the room, pulled out a leather-bound manual and placed it on the table. It was stuffed with several loose papers that nearly went flying as Zevra flipped it open. His hoof pointed to four pictures spread across two pages. One seemed close to the giant scorpions they had encountered in the desert, but the other three resembled a wasp, beetle, and a centipede. “Kuraxxis are like... ponies. There are earth ponies, unicorn, pegasi. Kuraxxis all have similar shell, organs. At the core they are the same, but structure, form, purpose changes. Designed for purpose.” “So you’re saying there are more of these... things?” Rarity asked, motioning a hoof at the journal with a look of disgust. “How many are there?” “We don’t know entirely. In the hundred years we have seen them, dealt with them, only three or four. I think however they may be connected to something our people have dealt with before. Have you heard of parasprite?” “Yeah, we had to deal with ‘em once in Ponyville. Nasty little buggers,” Applejack said. “I found notes from before zebra left Savanra.” He pulled a few small papers from the journal that appeared to be dissection notes of a parasprite. He pointed to several sections of it and the other drawings as he spoke, “Wing structure similar to wasp, eye patterns to beetle. I think parasprite may have been... separated from Kuraxxis and evolved on own, rather than with hive.” Applejack and Rarity tried to follow Zevra’s explanations before he closed the journal. “For the longest time we never had any problems here. Some zebras forming bandit groups or causing minor trouble yes, but... Then one day out of nowhere they showed up. It started with a caravan and then villages, cities destroyed as zebra fled further from the start of attacks. We found they never crossed a line, the border you saw, marked as warning. We call the first location the ’Cluster’: a gnarled structure that jutted from the sands. No zebra has gone past the border enough to see it since the attacks began.” “So... you said we came from there?” Rarity asked, looking up from the closed journal. “And this Cluster is... away from Equestria, enough that you think we didn’t come from there?” “Yes... not to mention that so many others would have seen you first. If you are here... you came here to help us, yes?” “Well, not exactly... We need your help in Equestria, your people’s help,” Applejack said as she trotted around the table to Zevra. “I’m afraid my people will not aid you... Not when Kuraxxis still pose a threat, and not while the history of our exodus is in their mind.” Zevra sighed, trotting over to a few flasks on a shelf, idly checking their contents. “I do not think you will find what you were looking for.” Applejack quickly followed Zevra as Rarity and Pinkie got up to follow her. “Zevra, there has to be someone we can talk to. Your chieftain or another village, someone.” “Everyone else will treat you the same as the others. Baeloc gave me the benefit to let you stay because of where you came from... but I doubt that will go ver- Avira!” Zevra stopped as he looked behind the girls, moving around them to the small filly, once again in the doorway. “Avira, I told you to stay in be-” “Time is short, the claws draw near. They seek the pillar while their shells sow fear,” Avira said, her eyes distant and unfocused as her legs shook. “The more important battle must be won, but first the deeds at origins must be done.” Zevra tried to wave a hoof at the filly before he grabbed her lightly, the three mares stepping up behind him. “Avira, Avira snap out of it!” “The harmony of old must crush this threat before all of the world by darkness is beset.” Avira’s eyes became focused only for a moment as she looked at Applejack and her companions. “Defend the pillar, defend us all, or everything you love will fall.” Avira’s body became limp as she fell into Zevra’s embrace, her breathing rapid and jagged. Applejack, Rarity, and Pinkie Pie looked between one another with confusion and concern, just as a loud horn sounded through the air, and the calm of Komahra’s streets was replaced by a stampede of hooves and screams of horror.

Flashgen

33

Main 6,Original Character,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-10-27T18:56:43+00:00

2011-10-27T18:56:43+00:00

Rainbow Dash groaned as the burst of light at her back faded to a dim glow which barely illuminated the ornate stone floor beneath her. As she rose to her hooves she glanced around, and found herself in a large room that easily rivaled the one she had just left in size. At her back was a massive stone archway, molded into the face of a cave wall and etched with runes that far surpassed her comprehension. They gave off a faint glow as Dash turned her attention to the yellow pegasus still strewn about on the ground next to her, wearing a simple cloak and saddlebags similar to her own. Dash lightly rubbed a hoof against Fluttershy’s back as she continued to look around the cave. “Ummm, Fluttershy. Wakey wakey, we’re here. Hopefully...” Dash looked back to the archway as she heard Fluttershy let out a small squeak, and her eyes fluttered open. Dash could barely see the images of gryphons and pegasi etched into the the archway, with Celestia’s symbol located at its peak. She muttered to herself as she floated up to the symbol, “... Maybe this is the right place.” Fluttershy shook her head as she stood up, trying in vain to remove the aching pain in her forehead. “Dash, are you sure we can even find who we’re supposed to be looking for?” Dash took another glance at the etchings before she landed next to Fluttershy. “Well... Twilight said she read about rebellions that were in those history books, and she overheard Aqua talking about someplace called Airlon all the time, or read about it, or... something.” Dash rolled her eyes as she left out a chuckle. “I-I’m sure we can find it.” Dash looked into the darkness, seeing a faint light in the distance. She helped Fluttershy to steady herself for a few moments before she moved towards the light. “Come on, this should be the way out.” The two stumbled through the darkness, feeling the hard stone walkway under their hooves as the light grew closer. The floor was smooth, as if it had been ground down by someone, or something long ago. Before long the light grew from a dim speck into a bright flame: a torch that burned at the side of barred door. With a bit of trouble, the two pegasi managed to remove the large wooden bar that kept the door locked, its iron joints creaking as it crept open. They walked out into a shallow connected cave, the night sky visible only a few feet away. The cave opened up to a cliff, overlooking a small section of forest far below. The bright lights of several cities and villages were visible in the distance, both along the ground and in the clouds above. Dash flapped her wings lightly as she lifted off from the cliff, taking in the geography of the area before she turned back to Fluttershy. “Twilight said travelers round Equestria are common, and I don’t think Nightmare Moon is going to have a picture of us to plaster on a sign somewhere. Let’s go to that town over there.” Fluttershy looked to the village at the edge of the forest, shining dimly compared to its larger counterparts. “I-I don’t know Dash. What if she does have pictures of us? Or somepony starts asking questions we can’t answer or-” Rainbow Dash placed a hoof on her forehead as she let out a sigh. “Fluttershy, we’ll be fine. Some of the ponies in the guard said Cloudsdale is still around, and it’s not like we can’t just, make up a name or something. Who’s going to know right?” She glided down to her companion, motioning a hoof for her to take off. “We need to be quick about this Fluttershy... We aren’t going to get anywhere if we sit around and just think about things.” “B-but, I-... Okay,” Fluttershy said with a small frown, and lifted off from the cliff to follow Dash. As the two made their way towards the village, the cliff behind them shifted silently, melding into a solid face of rock that blocked the path they had taken from sight. Dash could feel the cold wind blowing across her wings, amplified by the cold steel that still rested beneath, hidden from sight. Fluttershy noticed Dash shuddering as she flew, moving closer before she spoke up, “Are you sure you’ll be alright with those Dash? I know we couldn’t take everything, but-” “We have to be ready for a fight Fluttershy, and there’s no way I’m going to fly around here without a weapon. Besides, Twilight said her spell will keep them hidden,” Dash said, her vision scanning over the forest below. “I know, but she said if you use them it won’t work anymore, and, well.” Fluttershy looked away from Dash for a moment. “Fluttershy, don’t worry about it. We’re not going to have to fight anyway. That’s why we’re keeping a low profile.” Dash slowed down enough to get beside Fluttershy, giving her a small nudge with her hoof. “I promise, okay?” Fluttershy smiled and nodding, looking down at the forest below as they continued towards the village. The small town near the edge of the forest was bustling with activity amongst the lights of its street lamps. Along its well-kept streets were merchants peddling their wares or travelers making arrangements or deals before they departed for a more important destination. Most of its occupants were gryphons or pegasi, but the occasional unicorn or earth pony was not an uncommon sight. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy landed near the edge of the town before making their way quietly through the main street, whispering to one another. “Let’s see if we can ask someone about where we are,” Dash said, taking a look around before she noticed an aged gryphon at a small stand, focused on grabbing the attentions of passersby. “You there young colt, can I interest you in a fine saddle all the way from Fillydelphia? Made from the finest silks Equestria can offer. Ma’am, perhaps you’d be willing to look at a few of these perfumes from the southern provinces? They’re brewed with flowers from the edge of the Wilds that will drive any colt mad for you.” He quickly turned his attention to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy as they passed the stand. “Or you two fine mares, perhaps a few jewels from the Airlon mines? They’re said to be the most precious in all of the world, and that a dragon had to be slain just so that they could be reached.” Dash blinked in response before she turned to Fluttershy, whispering, “W-wait, did he say Airlon?” The gryphon’s ears peaked as he smiled, nodding in response. “Of course, one of the largest mines in all of Aeolus, and the most successful at that. It’s been producing anything from gems to metals to minerals for close to seven hundred years now.” Dash smiled as she whispered to Fluttershy, “See? No fighting. No problems.” She stepped forward to the stand and chuckled. “We’re trying to make our way to Airlon to meet someone, but we’re not exactly sure where it is. Do you have a map or something?” The gryphon peaked an eyebrow in response. “M-meet someone... there? I think you two must be mistaken. No one works in those mines except convicts and vagrants who can’t hold down a job in a factory or... mules. And even the town is barren except for guards and the occasional merchants doing business.” Dash let out an agitated sigh, cursing under her breath before she looked back at the gryphon. “Look, we just need a map, do you have one or not?” He quickly rummaged behind the stand, some of his miscellaneous wares flying up before he pulled out a rolled parchment and placed it in front of them. “It’s not up-to-date, but it’s not like Airlon is going to move somewhere anytime soon. It’ll cost 50 bits.” “50 bits?! That’s outrageous!” Dash shouted before feeling Fluttershy tug lightly at her cloak. “D-Dash... Maybe we shouldn’t make a scene out here in public?” The yellow pegasus looked around, several bystanders staring awkwardly at Dash’s outburst before they began moving along. A few guards, however, kept their attention focused on them. “Besides, we don’t even have anything.” Dash laughed nervously, noticing the guards as she looked back at Fluttershy. She offered them a calm wave before turning back to the gryphon. “Look, I’m... sorry.” Dash showed a bit of trouble finishing her sentence before she continued, “We’ve been traveling for a while and we don’t have very much money left. Can you just point us in the right direction or something?” The gryphon let out a tired sigh and unfolded the parchment on the table, pointing to a dot labeled “Faeroc”. “This is where you are,” he stated as his talon slid above the map before resting on a small mountain range labeled “Airlon”. “And this is the mine... If you fly non-stop it should only take a few hours to get there, but the curfew is starting soon.” Fluttershy moved forward, speaking softly under her breath, “Curfew?” The merchant cursed under his breath. His voice was strained with irritation, “You think someponies would read a history book... After a few revolts and what not happened in what were gryphon lands, the Queen instituted a curfew anywhere north of Cloudsdale. Only guards and traders are allowed out past it, and that’s only if you have a license for it.” The gryphon glared at the back of his stall, muttering under his breath, “Like anyone except a pony could even get one of those.” Dash looked back at the guards for a moment, their eyes still locked on the three. “Do you know an inn where we can stay?” The gryphon suppressed a chuckle. “Not without any coin I’m afraid, but there is a shelter down the road. Some of those poor unicorns that still believe in giving out something for nothing. If you’re only looking for a place to lay your head I guess it would work.” The two said their thanks to the gryphon before departing, looking for the shelter as they waltzed down the street. Fluttershy swore she saw a pair of violet eyes watching from a nearby alleyway, but as she turned to them they were nowhere to be seen in the dim glow of the streetlamps. Her eyes snapped back to Rainbow Dash as she called out for Fluttershy to speed up. She quickly galloped to catch up to her friend, leaving the merchant to his end of day proceedings. Rainbow Dash trotted through the streets with her head raised high, Fluttershy following her closely. The meek pegasus’ head turned from side to side as several ponies and gryphons on the street were busy wrapping up their business for the day. She kept her voice low as she got beside Dash, “Dash? Maybe this isn’t the best idea.” “What are you talking about Fluttershy? We just stay the night down the road, head out tomorrow, make it there in a few hours and find someone to help us. Easy as learning to fly. Well, in my case at least.” Dash’s trot picked up speed as she saw the faint glow of a lantern illuminating a sign on a large building up ahead. It bore the image of a unicorn and gryphon with a small lantern and bed etched next to them. Fluttershy noticed a few bystanders watching her and Dash as they arrived at the front of the building, which was well-lit compared to those around it. She could see about a dozen ponies and gryphons inside through the front window, mingling or heading up the stairs near the back of the room. She could also see two unicorns, a mare and stallion, working behind a small counter near the stairs. Dash led the way, opening the door wide The faint sound of music mixed with the gentle undertones of a few conversations filled the pegasi’s ears, and the warmth from a nearby fireplace overwhelmed the faint breeze that had begun blowing across their haunches as they stepped inside. A lone pegasus trotted past the pair before the door shut firmly behind them, and a pale green unicorn behind the counter looked up at them with a smile. “Oh, good evening, and welcome to The Lantern.” She waited for the pair to approach her before continuing, “My name is Emerald, what can I do for you?” Dash’s gaze floated over a few shelves behind Emerald and the counter, stocked with a few supplies and loose records. She turned to Emerald as she spoke, “Yeah, we heard from someone that you offer rooms for ponies that can’t afford a place to stay?” The unicorn’s face brightened up even more as her smile grew to a wide grin. “Why of course. We’re always willing to lend some help to travelers, as long as we have room of course.” She looked back, and spoke to a light blue stallion busying himself with a few open record books, “Dillium, can you check and see if we still have that corner room available upstairs?” The stallion nodded as another book floated over to him, its pages flying open. Emerald looked back to Dash and Fluttershy. “Just the two of you?” “Yeah, we’re just floating through and figured we’d stop to rest. We’ve been traveling for a while and don’t have a lot of bits left.” “Oh I understand. No reason to explain to me,” she said, looking back at Dillium, who offered her a nod. “And it looks like we have the perfect room available. Would you like me to show you?” “Sounds fine, come on Fluttershy,” Dash said to her companion, following Emerald to the stairs. The meek pegasus fidgeted in place for a moment before following Dash. “B-but Dash, what if this isn’t-” “Would you stop fussing so much? It’ll be fine,” Dash said, keeping her voice low, though her eyes glared at Fluttershy. “It’s just a room.” “I know, but... Sorry.” Fluttershy conceded what few arguments she had against the action as she followed Dash and Emerald up the stairs. The unicorn led the two pegasi to a small corner room at the end of the hallway labeled “19”. Inside were two small beds set up near the corner, each in front of a small window. One overlooked the still-lit street, while the other faced the building’s neighbor and gave a clear view of its roofing and the starry sky above, as well as the dark, damp alleyway below. The remaining walls were decorated with a few paintings or portraits of ponies and gryphons the pegasi couldn’t say they knew, and a large dresser and mirror were set up along one wall. “I know it’s not a lot, but it should be more than enough for the two of you,” Emerald said, motioning a hoof into the room as she let Dash and Fluttershy walk inside. “If you need anything at all, please feel free to ask. Dillium and myself will only be up for another hour, but the room behind the desk is ours.” She smiled a wide grin as she continued, “Please, don’t be afraid to disturb us if it’s something important. There will be a little bit of food served after the early bell. It’s not exactly a feast, but I’m sure it will be enough to get you going on your journey.” “Thanks, we really appreciate it,” Dash said, throwing her saddlebags on the floor before she laid down on one of the beds, while Fluttershy slowly trotted towards the dresser. “Again, think nothing of it,” Emerald said as she bowed her head, closing the door firmly, her hoofsteps fading down the hallway. Dash’s legs stretched on the bed as she looked out over the street, seeing the few citizens and guards left heading off to their homes or a nearby inn. It wasn’t long after that the streetlamps began to dim, and the quiet sounds from downstairs were the only thing the two friends could hear. Dash let out a rough sigh as she turned over in the bed, looking at Fluttershy. “Are you still worried? We’re fine, warm and toasty with a bed and a meal tomorrow. We’ll be fine Fluttershy.” Fluttershy placed her saddlebags down beside the other bed before she crawled onto it. Her head was almost glued to the covers as she looked at Dash. “I know, but it’s just-” “Just what?” Dash asked, closing her eyes as she tried to find a comfortable position in the bed. “Well, we came here barely knowing where we were going, and now there’s this place and these ponies that are just... willing to help us. And the place we were looking for is really a prison and... I just don’t like it.” Fluttershy looked out of the window at the starry sky, which now shined brighter as the lights of nearby cities began to dim as well. “Nothing is ever gonna go the way you want it to,” Dash said as she finally found a comfortable pose on the bed, shuffling just a bit over the covers. She let out a long yawn before she continued, “You just gotta... just gotta find a way through... no matter what.” “Umm, right.” Fluttershy said, getting up to turn off a lantern on the dresser. “Good night then Rainbow Dash.” Her wishes were only met with a loud snore as Dash quickly drifted off to sleep. Fluttershy smiled as she climbed back into bed, sliding beneath the cover before she turned away from the window. “Dash is right,” she whispered to herself. “Everything will be fine...” Hours passed by like seconds for the two sleeping pegasi, and soon the faint sounds of The Lantern’s common room had faded, leaving only the silence of the empty streets in the dead of night. Fluttershy and Dash’s sleep was peaceful, but in the dark of the alley under their window a figure stirred. Being careful not to cause any noise as it tumbled over a few trash cans in the darkness, it made its way under the window. The rugged brown and white feathers along its body bent in the breeze as its neck craned up, its wings unfolding. In seconds it was hovering outside of the window, its bright purple eyes glancing through the pane. A talon extended from its claws, jiggling against the lock for a few seconds before it gave in with an audible click. With a grin across its beak it opened the window wide, enough for its head to get inside. The gryphon gave one glance to the open streets outside the alleyway before taking a deep breath. With a light touch its talons moved over the covers, gently pulling them away from Fluttershy’s body. It took one small moment of hesitation before the gryphon made his move. Fluttershy’s slumber ended abruptly as she was yanked up from the bed by the gryphon’s talons. She let out a shriek, quickly silenced by a talon gripped over her muzzle. Fluttershy was soon face to face with a the gryphon, her body trembling as he shook his head from side to side. His voice was calm and light as he spoke, a sharp contrast to the situation Fluttershy had found herself in, “I’m trying to help. Just stay calm and I can ex-” “Let go of her!” Dash shouted as she barreled through the air, trying to deliver a buck to the gryphon’s face. However, a combination of the darkness and her drowsiness ended in a size-able chunk of the wall caving in under her hooves instead. The gryphon was quick to grab Fluttershy tightly, yanking her through the open window as gently as he could before he hovered down to the ground. Dash shook the sleep from her eyes as she flew through the window, squinting to see his form below. Fluttershy let out another squeak before the gryphon covered her mouth once again. “Stay quiet,” he said, glaring at her. “I’m trying to help the two of you and you need to be qui-” The gryphon stopped, jumping back as Dash landed on the smooth cobblestone in front of him. She scrapped a hoof across the ground, glaring as her wings extended at her sides. “Let her go... Now!” “I’m trying to help you here. You two need to calm do- Ow!” The gryphon grunted as he felt a hoof from Fluttershy impact his breast. He was quick to restrain her, his talons retracting. “They’re going to be here soon if we don’t hurry!” he whispered urgently. “Why am I supposed to trust someone yanking my friend from her bed in the middle of the night?” Dash asserted, keeping her stance. She could feel a light vibration along her wings, the feeling of steel sliding across her feathers. However, Twilight’s words of caution were still at the back of her mind: “Dash, this spell will hide them for a while, but if you use them it will stop. And it won’t come back after that. Avoid fighting unless you have to.” “Because I’m not the biggest problem you have right now,” he stated calmly The gryphon’s words were soon followed by a crash coming from their room and the shattering of glass as the large wooden door crushed the window the three had escaped through, sending shards of glass into the alleyway. The sound of hooves stampeding into the room followed before a faint glow shone through the window. One voice spoke out clearly, barking orders, “What’s the hold up? Where are they?! The two downstairs said they were in this room, I want them now!” “Sir, we don’t know. The beds are empty.” “Idiots! They couldn’t of gotten far! I won’t have Lord Zephyr hearing about my failures caused by your bucking incompetence!” The gryphon started to back down the alley slowly, motioning a claw for Dash to follow as he lightly tugged Fluttershy along. The blue pony’s eyes darted between her friend and the window before she followed. Luckily, she was gone from the window’s view just as the broken door was torn away and a unicorn’s head peaked out, shining a spotlight back and forth across the alleyway. “They might’ve gone through here sir.” “I don’t want mights I want them found, now! You three, start searching nearby houses and businesses, and get the standbys looking too. You two, go and find the merchant. I want as much information as he has to spit out for a bit. You, you’re with me. We’re going to find out if these pathetic charity saddles are lieing to me.” Dash peered around the corner for only a moment before her focus was drawn to the gryphon. “Explain. Now.” The gryphon released Fluttershy peacefully, holding his talons up as he spoke, “Can’t, it’s not safe here. There’s a bar not far from here called The Aviary.” He pointed down the alleyway towards a fork as he continued, “Left, right, right, left, straight, left, right. Go to Bri and ask for a bucking bronco on the rocks. If she asks who sent you, just say ‘Skyreil’.” Dash’s wings flared out once again. “And how am I supposed to-” “There’s no time. Would you rather have been with the guards who would’ve bucked you into submission without a second thought, or the gryphon who wants you to be alive and can help you get to Airlon?” “I-... B-... Dang it.” Dash turned to Fluttershy. “Are you okay?” “Y-yes. I mean, he didn’t try to-” “Good. Let’s go.” Dash turned to the fork in the alleyway, looking over her shoulder at the gryphon. “If you’re lying. You don’t even wanna know.” The two vanished into the maze of buildings as the gryphon let out a sigh, flying up above the building as the streetlights of Faeroc began to buzz back to life. The calm silence of the night had quickly been replaced by the shuffle of hooves and the murmur of rumors amongst the populace. However, while the streets were filled with citizens and guards alike, the dark maze of alleyways only held two pegasi quickly searching for a promised safe haven. Luckily, the gryphon’s directions held true, and Dash soon saw a hanging sign in the alleyway just above a wooden doorway, shaped like a gilded bird cage. She let out a sigh of relief at the end of her sprint. “Well, I guess he wasn’t completely full of horse apples,” Dash muttered to herself. She turned back to Fluttershy, whose legs were shaking as she took deep, heavy breaths. “You okay Fluttershy?” “Just... fine... A little... out of breath,” Fluttershy said between gasps of exhaustion. “Can we just... stop for a-” “Let’s get inside first, come on,” Dash said, keeping her voice hushed. She waved a hoof in Fluttershy’s direction, her eyes looking up and down the alleyway suspiciously before she pushed the door open. The doorway opened into a large room, dimly lit by candles scattered across a few tables occupied by a hoofful of gryphons or ponies. The walls were barren except for a few candle stands near the ceiling, although they were left unlit. At the far end was a bar and a burly white gryphon seated behind it, calmly cleaning a glass in her claws. A few eyes around the bar idly watched the two pegasi make their entrance, but were soon drawn back to more important events: conversations or a game of cards. Fluttershy stayed close to Dash as they calmly trotted up to the bar. The gryphon looked up from her glass, a pair of blue eyes glancing over the pegasi. A small grin grew on her beak as she spoke, her voice deep, “Welcome to the aviary chicks. What can I get for you?” Dash looked back at Fluttershy for a moment, who was still recovering from her exhaustion. She turned to the bartender, placing a hoof up on the bar. “Yeah, a umm... Bronco Bu- Bucking Bronco on the rocks?” Dash questioned her own words, raising an eyebrow as she did. The gryphon returned Dash’s confusion with a blank stare. After a few moments she turned around, pulling out two cloudy bottles and a small tumbler filled with a few chunks of ice. After filling the glass to the brim she pushed it forward, her talon gripped tightly over it. She leaned forward, her face only a foot away from Dash as she spoke, “Who sent you?” “Skyreil,” Dash stated calmly, Fluttershy still recovering behind her. At Dash’s answer, several gryphon patrons in the bar looked up as their conversations came to an abrupt halt. The bartender’s talon tightened on the top of the glass, sending a small crack down its side. Her eyes narrowed as she picked up the tumbler, bringing it to her beak and taking a long sip. After the glass rested back on the bar, sending a splash of liquid over her claws, she shouted, “Quill! Look after the bar. I don’t want anything missing when I get back from talking to our little hatchlings.” A unicorn nodded from across the room. He had a dark orange coat and a scroll across his flank, and quickly took a spot behind the bar. The gryphon flexed her talons for Dash and Fluttershy to follow as she headed to a door in the back, holding it open for the two. They were led down a short hallway, and soon found themselves in a storage room stocked with various sacks, bottles, and crates. In the corner were two gryphons. One busied himself with sharpening his talons, while the other was contemplating a move on a small chess board between them. They each shot up out of their seats as the bartender lead Dash and Fluttershy inside, closing and locking the door behind them. One of the gryphons took his spot at the door while the other sat back down, busying himself with a talon once more, though his eyes stayed locked on the girls. Dash looked between the three gryphons as she spoke, “So... Are you Bri?” "Yes, I am, for what it’s worth to a nopony. Who sent you?” Dash looked back at Fluttershy, who could only offer a timid shake of her head. “Well, umm, we thought the guy who told us to come here wa-” “I need a name feather brain, now,” Bri stated flatly, scratching her breast with a talon. Dash stamped a hoof down on the floor as her wings flared out. “Look, my friend nearly got snatched out of her bed by your buddy and then these guards busted into our room. We just want to know what the hay is going on, who you all are, and why this Airlon place is so important!” Bri’s wings spread out, their span nearly twice as wide as Dash’s. Her glare focused on the pegasus intently. “I’d take a look around you. Three on two in small six by eight that’s gonna make your wings about as useful as they’d be on a brick.” She leaned closer, her eyes staring through Dash. “You’d best watch your tone with me hatchling, I’m not about to take orders from a pony in my bar. First, names, now. Both of you.” “... I’m Dash, and this is Fluttershy,” Dash responded, her wings still spread. “There, was that so hard? Now that introductions are out of the way, who sent you?” “What, it wasn’t Skyreil? That’s the name he gave us.” Bri’s eyes relaxed as her wings folded. “Wait, this gryphon. Brown and white? Purple eyes? Stupid enough to think grabbing you from a bed was a good idea?” Dash responded with a nod to each question. “Bloody hell...” Bri muttered, rubbing her forehead lightly. “Of all the dropped eggs, it had to be him.” There was a knock on the door, followed shortly by a groan from Bri as the guard at the doorway opened it slowly. Dash and Fluttershy were greeted by the same gryphon who had snatched Fluttershy from her bed not long before. He gave a small chuckle as he stepped inside. “Well, glad to see you found the place. Meeting the Steel family I take it? Sister Bri isn’t being too rough is she?” “Would you stop calling me that?” Bri asked, her voice strained as a vein showed through her feathers. “Why did you bring them here?” “Oh come on, we’re practically siblings. We were born in the same nest after all.” He placed an arm around Bri’s shoulder, which was quickly shoved away. “Because your mother got sick for two weeks and mine had to hatch your egg in my nest!” Her eye twitched unnervingly as she repeated herself, “Why did you bring them here?” “Same difference, and they were asking about Airlon,” he stated plainly. “What does that have to do with anything?” Bri demanded as one of her claws grabbed him by the breast. “Whoa whoa, calm down Bri. You’re scaring the timid one,” he said motioning to Fluttershy. “Sorry about being a little... rough earlier. Pressing matters.” Fluttershy started to speak up before Dash cut her off, “Hey! We still have no idea what the hay is going on!” “Bri, if you’d be so kind as to let me go?” He smiled once he was free, patting his breast lightly with a talon. “Well, for starters Bri. If they don’t know about Airlon, where do you think they’re from?” “That doesn’t mean anything you dolt.” “Yes, it does. It’s practically a threat hung over every gryphon and pegasus’ head. If you don’t eat your veggies you’ll go to Airlon. Don’t clean your room and it’s off to Airlon. Stage a coup and it’s you’ll be locked up in Airl-” “Would you act like you’re not still in the nest for once?!” Bri shouted. She turned to look at Dash and Fluttershy, and sighed. “You’re from the Wilds then, huh? Is that it?” Dash blinked, still confused by the gryphon’s odd actions. “Umm, yeah. We came here to look for help. Airlon was mentioned in some reports and we thought it was important.” “It is, and we’ve talked to you and your people enough for my taste,” Bri spat, turning away from Dash. “I think what Bri means to say is that we know who you’re here for, and we don’t really have anything to offer you.” The gryphon blinked before rubbing his chin idly. “Oh, right, name is Beryl by the way,” he said, extending a talon. Dash remained where she was, glancing between the two. “Riiight. Listen, this is really important.” “Oh, really? What is it, more of that Legend pigeon crap?” Bri scoffed, letting out a chuckle. “Like I’m gonna believe what you let yourselves get spoon-fed before it’s even out of the oven.” “They aren’t made up! We’re from before Nightmare Moon was in charge. We’re the Elements of Harmony from those Legends,” Dash stated, noting that Beryl raised an eyebrow at her words. Bri merely chuckled, turning back to face Dash. “Oh, isn’t that just rich? They went and brainwashed themselves too!” “It is true! We’re trying to get your help so we can all stop her!” Beryl held Bri back as she seemed ready to tackle Dash to the ground. “Bri, I don’t think it matters if it’s made up or not. If they’re honestly here to get our help-” “And how do we know they’re really from the Wilds? They could just be more of her lackeys trying to get the rest of us locked up.” “Listen, I was there. Guards broke in right after I got them out of that room. They were even questioning a merchant they talked to. If they wanted one of us either of them could of grabbed me and-” “Would you stop arguing?!” Fluttershy shouted suddenly, garnering a baffled stare from everyone in the room, especially Dash. However, her body started shuddering once again as she looked down at the floor. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to interrupt, but we’re... this isn’t accomplishing anything.” It took a few moments for Dash to speak up, “Fluttershy is right. We don’t know someway we can prove who we are to you, but we need your help.” Bri sighed, shaking her head in a talon. “Oh, well, if that’s the case let me just throw inhibition out the window.” She turned away from them again. “It’s all well and good, but we can’t help you anyway.” “Why?!” Dash demanded, stamping a hoof down. Beryl stepped up, hoping to stop another fevered outburst from Bri. “Skyreil, the name I told you to use, is our leader. About two weeks ago he was taken by the Queen’s guards on a raid, and thrown into Airlon. We’ve been trying to work on some way to get him out, and we think they’re using him as bait to get the rest of us.” “Exactly,” Bri stated, crossing her arms. “We can’t go rushing into Airlon and just expect to drag him out either. Beryl was supposed to be working on a way to get us in.” “Already taken care of. Demi finished the pigment I was telling you about.” “Pigment?” Dash asked, raising an eyebrow. Beryl nodded. “Yeah, it’s kind of hard for a gryphon to disguise themselves with our feather color being a dead giveaway.” Beryl smirked as he continued, “Guess it’s the same for a pony huh? Especially with those marks.” Beryl’s smirk faded as Dash stared at him. “Anyway, Demi’s an old friend of ours, pretty good with chemicals and stuff. He said he made a paint that works on feathers and coats, and doesn’t wear or wash out.” “Took him long enough to deliver on that. We’ve been waiting for months to get this from him,” Bri remarked, moving over to a shelf and pulling a few scrolls from them. “Bri, maybe this could be what we were looking for,” Beryl whispered, though his voice carried enough for Dash and Fluttershy to hear. “What are you rambling about this time?” Bri asked, unfolding a scroll. “Well, you were worried they’d still know who we are if someone tipped them off about Skyreil, right? This is a chance to avoid that.” “Wait, what are you talking about?” Dash asked, her stance finally relaxing. Fluttershy stepped out from behind Dash, her exhaustion all but gone. Beryl smiled, letting out a small chuckle from his beak. “Well, if you need our help so bad.” He leaned closer to Dash, and pointed a talon at her side. “How’d you like to be a blank flank again?”

Flashgen

33

Main 6,Original Character,Adventure,Dark,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

A Future Worth Saving

Twilight and her friends awaken to something they could not imagine in their wildest nightmares...

cancelled

<p>When Twilight Sparkle and her friends awaken in the Everfree Forest following a spell cast by Twilight, they attempt to find their way home. However, what they stumble on to is more than they could have expected, or imagined, in their wildest Nightmares.</p>

teen

2011-11-05T20:28:25+00:00

2011-11-05T20:28:25+00:00

Twilight’s hooves landed firmly on the ground. The portal behind her glowing a vibrant white that easily illuminated the cave she now stood in. Its walls were a mixture of smooth and jagged rock, with an occasional crystal jutting out near the ceiling. She turned and examined the walls for an exit, noting an odd crack that ran along one of the walls. Finally, she looked at the massive archway around the portal. Several etchings covered the simple stone archway, with identical unicorns on the right column, with two large dragons on the left, and she could barely see a drawing of the sun and moon at the arch’s peak. The portal fluctuated, shifting to a mixture of blue, red, and, green. After a few moments Spike stepped through on his claws, his neck bent low to fit through the archway. After he exited the portal, its glow dimmed, and a small white orb remained floating at the center of the arch. He stood up on his hind legs, stretching as he let his wings unfold. He looked around the cave, though the walls were no longer visible. “Well, I’m glad that worked out, but are we really here, Twilight? I mean, is this Kraulith?” He bent his neck down to Twilight. “I’m not sure, Spike,” Twilight said, floating Princess Celestia’s spellbook in front of her as she glanced through its pages. “I cast the spell just like the book said, so we should be there, though I’m more worried that I didn’t see a way out.” Twilight rubbed a hoof under her chin as she placed the book on the cavern floor. After a moment of thought, Twilight focused. Her horn glowed brightly, shining a beam of light against the cave wall that followed her vision as Twilight searched for a way out. The beam landed on one of the crystals above, reflecting internally before the light splintered towards several other crystals near the ceiling. Soon the cave was illuminated, and Twilight kept the beam from her horn pointed at the crystal. “Much better,” Twilight said. Whoever designed this must have put a lot of work into it. I wonder how long ago it was made?” She turned to face the crack which ran along a wall in front of the archway. The crack formed a long arch, cutting out a section of the wall. The section was covered with several scattered, jagged sections of rock, which cut off unexpectedly at the crack. Twilight gave a small nudge to the wall in an attempt to see if it would budge. Her efforts carried no results, however. She turned back to face Spike. “I think this might be a way out, Spike. Can you move it?” “Of course,” Spike said with a nod as he stepped up to the wall. He put as much of his weight as he could into the wall, but even after several attempts it stood unmoved. Spike frowned as he looked down at Twilight. “I don’t know Twilight, it’s just not budging. Are you sure there isn’t a door?” “If there is, I can’t see it anywhere,” Twilight said, squinting at the other walls. “Why would the gate be in a room with no entrance?” Twilight ran a hoof up and down the crack, and her horn brightened as she looked up at the crystal she kept lit. A small orb of light formed off the tip of her horn and floated above her, keeping the beam of light focused and the room illuminated. She leaned forward, her horn pointed at the wall as she focused, a small bolt of magic leaping from her horn and striking the wall. The wall shifted in response, grinding across its counterparts as the ceiling sent loose pebbles and shards of rock down towards Twilight. Spike moved quickly, sheltering Twilight from a shower of boulders with his wings. After a few moments, the wall began to pull away, and something massive was moving just outside the light of the crystals. Twilight moved back and craned her neck upwards, bending her legs as she prepared to run, or if need be, fight. With every second, the massive form pulled farther away, and soon left Twilight and Spike face to face with an endless expanse of darkness. After over a minute of hesitation and silence Twilight stepped forward and called out into the shadows, “Hello?” In an instant, the darkness before her gave way to a monstrous face, easily as large as Spike and covered with scales withered by age. Its nostrils flared, a trail of smoke floating towards Twilight and Spike, and its red eyes looked the two over attentively. Its mouth soon bent into an odd grin, its teeth bared in the process. “Well, well, well,” he mused. His voice was deep, echoing through the niche Spike and Twilight stood in. “I haven’t had guests in...” He paused to let out a lengthy yawn. “Quite some time.” Spike was down on his claws, wings spread in a vain attempt to intimidate the giant. Twilight’s legs quaked in fear as several beads of sweat dripped from her forehead. She tried to rationalize the situation in her mind: The Princess wouldn’t send me here if it was not safe... If he was trying to kill us we’d be dead... I have to be strong, I have to. She breathed slowly, her eyes closed for several seconds before the quaking of her legs began to die down. Once she was calm she opened her eyes, keeping them locked on the massive dragon as she spoke, “Is... this Kraulith?” The dragon chuckled, sending short gusts of wind mixed with smoke towards Twilight. “Where are your manners, child? Guest should introduce themselves, no?” Twilight cleared her throat, trying to keep herself calm as she spoke, “My name is Twilight Sparkle, and this is my assistant Spike.” She motioned a hoof towards Spike who gave a shallow nod in response, but kept his stance low and his wings extended. “I see, an oddity as well: not only guests, but a pony with pet in tow.” He leaned closer, his nostrils idly blowing smoke at Twilight as he towered over her. “Yes, you are on Kraulith, though your welcome is running short, little one.” He leaned down further, his eyes as level with Twilight as they could be. “Why are you here?” Twilight stood firm and stamped a hoof down, her back arched and her head raised. “I’m here to enlist the aid of dragons in freeing Equestria from Nightmare Moon.” The dragon’s grin twisted before he burst into laughter, nearly falling onto his side. After nearly a minute of glares and confusion from Twilight and Spike, he wiped a tear from his eye, and his laughter began to subside. “That is a rich joke, isn’t it?” He raised an eyebrow at Twilight’s silence. “Oh, you didn’t find it funny? No matter.” A massive claw reached forward, lifting Twilight off of the ground with amazing speed for its size. She soon found herself seated within the dragon’s palm as his neck bent to inspect her closely. “Hey, let go of her!” Spike shouted as he launched into the air, but found himself blocked by another giant claw. “Patience pet,” he said, waving the free claw in Spike’s direction. “You are outclassed, and dwarfed to boot.” “Please,” Twilight said, backing away slightly from the dragon’s gaze as she glanced at Spike and the arch. They were almost a speck in the distance. “This is very important. We need your help to-” “You don’t need anything young one, except maybe more lessons in manners.” His eyes finally left Twilight as he glanced back to the gateway and the ground in front of it. Twilight could see a glimmer of gold within his irises as the spellbook she had sat down so carefully jetted through the air. The book came to an abrupt stop in front of her, with a faint golden glow around its bindings. “It has been a while,” he muttered to himself. “Is it three oddities now? A guest, pony, and thief all in one?” “Thief?!” Twilight shouted, shaking her head. “No! I’d never steal this from Princess Celestia! She gave it to me!” “So easy to say, but not to prove, especially with such similar ornaments.” The spellbook hovered away from Twilight as she felt the necklace and tiara she wore tugged away from her for a moment. The dragon’s eyes pierced her, and it was several moments before his eyes relaxed and he smiled. “You may call me Grados, Twilight Sparkle. I must ask, if thievery did not gain you such a priceless artifact, what did?” “It was given to me,” Twilight stated, not backing down from his gaze. “Princess Celestia herself made sure that it came into my hooves.” “Did she now?” Grados scratched his chin with a claw. “I suppose if she knew before, she would not have left it to fall into her possession. Yet who is so important to ensure its well-being instead of an end by flame, then or now?” Then or... now? Does he mean? Twilight thought. Grados leaned down, placing his claw and Twilight within a few feet of the floor, leaving the book at her side. After Twilight jumped from his clutches, landing safely on the floor, he looked up, took a deep breath, and blew a small burst of fire towards the ceiling. It ignited a crystal, and its light spread through the cave in moments, just like Twilight had done before. Twilight stared in awe at the cave Grados stood in, towering even above his massive stature. His scales were a faded grey, easily blending into the cave walls, but along his back were a row of vibrant golden spikes, shimmering despite their age. After ensuring the cave stayed lit he lay down, curled up as his head rested before Twilight. “Tell me, how did you know your Princess, Ms. Sparkle?” “I was her student,” Twilight responded, placing her teacher’s spellbook securely in her saddlebags. “A very long time ago in fact.” “I would hope it was in the past, considering her likely predicament now.” Grados covered his mouth, hoping to suppress a yawn with little effect. “Just a student then? Not many can claim such a thing though, especially now.” “My friends and I, we were the Elements of Harmony, the ones who stopped Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago.” Grados raised an eyebrow at Twilight’s words, but let her continue. “But... she came back. She trapped us, froze us in time. Now we’re trying to fix things, to make things right.” “A noble task, especially for six young ponies. Yet, why do you need us?” “Princess Celestia left some... thing to advise us, a part of her. She told us to come here, to seek your help in stopping Nightmare Moon.” Twilight stepped forward, her head tilted slightly. “You can help us... can’t you?” Grados took a deep breath, a thin trail of smoke flowing from his nostrils. “So she doesn’t recall does she? I expected as such, and yet...” He sighed, shaking his head. “No, I am afraid you are mislead Ms. Sparkle. You will find very little help here, even as her pupil. What little respect that bears, of course.” “What, but why?” Twilight asked, looking back at Spike. “I know dragons haven’t been to Equestria in a while, but that’s no reason to-” Grados’s body stretched out as his head craned upwards. “Reasons are deep things, and it takes far longer than you know to find the tips of their roots.” Grados traced a claw along the stone floor between him and Twilight, cutting smooth, shallow lines into it with ease and elegance, like a painter with a brush. “Tell me, being a student, what do you know of your history?” Twilight smiled, breathing a sigh of relief. “You mean about Equestria? I’ve read a lot of books on it, and-” “No, child. Of your race, of all races. What do you know of the world’s history?” he asked, his claw frozen in place, only to continue cutting and digging moments later. Twilight frowned, her head tilted. “I don’t quite understand what you mean. I know a bit about other kingdoms, but there’s not a lot of books about history before the princesses’ rule.” “Of course not,” Grados muttered to himself as a second claw joined the etching, soon followed by two others. “Do you know of those that made this world, who brought forth life and your princesses as well?” Twilight tapped her chin with a hoof as she hummed to herself. “I have read some books about mythology. Do you mean the two gods from the creation myths?” “Mythology, an odd name for factual tales,” Grados muttered to himself, his front claws and eyes preoccupied with the floor. “Alas, yes, those two.” His clawing slowed before he finally stopped. He rested an open palm in front of Twilight and motioned with his other hand for Spike to follow. “Please. Let me enlighten you if I may.” Twilight reluctantly stepped into Grados’s grasp, and found herself high above the cave floor once again. Spike hovered nearby, and the two looked down at the floor that had been covered in a multitude of marks. With a golden glimmer in Grados’s eyes the lines sparked to life, glowing a vibrant blue. They lifted off the stone floor and began to hover at varying heights, bending and twisting until they became connected. “Long ago,” Grados began, a burst of light filling the already bright room, “there were two celestial beings who built and cared for the endless expanse of the universe.” As the light faded two silhouettes hung in the air, forming a circle with one another. A series of images appeared in the center of the circle as Grados continued, “Galaxies, stars, planets, moons, comets, and meteors. Everything within their imagination and will they created. Then, one day, they gave birth to their child. It was a planet, one which would bear their limitless children: plants, creatures both big and small, and limitless wonders beyond their prior work.” Twilight nodded. “Right, and they inhabited the world with all their creations.” The images faded and were replaced by pictures of the races of the world, each one glowing at Twilight’s call. “Gryphons, earth ponies, zebra, elk, pegasi, ibex, camels, buffalo, unicorns. To every race they gave life and form, and a home within an endless paradise. Even the smallest creatures were given shelter and care from the other races, which is why ponies care for animals, plants, and the seasons in Equestria.” Grados chuckled. “Some of that does carry, yes.” All of the images melded into one: a roaring dragon with its wings spread wide. “However, above all else they needed protectors, guardians of their world, and their vision; a vision of harmony. And so we dragons were born, tasked to protect this world and its creators’ greatest treasures.” The dragon’s image faded and condensed into a faint glow before bursting into a dazzling display of color and light. Before Twilight and Spike were six glowing orbs of light: red, blue, green, black, violet, and gold. “The Elements of Harmony,” Grados began, motioning a hand to the orbs. “Together, they were the most powerful magic in the world, and yet even alone they were strong. Six breeds of dragons were created, and one from each born to hold their burden eternal. To the Blue, playful denizens of the deep sea, was given Bliss. To the Red, steadfast protectors of the sky, was given Duty. To the Green, tenders of the vast paradise, was given Empathy. To the Black, vigilant guardians of the earth, was given Balance. To the Violet, helpful wanderers of the world, was given Profusion. Finally, to the Gold, watchers of unicorns and keepers of magic, was given Potential.” Twilight watched in wonder as the orbs of light twisted into draconic shapes with Grados’s words, until five of the figures, red, blue, black, violet, and green, formed a circle around a golden center. “I-I’ve never heard this before. Nopony knows how the Elements were created... and you said this ‘Gold’ flight watched over unicorns?” “There is more than one reason for that,” Grados stated as the five dragons around the gold image vanished. The golden dragon grew as several ponies, unicorns, appeared underneath its daunting form. “They were our flock, and we, their shepherds. We were told to give them our knowledge, to teach them to wield their Potential.” “Potential?” Twilight asked. “Wait, you said that it was one of the Elements. Why don’t we know them by those names?” “A shift in purpose and power,” Grados flicked a claw through the air. The images faded, and were replaced by several races once again, each with a different colored glow within its form. “Potential is the most powerful and primal of mortal magic. When the gods created this world, all their creatures were given it. All of them could wield it, and each developed it differently. Your kind were the only taught to master it.” “But, there’s nothing about this at all in Equestrian history. There aren’t even any myths or legends about it!” Twilight looked up at Grados, a hoof rubbing across her forehead. “This is just... it’s a lot to take in.” “Yeah, I haven’t even heard about this,” Spike said, crossing his arms at his chest. “Not unexpected from a pet,” Grados said to Spike before he turned back to Twilight. “Hey, stop calling me that!” Spike shouted, his eyes narrowed as his nostrils began to fume smoke. “Grados, please. Spike is not my pet, he’s a friend and assistant to me,” Twilight pleaded, offering a smile. “Very well. Do you wish to continue?” “Yes, please,” Twilight said with a nod. Grados sliced the image with his claw, twisting it with his fingers. A simple circle formed, split into three pieces: one with gryphons and pegasi, one with earth ponies and zebra, and a third with unicorns and dragons. “Your race, ponies, were scattered around the world. We kept watch over unicorns, ensuring their safety and teachings. Pegasi lived with the mountain dwelling gryphons, even though their companionship was tenuous, and the zebra had taken up residence with earth ponies, whose care for the earth accented the zebra’s affinity for the spiritual.” The pieces of the circle split and drifted apart, revealing two figures behind it: tall, slender ponies with wings and a horn. “That is when your princesses arrived... Perhaps the dragons had fallen from our creators’ favor for... previous misdeeds, or mayhaps their plans simply changed. Regardless, Celestia and Luna came to us and explained that they were to gather all of their subjects, earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns for their new kingdom of Equestria, and that they would require the Elements of Harmony on their parents’ orders.” “Their parents? You mean the-” “Yes, the gods which created this world, though of all their creations they only claimed true parentage to them. Against our judgement and prejudice we conceded on the terms that we would decide when they were truly worthy to wield the elements. From us, they learned and grew, and though it took years, they finally left through the same gate you entered.” Several glowing unicorns formed on the floor of the cave, trotting in a line into the gateway before vanishing. “I-I’m sorry I had no idea about... about any of this.” Twilight turned to fully face Grados, gazing up at him. “Is... this why you won’t help us?” “I wish it were child,” Grados said as the images faded completely, the lines on the cave floor slowly smoothed away. “We cannot help you because your rulers committed an atrocity that cannot be forgiven.” “An Atrocity, the princesses? There’s no way they’d-” For the first time since her arrival, Grados’s voice was strained, barely drowning out the grinding of his teeth, “There is more about them than you could or would know, Twilight Sparkle.” He leaned down, letting Twilight step onto the cave floor again. His voice was calm as he continued, “All tales are not without tragedy, it seems. One day, a great shadow fell upon this world. We knew its cost as soon as it appeared... The gods that created us all had fallen.” He placed a claw on his chest, clutching his scales tightly. “We could feel it, a part of us was lost, and while their other creations did not know of it, the tragedy still affected them.” “Affected them how?” Twilight asked as Spike landed next to her. “War. Disease. Famine. It had many faces, but the darkness was the same: a living nightmare that began to tear the world apart. Your rulers were quick to act, thinking they knew the source of their ailments. The Elements were combined with the draconic magic we taught them, and it cost the world its greatest gift to save it from the flame: Potential.” Grados sighed and lay down, his face level with Twilight’s. “It had been used as a tool for war and death, rather than harmony and peace. With one fell swoop, the Potential of all life sealed, and their memories were taken, everyone's.” Twilight stared blankly at Grados, her eyes aghast, slowly shifting to the floor as her mouth hung open. She was at a loss for words and breath as her mind tried to wrap itself around everything she had been told. Could all of this be true? Were Celestia and Luna hiding this from everypony for a reason? She shook her head, trying to remove her daze before she spoke, “I-I can’t really grasp all of this Grados, but... are you really sure about this?” “I am, Ms. Sparkle, for I have seen all of it first-hand.” He looked up at the ceiling, almost staring through it. “Perhaps you need some rest. I can answer your questions after you’ve had a chance solidify and differentiate them.” Grados walked away and lay down at the center of the cavern, facing away from Twilight and Spike. Twilight sighed, rubbing her head lightly. She trotted back to the gateway, her horn glowing faintly as the orb of light that kept the area lit returned to her and faded. After taking a seat near the shimmering orb within the gateway she gazed idly over its etchings. “Is it really all true?” Twilight asked herself, glancing back at Spike. “Spike? Did Princess Celestia ever tell you any of this?” “N-no, of course not,” Spike said, lying down at the foot of the gateway. “I never heard about any of this, even when we were waiting for you all to come back.” “I thought so, but why isn’t any of this in a book? Why wouldn’t the princesses want us to know about it?” Twilight laid her head down, her mind busily trying to both grasp and question Grados’s story. There had to be a hole, a gap, something that made it a lie, but even as Twilight began to drift off to sleep with her mind in the past, she could find nothing, at least nothing she could prove or disprove. When Twilight’s eyes opened, she was alone, but not in the cave she had fallen asleep in. All around her, the only thing she could see was white, an endless expanse of nothingness in every direction. She slowly rose on her hooves, turning around as she called out into the void, “Hello? Is anyone here?” A dream, she thought, this has to be a dream... but is it like the other ones? As she took a step forward, the featureless ground under her hooves took color and shape. A circle of grass formed around her, swaying gently in a breeze she could, for some reason, not feel. She heard a chime in the distance, a clear tone that resonated around her. With each step forward, more of the world took shape, accompanied by another clear note. Flowers began to spring up in the meadow around her, coupled with the gentle strums of a harp, and a tree sprang to life at her side, beckoned forth by the low hum of a bass. A path cut through the grass, leading up a gentle hill in the direction of the music as the harmony of a piano joined the symphony. Her pace quickened as she stepped onto the path, but the music stopped suddenly. The white floor before her seemed to give way as her hoof simply fell through it. She was sent her hurdling into nothingness as the meadow above her dissolved. Even the void began to fall apart as she screamed, her fall without end as she was engulfed by darkness. Her eyes were glued shut, and she began to mutter to herself, “It’s just a dream, it’s just a dream, it’s just a-” A cold shiver ran down her spine, forcing her eyes open as she gasped. She was frozen in place by a mixture of fear and shock, staring at a pair of pure black eyes, which somehow stood out from the darkness around her. They grew closer with each second, joined by a mouth only inches away from her, its teeth bared before it opened wide to engulf her. Twilight jolted upright, sweat pouring from her brow. She could still feel the bitter cold down her spine, but it slowly faded as a warm glow enveloped her. She looked down, her eyes wide when she saw the ground in the distance below, and Grados’s face a few feet in front of her. “You have some odd sleeping habits, child. Not many send themselves on a fall while they slumber.” Twilight floated down to the floor, landing gently on her hooves as the warmth faded from her body, the frigid feeling along her spine gone as well. Spike was quick to be at her side, holding her close for a moment. “Twilight! A-are you okay?” Twilight smiled, trying to wiggle free of Spike’s grasp. “I’m fine Spike, please. You can let me go. It’s just a little tight...” “Oh, sorry.” Spike frowned, a small blush visible under his purple scales as he placed Twilight back on the ground. He backed away before Grados moved closer to Twilight, leaning down to her. “I- my dream, it was... I mean I was falling, but... It was actually happening?” Twilight muttered as she took deep breaths, hoping to calm herself. She looked up at Grados as she continued to shudder and shake. “How did I get up there?” “I would assume you either teleported or levitated. The only signal you gave was your screaming.” Grados bent forward, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed the air around Twilight. “There is... a stench about you Ms. Sparkle. Something very dark, and old.” His claws ran over Twilight’s body lightly, barely touching her coat while he scratched his chin. “Odd that I did not sense it earlier. Perhaps you managed to keep it at bay.” “What are you talking about?” Twilight asked, careful not to yank her body away from one claw into another, shivering. “You mean magic?” “Yes... child. Has this been the first?” “With me almost falling to my death, yes,” Twilight said, rolling her eyes and forcing a chuckle. She shuffled a hoof against the ground, bending her head down. “It wasn’t the same as the other ones. They were scattered and meaningless, like flashes of memories.” She looked back up as she continued, her body finally still and calm. “But, no, it wasn’t the first. There were even times when I...” Twilight placed a hoof on her forehead, shaking her head. “When I’d get a headache if I tried to remember what happened before.” “Magic can evolve on its own will once it has been freed to the world, and often grows far beyond its owner’s intentions.” Grados’s eyes shimmered, his claws pressing against Twilight’s coat. Her body was assaulted by warmth, slithering across her like a snake. It began to build and focus, the warmth becoming a burning heat in her forehead. Twilight began to wince, tears on her cheeks as she grunted in protest. “W-what are you doing?” Spike tried to jump forward, but found himself stopped short by Grados’s massive tail flying at him. Spike flew backwards, his wings barely stabilizing him before he hovered down to the floor. “Calm yourself, pet, she will not be harmed.” Grados breathed in and out slowly. Twilight’s protests began to calm as she mimicked him, and the searing heat in her forehead slowly died out. Her eyes opened slowly after Grados pulled his claws away. He bowed his head to her, smiling. “Perhaps you will find clarity now.” Spike timidly stepped towards Twilight, lying down on the floor next to her. “Twilight, are you okay?” Spike asked, his tail curling in an arch around her. Twilight was still, her eyes darting back and forth as she scanned an invisible canvas with fevered urgency. After an extended silence she turned around. Her face was stoic, her eyes focused on Spike. She simply nodded. “Yes Spike, I’m fine, and I know what happened to us. I know what Nightmare Moon and Trixie did to my friends, and worse, what they did to me.”

123PinkiePie

34

Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life

Just Scootin

incomplete

<p>A certain figure from Scootaloo&#39;s past reveals a quite embarrassing secret about herself.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:54:57+00:00

Scootaloo opened the door to her house, expecting it to be Apple Bloom or Sweetie Belle, whichever one it was.  After all, it was the night of the Grand Galloping Gala, and they had to look their best for this event. Much to her surprise-and disgust- it was Diamond Tiara. She oddly closed all doors, windows and plugged up the chimney before turning to the orange mare. She briefly nodded at seeing her cutie mark, and looked straight into her eyes. Diamond Tiara: It's been a while, Scoot. I have to tell you something important. Scootaloo: You too, Queen Snooty. Let me guess, Celestia has stepped down, and made you ruler. Perhaps you have been struck with super powers and have come to kick my flank. Oh! I have it! You're a freaking movie star and have come to RUB IT IN MY FACE! Diamond Tiara: It's more important than that, you sherbet freak. Scootaloo:  Then what is it, Little Miss Princess?! Diamond Tiara: I'M A LESBIAN! On that final notes, Scootaloo's eyes rolled into the back of her head, and she passed out cold.

SKX

35

Comedy,Romance

Everypony Loves Dash

incomplete

<p>Something&#39;s up with everypony in Ponyville, and it&#39;s up to Rainbow Dash to get to the bottom of things.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:00:28+00:00

Rainbow Dash drifted through the sky over Ponyville atop a small, fluffy cloud. She was relaxing after a not-so-hard day of work, just a few clouds to get rid of to let the sun shine down for a beautiful day. Nonetheless, she was taking a nap anyway. Or at least she was trying to, when everypony’s favorite chatterbox called for her.         “Rainbow Daaaaaaaaaaaaash!” Could be heard by nearly all of Equestria. Rainbow Dash sat up, her eyes open and a frown on her face. She looked over the edge of the cloud to see Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack looking from side to side, probably for her. Dash could see Pinkie opening her mouth again to yell, so she quickly zoomed down to stop her. “Pinkie!” Dash said quickly, clamping Pinkie’s mouth shut with a hoof. “I’m here, what do you want?” She wasn’t exactly happy to be woken from her after work nap, but she was still happy to see her friends.          “Oh, hi Dash.” Pinkie said, quickly. “See, me and Apple Jack were just having an argument and wanted you to see who was right.”         The blue pony looked confused. “You wanted me to settle your argument?” She had never been the one to settle anything before. She wasn’t known for problem solving, unless the problem had to do with flying fast. Or running fast. Or doing anything fast, really. “Shouldn’t you get, I don’t know, Twilight for that?” She said. “Unless your argument is who the fastest pony in all of Ponyville is, then I don’t think I can-” She was cut of as Pinkie began again.         “No no no no, it’s not that. But I know you can answer it though. You see, me and Apple Jack were just over there, talking about you, and we just need to know which one of us you love.”         “Oh, well in that case, wait, WHAT?!” Rainbow’s eyes grew wide and her chin nearly hit the ground. She couldn’t have heard that right, even Pinkie wasn’t random enough to ask something like that. And get Apple Jack in on it? Outrageous. “Yeah, see, I was telling Apple Jack how me and you are totally a thing, how we always hang out, and pull pranks, and have fun and stuff, but then she was going on about how,” Pinkie stopped for a moment to make a silly face and mock Apple Jack’s voice as she said; “I really care about Rainbow Dash and I know she cares about me and blah, blah, blah.”         “No wait just one apple pickin’ second.” Apple Jack said, sticking her hoof in front of Pinkie’s face. The look on Pinkie’s face turned to one of surprise as Apple Jack started to talk. “Me and Rainbow are way deeper than y’all’s fun and games. Ain’t that right, Dash?”         Rainbow Dash stood with a look of shock frozen on her face. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Pinkie Pie and Apple Jack… in love with her? That didn’t even make sense. They were all mares for goodness sake!         “Dash? You feelin’ all right, Sugarcube?” Apple Jack said, coming up closer to Rainbow to check her.         Rainbow jumped back, a blush covering her face. “Y-yeah, I’m fine but, uh, the clouds are calling!” She said. She didn’t know what was going on, but she couldn’t stay there. “I gotta go!” She quickly tried to fly away, only to realize that Apple Jack had grabbed her tail in her mouth. HOW DOES SHE ALWAYS DO THAT? Rainbow Dash thought to herself.         “Not until you answer the question!” Apple Jack said, her mouth still full of Rainbow Dash’s tail.         Rainbow had to think. She didn’t want to pick either pony, and risk hurting the other’s feelings, and risk whatever came after, but she couldn’t just leave. She needed a distraction any sort of distraction, just so she could fly away without Apple Jack’s amazing ability to catch her. There was absolutely nothing around them, and the only thing that would distract these two from her would be… “Look out behind you!” She exclaimed. Well that was dumb, they aren’t going to-         The other ponies quickly turned back to see what Rainbow Dash had seen. Dash was surprised for a second, but quickly took the opportunity to fly as fast and far away as she could. Apple Jack heard her take off and turned around to see that she was already long gone. “Gosh darn it!” She said, galloping after. Pinkie was looking around for what Rainbow Dash had seen. “What, what is it?” She looked back to see she was alone. “Dash?”         Dash looked down for someplace to hide. Someplace Apple Jack and Pinkie wouldn’t look for her. She spotted Flutter Shy’s house below her and quickly dropped down to the door. It wasn’t locked so she quickly opened it and slammed it behind her.         Flutter Shy, who was sitting with Angel looked up with surprise to see a very relieved looking Rainbow Dash by her door. “Oh, um, hi, Rainbow Dash.” She said quietly.         “Flutter Shy, am I glad to see you!” Rainbow said, smiling. “I think Apple Jack and Pinkie have gone crazy! Well, Apple Jack’s gone crazy. Pinkie is pretty much the same.”         “Oh my, that’s horrible!” Flutter Shy says, surprised. Her surprised though, was still just barely above a whisper. “But um, what did they do?”         “You’re not going to believe this. They said they’re in love… with me!” Rainbow says, shaking her head and chuckling.         Flutter Shy chuckles a little too, but looks sort of nervous. “Well, um, I suppose, but is it really, that, um crazy to feel that way?”         Rainbow Dash’s relieved face changes to one of surprise. “Flutter Shy what are you saying.” She said, monotone.         “I mean, well, you are um, really strong” Angel, who had been sitting just barely awake sat up quickly and tried to get Flutter Shy’s attention. “and brave, a-and cool,” Flutter Shy though, was too busy staring at the ground, her face so red it seemed like someone had painted it. “and I, I love you Dash!” She finishes, looking up to see her door open and Dash gone. Angel facepaw’d. Just then, Apple Jack burst into the room, followed by Pinkie Pie.         “Have ya seen Rainbow, Flutter Shy?” She asked, looking around the room.         “Yeah, we can’t find her anywhere!” Pinkie says, looking under a carpet. “Well, not anywhere, we only looked from over there to over here, but we couldn’t find, and Apple Jack saw her fly over this way, and we thought you had probably seen her, so we came over-”         “Pinkie, I think she gets it.” Apple jack says, cutting her off.         “Well, um, she was just here, but she left. I could, um, help you look for her if you want.”         “Thank you kindly, Flutter Shy. We’ll be able to find her better with eyes in the sky.”         Rainbow had to hide somewhere and collect her thoughts. She needed to go somewhere no one would think to look for her, but where…she scanned all of Ponyville until she spotted Rarity’s house. It was hard not to spot it honestly; it stuck out like a well-dressed thumb. She landed and entered quickly. Not many in Ponyville ever locked their doors. She breathed a sigh of relief before hearing a noise above her. Coming down the stairs was Rarity, dressed in the fanciest dress Rainbow Dash had ever seen.         “Oh, Dash, just the pony I was looking for.” Rarity says, coming down the stairs as if she was modeling. “What do you think of my dress?”         “It’s, uh, it’s great, Rarity.” Rainbow said. She didn’t really care for Rarity’s dress, but Rarity liked them, and she wasn’t going to hurt her friend’s feelings.         “That’s good, I wanted to show it off to you. I really care about you and your opinions, Dash.”         “I- Rarity not you too.” Dash says, backing towards the door again.         “Oh Rainbow Dash, what do you mean? I simply wanted to show you some of my wonderful outfits, and see what-” She looked back over her dress as she sad this, and looked back just to see that Rainbow Dash was gone. “Now where did she run off too? I had so many outfits for us to try on.”         Moments later, the other three ponies looking for Rainbow Dash were at Rarity’s door, asking if she’d seen Dash.         “I have, she was just here. She flew out just a few minutes before you got here.”         Apple Jack looked up to the sky. It was true, there was a fading Rainbow that Rainbow Dash had left. “Alright gals, we’ve almost got her!” She said, galloping to where the Rainbow ended. Pinkie and Flutter Shy followed after, and after removing her dress, Rarity followed.         Rainbow Dash flew through the air in a panic. This couldn’t be happening, she had to be dreaming. She didn’t know what to do. She couldn’t pick one, she didn’t know if she even felt that way about her friends. Sure, she had a lot of fun with Pinkie Pie, and Apple Jack obviously cared for her. Flutter Shy was as cute as they come, and Rarity had a certain charm about her, but love? She just didn’t know. She needed somepony who could solve problems, and Twilight Sparkle was just that pony.         Twilight had a balcony, so it was easier to fly right in. ‘Twilight, I need your help!” She said, landing inside. Twilight was flipping through a book and Spike was putting books away when Rainbow interrupted.         “Oh, h-hi, Rainbow Dash!” Twilight said, putting her book down quickly. “What’s up?”         “You aren’t going to believe…” Rainbow Dash was about to tell her about the other ponies, but she wanted to make sure she didn’t want this to be a repeat of every other pony so far. “Twilight are you in love with me?” She said quickly.         Twilight blushed and stepped back at her friend’s question. “W-well, I don’t know, I mean, I’ve never felt this way before…” She said, looking down at the ground. “I don’t know what it is about you Rainbow Dash, but I-” She looked up and Rainbow Dash was gone.  A knock on the door and Rainbow dash went down to see the other four ponies, who recruited Twilight for their search.         Rainbow sighed, looking over the city. This was officially insane. Was every pony in Ponyville like this? She hovered in the air for a while, thinking of what to do next. Her train of thought was cut short by the all to familiar voice of Pinkie.         “Rainbow Dash, there you are!” She called. Rainbow looked down to see all five of her best friends standing on the ground below.         “Oh horse feathers!” Rainbow said, getting ready to dash off.         “Wait just a sec, Dash!” Apple Jack called up. “All you gotta do is say that you love me, and this whole chase can be over!”         “And even if you fly away, we’ll just follow your rainbow’s again!” Pinkie said, smiling.         “Waaaiit, loves you?” was said by Rarity, Twilight, Pinkie, and Flutter Shy, almost in unison.         “She loves me way more!” Exclaimed Pinkie.         “Why would she love you when she has me, as beautiful as I am?” Said Rarity. The five ponies got into a large quarrel, each saying how Rainbow Dash loved each of them and how bad everypony else was. This commotion caused ponies all around to come out of their houses.         “What’s all the noise about?”         “Yeah, I was just- Rainbow Dash!”  With that, everypony except the five fighting looked up to see Rainbow Dash.         “Dash!”         “Rainbow!”         “I love you, Rainbow Dash!”         “No, I love Rainbow Dash!”         Before she knew it, everypony in Ponyville was outside, calling out their love for Dash. Like with her friends, everypony started arguing to see who loved Dash more. Dash flew away as fast as she could. As soon as she was getting out of the city, she got onto the ground. She remembered what Pinkie had said, that she could be followed by her rainbow trail. She walked on the path, looking back to see if she had been followed. Not looking where she was going, she bumped right into someone who was heading into town.         “Oh, sorry!” Rainbow said, recoiling and looking up to see Big Macintosh, who was pulling an apple cart into town. “Oh, hey Big Macintosh.” She said, letting out a sigh of relief. She was worried it might have been Apple Jack, or one of those other love crazed Lunatics from town.         “Howdy, Rainbow Dash.” Big Macintosh said, slowly.         Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Man, you wouldn’t believe what your sister is doing back in town.” She was about to tell Big Mac all about what had happened with everyone in Ponyville, when Apple Jack interrupted her.         “Ya sure are lookin’ pretty, today.” It had taken him a while to build up the courage to say that.         Rainbow Dash looked at Big Mac with a look of fear. “Not you too.”         “Eeeyup.”         “WHAT IS WRONG WITH EVERYPONY?!” Rainbow said, taking off in a sprint away from Ponyville.

Morganville

36

Princess Luna,Rainbow Dash,Adventure,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Rainbow Colored Falling Stars

incomplete

<p>Luna is off in search of a falling star so that her wish of ponies enjoying her beautiful night would come true. However, she never could have imagined the feelings of friendship felt after meeting Rainbow Dash and how the pegasus pony might change her forever.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T21:47:37+00:00

2011-07-10T21:47:37+00:00

Luna sat within her room staring out across Equestria. Ponyville lay at the base of Canterlot and stretched out far before the Everfree forest consumed all that was in sight save a few skyscrapers from Manehattan that peeked over the trees at the very edge of the horizon. She enjoyed her view of Equestria but it wasn't what she really loved to look at. Luna turned her head up towards her beautiful night sky that was adorned by brightly shining stars burning brightly from millions of miles away just for her. The stars however were the only things out tonight as Equestria had fallen silently into the night as it did whenever Luna would raise the moon. The normal chirping of the crickets and the dancing of the lightning bugs were absent tonight and it all seemed especially lonely. Even after her sisters constant reassurance and kind words she still felt saddened. "Dearest sister, do not be sad. The night is very important to ponies all across Equestria. It is the time when they can rest and recover from the day. They need the night the most of all for this. You are very important to all of Equestria, Luna. Don't ever forget that." Why couldn't some ponies come out and enjoy her lovely night? Sure there were always things like the Gran Galloping Gala where ponies would be out until the early hours of the morning talking and laughing and having fun but in truth they were all inside enjoying those things and barely took to mind any thought of glancing upwards at her sparkling friends. Luna sighed. Even though she was now back home with her sister she still felt as alone as ever. The Canterlot castle was vast and Luna often found herself lost when trying to explore. Her sister was always busy as well with important business and frequently was not around at all when she needed her. Luna had even tried talking to the Canterlot royal guards but they always seemed so nervous around her and conversations often never progressed past hello. Her one and only true best friend forever lay at her side as she always had and Luna picked her up and cradled her. "Oh Abby... I wish a falling star would come my way so maybe my wish would come true," The red abacus remained silent as abacus' do but Luna still felt slightly better relieving the tension from her chest. She stared far off into the distant darkness and that was when she saw it. A falling star. A true falling star, right from the sky itself. But... Luna never remembered falling stars being rainbow colored.... The rainbow colored falling star crashed down from the sky into Ponyville and Luna gasped. This were her chance! If she could get that falling star then her wish would come true for sure! "Abby!" she exclaimed squeezing the abacus. "Do you know what this means?" The abacus was silent. She took the abacus and tucked it safely into a saddle bag that she immediately threw on her haunches. "That's right. We're going to Ponyville!" "Ow... not cool." Rainbow Dash mumbled as she pulled herself up off the dirt, her body aching. She groaned and glanced up at the sky. Not a single sonic rainboom to be seen for miles. Dash sighed. She was sure that she had it this time... except for the whole misjudging how close the ground was. She was so focused that she didn't have time to pull out of her dive. She could only open her wings slightly and soften her landing but it still hurt quite a bit. Rainbow Dash had been sneaking off through the night towards her secret training grounds as she did every night. She needed to perfect the sonic rainboom. The first time as a filly was a fluke and it only happened again at the Best Young Fliers competition because Rarity was in danger. Dash felt like she would never be able to do it on her own. But she was going to try anyways because after all if she didn't perfect her moves soon then she would never be Wonderbolt material. She prepped herself for takeoff, spread her wings and then promptly fell to her haunches as pain ran across her back. She had landed on her left wing slightly and now it hurt too much to even stretch it out normally. "Oh no," she gasped. "No, no, NO! This CANNOT happen! I mean I have to practice for the Wonderbolts and tomorrow I'm on weather duty and I promised to help Twilight dust the top of her bookshelves and that I would deliver cakes for Pinkie Pie and Rarity needed me to pick up an important package in Manehattan for her and how am I going to get back to Cloudsdale?" She began to freak out and couldn't stop herself from rambling which in all reality was absolutely not cool but this entire situation was NOT COOL AT ALL. Maybe Twilight was awake. She was always reading all of those books so maybe she had read something about pegasus first aid. Yeah! Maybe she could use her magic to fix her wing. But as Dash looked around she realized that she was a lot farther from Twilight's house than she originally thought. By the time she got there Twilight would definitely be asleep and she had told Dash the other day that she had important Canterlot business to attend to this week. If she bothered Twilight she might not be able to finish her work. Rainbow Dash sighed and looked around. She was quite close to the Everfree forest. "Maybe Zecora..." She shuddered, her sentence cut off. The Everfree forest? At night? No way. And in any case Zecora still unnerved her a bit. Dash sighed and looked up into the night sky. The darkened deep blue of the sky was speckled by the bright shining stars that illuminated Ponyville slightly in their glow. The faint wind across her mane and the rustling of leaves in the trees was quite pleasant and the night sky was so beautiful. Well it was until something smacked her straight in the head. "Abby!" she heard a distant voice cry before something else fell to the ground with a loud thump. "Awh..." Dash groaned as her vision returned and she picked up the strange red thing that had fallen on her. "What the hay is this?" she said as she examined it. "Careful!" the voice cried again before somepony ran up to her and snatched it away. "Abby are you okay?" The pony began checking "Abby" closely before tucking it back into her saddle bag. Rainbow Dash could barely make out who this pony was until the clouds shifted in the wind and let the moonlight shine down, illuminating Ponyville. Princess Luna! Luna became flustered as the pony bowed to her. She didn't know what to do or how to react so for a few long arduous moments it was slightly awkward. Luna hated it when ponies bowed to her. She felt ashamed for her actions as Nightmare Moon and felt like she didn't deserve anypony's praise or admiration. Finally the pony stood from bowing and Luna felt relieved, her face losing its flush. "Princess Luna did you just fall out of the sky?" Luna instantly became flustered again. "Well, yes. I don't really fly that often so I'm not very good." Luna hung her head in embarrassment What kind of alicorn princess couldn't fly properly? Being trapped in the moon for a thousand years didn't really help either. "So.. what are you doing out here so late at night, Princess Luna?" The blue pony with multicolored hair asked, her hooves digging at the ground slightly. "Oh I um... I saw a falling star and I was just looking for it," Her voice was quiet. "You wouldn't happen to have seen it would you?" The blue pony seemed to think for a moment and it was then that Luna noticed her wings. A pegasus pony down in Ponyville so late at night? She felt confused. "Hmm.. no I haven't. See I was off to practice some cool moves but I fell all the way from Cloudsdale. I haven't really seen much other than the ground tonight." The blue pegasus laughed. "You fell from Cloudsdale?" Luna spoke, taken aback. "Heh, yeah. The clouds weren't perfectly pushed together in one part and it was dark so I couldn't see so... here I am." It was then that Luna recognized the pegasus pony. She was one of Twilight Sparkle's friends, an element of harmony! Luna suddenly felt very uncomfortable. What must this pegasus think of me after what I did as Nightmare Moon? But the pegasus with the rainbow mane didn't seem unnerved at all and instead asked Luna another question. "So Princess Luna, what was that thing that fell on my head?" "Oh, Abby is my abacus." "Aba-what now?" Rainbow Dash was thoroughly confused. "Uhm... it's used to add and subtract things." Luna said, unable to truly explain what an abacus was. "Oh I see. So why are you carrying it around with you?" Rainbow Dash questioned. It seemed strange for a pony to be carrying something like that with them in the middle of the night. "Abby is my best friend. She's always been with me." "Sounds like you need to get out more." Rainbow Dash laughed. "You should come down to Ponyville more often, you're quite funny." Luna once again found herself flustered. Go down to Ponyville? She would be so nervous to walk the streets. What everypony must think of her... "Hey Princess Luna," she seemed to speak confidently. "You wouldn't happen to know of any medic ponies that would be up this late, would you?" Her voice trailed off a bit. "Medic ponies? Why are you looking for a medic pony...uhm..." Luna couldn't quite remember her name. "Oh I'm Rainbow Dash, remember?" That's right. Rainbow Dash; The element of loyalty. "I sort of need one," Rainbow Dash said. "See when I fell from the clouds I landed on my wing and now I can't exactly fly." Luna nodded and thought for a moment before perking up. "Well, I could always heal you." Rainbow Dash looked at her curiously. "You could?" Luna nodded again and explained to Rainbow Dash that while she was imprisoned on the moon for a thousand years she needed a way to pass the time so she learned to hone her magical ability for quite a few different things. Rainbow Dash seemed a bit reluctant after the mention of her imprisonment but she couldn't be stuck with a hurt wing all night. She carefully stretched out her injured wing for Luna and closed her eyes tightly in preparation. Luna breathed in a bit of cool night air and then began to focus as her wings spread outwards and her horn began to glow a faint purple slowly becoming brighter. Rainbow Dash's wing began to glow as well as Luna began to mend it. Dash had expected it to hurt and thus had prepared herself but Princess Luna was being very careful and gentle and within moments her wing felt as good as new. Luna sighed slightly as the magic left her and her horn ceased to glow and smiled slightly towards the pegasus who was now stretching out and rotating her wings in a most peculiar fashion. "Sweet, I can fly again!" Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she bolted up towards the sky and then back down again, spinning and floating the air seemingly effortlessly. She landed next to Luna and then quickly embraced her with a high pitch squeal of thank you. Rainbow Dash suddenly backed away from Luna and apologized. "I'm sorry Princess I just got so excited... heh." She rubbed the back of her head with her hoof in embarrassment But in the deep blue darkness of that evening she couldn't see the extent of the blush that had consumed Princess Luna's cheeks. As the pegasus began to sway the conversation in a different way Luna couldn't make out the words that she spoke. Luna suddenly realized how cold the night air really was and how she wanted once again to be embraced by the pegasus whom had felt so warm against her. At first she didn't understand the feelings that she felt. She wished her sister was there to help her but she knew in the back of her mind she would only bear witness to her sisters signature smile and a few kind words about needing to find herself. But how was she supposed to find herself when she didn't even know what feelings she was experiencing? Was this friendship? Did she finally have a friend? Was this what it felt like? A million thoughts flooded Luna's mind and she felt excited and embarrassed all at once. Being on the moon was... torture for her. She had been deprived of interaction with other ponies for a thousand years. This was the first time that somepony has hugged her other than her sister for all of those years. There was nothing that describe the feeling of loneliness that Luna had felt as the cold dark moon held her small form. "So do you think you're up for it Princess Luna?" Rainbow Dash asked grinning. "Yes," The word escaped her lips before she could even think about it let alone realize what Rainbow Dash has even been talking about. At this moment she felt as if she could only say yes to the rainbow maned pegasus. She only wished that her body hadn't failed her so that she would know what she just agreed to. But Rainbow Dash piped up again excitedly quickly answering her question. "Great! Let's go then. Your first super awesome flight lesson begins now." Wait, what? And before Luna could realize what was going on Rainbow Dash had grabbed her hoof and they were off through the night sky faster than anypony could have flown. Luna's precious star friends rushed past her yet grew closer as they ascended higher. The clouds before them began to part and Luna was able to see that they were heading towards the very edge of Equestria itself where the mountains that bordered the land turned into valleys that sloped off into the great oceans. As the two ponies began to descend Luna once again looked skyward and her eyes widened slightly. Just then, out of the corner of her eye, Luna had seen a single streak of starlight as it streamed across the sky. "Was that..." Luna began but Rainbow Dash couldn't hear her for her words were so soft spoken. Rainbow Dash leveled off along the ground and set Luna down softly. "Isn't this place great? I come here all the time to practice." Dash said. Luna had been so busy staring up at the sky that she didn't notice where they had landed. It took her a minute to form the words to describe the view that lay before her. The valley seemed to stretch out into the distance forever and beautiful waterfalls lines the high slopes that surrounded the two ponies. The water glowed in the moonlight and lit up the valley in it's entirety. It wasn't bright like sunlight but it was a soft glow reminiscent of the starlight that Luna adored. "This is... so amazing. The water is so pretty. Why does it glow like that?" Luna asked. "I'm not too into the whole science thing but I thought Twilight would find it cool so I brought her back some. She told me that there are some sort of..." Dash seemed to be searching for the word. "Oh yeah, luminescent. Twilight told me there were luminescent creatures in the water like tiny sprites. They glow in the dark so that's why the water is lit up." Rainbow Dash grinned. Luna was amazed. She had never heard of creatures that glowed before. She smiled to herself. This was the kind of beauty that Luna had been wishing she could find in her darkness. Something that maybe somepony would enjoy. She glanced back at Rainbow Dash who was in the process of stretching her body and wings. Rainbow Dash seemed to enjoy being out at night even if it was just for practice. At least there was one pony that Luna now knew of. "You should probably stretch out before you start flying Lu- I mean, Princess Luna." Rainbow Dash corrected herself. She had almost forgotten that Luna was of the same stature as Princess Celestia. "Oh, alright," Luna said shyly. "And you can call me Luna if you like." Luna began to mimic what she had seen Rainbow Dash doing but she felt a bit silly. "But you're a princess of Equestria. I can't just not address you as princess. That would be... uncool of me." Dash seemed to stumble over her words slightly. "Well...," Luna blushed slightly. "Would you like to be my friend? If we were friends you could address me as Luna, right?" Her head lowered slightly as her hooves shuffled the dirt beneath them. "Psh, we're totally already friends." Dash said confidently. "So then Luna, you all warmed up and ready to fly?" Dash had lowered herself on her forehooves with her wings prepped and outstretched to her sides. "I uh..." Luna looked around, avoiding Dash's gaze. "Oh come on, it's not that hard. You'll do great. Just try it." The encouragement from Rainbow Dash made Luna feel a bit confident in herself. Though, she still felt nervous. Her daring flight from Canterlot to Ponyville had been quite unnerving. Luna had at first thought that she would graciously float along ground level to her destination but a sudden updraft sent her high into the sky. She could only panic and descend as slow as her beating wings would allow until she finally fell the last few feet to the ground. Luna wasn't exactly looking forward to a repeat instance. Her wings snapped shut tightly against her body thinking of it. Rainbow Dash sighed. "Are you really that scared Luna?" Dash's voice was soft. "Only slightly." Luna lied a bit. She was very scared. She didn't want to fall again but she also wanted to learn how to fly properly. She was torn. "Hm..." Rainbow Dash began to think. She hovered in the air around Luna one hoof resting under her chin and the other across her chest. Dash then perked up and clopped her hooves together. "I got it!" "I know a way that you can fly without using your wings." she said. Luna was now thoroughly confused. How was she going to fly without her wings? It was impossible. "What you need is help, Pinkie Pie style." Dash said with a grin upon her face. Pinkie...Pie? Luna found herself lost in translation. What does pie have anything to do with flying? And why in Equestria would pie be pink?

Morganville

36

Princess Luna,Rainbow Dash,Adventure,Comedy,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Rainbow Colored Falling Stars

incomplete

<p>Luna is off in search of a falling star so that her wish of ponies enjoying her beautiful night would come true. However, she never could have imagined the feelings of friendship felt after meeting Rainbow Dash and how the pegasus pony might change her forever.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:07:44+00:00

2011-07-11T00:07:44+00:00

Rainbow Dash had escorted Luna home that night so that Luna would be able to get some sleep before her next lesson. Luna hadn't slept much at all though because she was too busy wondering what pink pie would taste like. Perhaps it was some sort of fruity flavor. Luna placed Abby upon her bookshelf. She didn't know what she was in for today and after last night she worried that she might break her dear friend so today Abby stayed home. Luna made her way through Ponyville that afternoon with her saddle bag stuffed full of bandages and various other first aid. A pony could never be too careful, especially when the circumstances were unknown. Luna had also decided that day to strip herself of her princess decor and opted instead for a purple cloak. She didn't want to feel too out of place. She also didn't want to make other ponies feel uncomfortable hence the normal sort of clothing that she chose if you could call a cloak mid day normal. Ponyville was busy as ever as ponies were rushing about to prepare for an outdoor festival. Everypony had something to do or somewhere to be and many passed by Luna without a second glance. As Luna trotted through Ponyville she enjoyed the sounds of ponies laughing and chatting, the sounds of birds singing and the smells of fresh baked breads and morning bucked apples in the air. Luna couldn't resist the look of the delicious apples that lay upon carts in the streets and so she decided to try one. Picking an apple from the stand Luna handed her two bits to the yellow earth pony who thanked her kindly for her business. As Luna bit down into the juicy apple she suddenly came face to face with Rainbow Dash who loomed upside down in front of her. Luna let out a surprised yelp almost dropping her apple. “Heh, sorry about that Luna. Oh hey Applejack!” Dash said, turning towards the yellow earth pony that was adorned by a tri apple cutie mark. “Well hey ther' Rainbow Dash. What ar' ya up to today?” Applejack said. “Me and Luna here are going to have some flying lessons today. Heading over to Sugarcube Corner to pick up some supplies from Pinkie Pie.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “Yer goin' to get supplies from Pinkie? What's goin' on in yer head that ya think that's a good idea?” Applejack paused for a minute. “Wait... Luna? As in Princess Luna?” The yellow earth pony stared at Luna who had now pulled the hood up fully on her cloak seemingly trying to disappear inside of it. “Erm... would you mind not letting it slip that she's here AJ?” Rainbow Dash said as she hovered up and landed next to Luna, covering her form slightly with her outstretched wings. “We're just hanging out so she doesn't want to draw to much attention.” Applejack seemed to be making a strange face that resembled something between concentrating and a glare. “Well... ya'll better be careful with whatever ya end up doin'. We dun wanna upset Princess Celestia cause somethin' happened to her dear sister cause of you Dash.” “Oh no... It's quite alright.” Luna spoke up softly. “My sister knows I'm out and she's glad that I'm no longer stuck in my room all day. She would probably even laugh if I came home injured.” “She would laugh at you for being injured?” Applejack said suddenly worried. “Well, no not at the fact that I'm injured but because she could see that I was trying to have fun and that would make her happy. When my sister is happy she tends to laugh.” “I see...,” Applejack said warily, eyeing the purple alicorn. “Well I reckon that ya'll better get a move on if ya wanna catch Pinkie Pie before she gets all caught up in baking for the festival.” The earth pony turned her attention back to her cart and began to fix the placement of the apples so they sat perfectly. Luna was very tempted to buy another. The first had been so delicious. She then remembered the last half of the first apple and quickly ate it, enjoying the flavor once again. These apples were better than the ones that her sister had flown into Canterlot. She needed to remember to buy some before she went home tonight. “See you later then Applejack. Come on Luna. Were off to Sugarcube corner.” And with that Rainbow Dash took off flying through Ponyville. “Hey! Wait for me!” She yelled as she trotted after the blue pegasus as fast as she could without drawing attention. She hung her head and caught her breath once she caught up to Rainbow Dash. The pegasus had landed next to a sweet smelling shop in the middle of town and now as Luna caught her breath she suddenly felt hungry again. Luna looked up to say something to her friend but she only got as far as opening her mouth for Dash was gone. “Eh...” It was the only thing she could manage to say. Luna looked frantically around and then caught the last glimpse of a rainbow mane disappearing into the pink colored shop. Luna liked how the shop seemed to resemble a ginger bread house but she didn't take too much time to observe it before hurrying in after Dash. “WELL HI THERE PRINCESS LUNA!” A pink pony exclaimed, jumping right in front of Luna. “Ahh!” Luna screamed. “Pinkie what did I say about it being a secret?” Dash's voice was aggrivated. “Oh! Hehe silly me.” The pink pony laughed. “Hi there Princess Luna,” she whispered. Rainbow Dash put a hoof to her face and shook her head then sighed. “Luna this is Pinkie Pie. She's going to help us out today.” Luna remembered the completely pink pony. She had been the element of... laughter. That's right. It was somewhat befitting of her Luna decided as she watched the pink pony bounce up and down around the room. Luna blushed half embarrassed and half nervous. How was she going to make friends when she kept feeling so out of place among other ponies? If only her sister was there to give her some advi- “HEY LUNA!” Pinkie Pie exclaimed catching Luna off guard again. “Can I be your friend too? Can I? Can I? CAN I?” The pony grew progressively closer to Luna until they were almost nose to nose. “Uh...” Luna said, baffled and unable to form words for the expecting mare. “GREAT! Here have some of these. I just baked them~” Pinkie cooed as she held out a plate of fresh baked cupcakes. The cupcakes were hot and straight out of the oven. The scent was amazing. The white cake topped by hoof whipped pink frosting covered in sprinkles made Luna's stomach rumble. Graciously Luna took one of the cupcakes and had herself a bite. These. Were. Amazing. She quickly gobbled it down and then caught herself and blushed. She felt very un-princess like for stuffing her face as she did but the two ponies only laughed. “Yeah, Pinkie Pie's cupcakes tend to have that effect.” Dash laughed as she bit down into a cupcake of her own. “So Pinkie you going to let me have the supplies or what?” “Right! I almost forgot. They're outside in the back. Come on!” Pinkie Pie said as she hopped her way through the shop and out the back door. Luna only stared with slight bewilderment. This pony was quite...strange. Luna and Rainbow Dash both followed silently until the light adjusted Luna's vision and her jaw dropped. What in Equestria was that contraption? The hot air balloon stood tall next to Sugarcube corner with a basket attached underneath, it's heat radiating on Luna's coat. Dash had already taken off and was flying around it, inspecting it and Pinkie Pie was bouncing around the balloons base. “Isn't this great, Luna?” Dash yelled down to her. “Now you can get used to flying without working up a sweat!” “It's my super special high flying slow soaring hot air balloon. It's super duper amazingly fun!” Pinkie smiled. Luna remained with her mouth agape. Did Dash want her to... get into this thing? She didn't have words to express her discontent with the situation. The looming hot air balloon made Luna weak in the knees. 'I would rather fly on my own than get in there,' Luna thought. And on top of everything the hot air balloon was a bright, vibrant shade of pink perfectly matched to the coat of the hyperactive mare. 'Oh Celestia... what have I gotten myself into?' “Come on Luna,” Dash yelled. “Get over here. You can't hang out in the doorway all day with a face like that.” Rainbow Dash chuckled a bit. Luna got a hold of herself and trotted over cautiously. She wanted very much to make Rainbow Dash happy and to spend time with her new friend but the balloon made her knees feel shaky. She wasn't too sure about the idea of flying lessons anymore. She caught her thoughts. No, making friends was something she wanted to do for a long time and she wasn't about to let some stupid balloon get in the way of that. Maybe... “Hurry up Luna!” Dash called again as Pinkie Pie began undoing the weights holding the balloon down. Luna sped up her pace considerably and managed to jump in just in time before the balloon ascended upwards into the clouds. She could hear the cheers of the pink pony below her and the laughter of her pegasus friend that soared above but as Luna lay in the basket having fallen in she could only see the sky above her floating closer. Luna felt a weight on her chest. The lingering feeling of how the situation was a bad one held tight to her form. She curled up inside the basket hoping to make herself feel a bit safer. It was all she could do at the moment for the sounds of the cheers had quieted and the laughter had stopped. The sound of the passing breeze was all that Luna could hear and it scared her to think that she was now all alone in the sky. She gathered up a bit of courage after all she couldn't remain hiding in the basket forever. She needed to stand up and slowly she did, her knees steadying. And then she found herself without words. The view was marvelous. The rolling hills led off past the Everfree forest and Luna was able to see more of Manehattan than she ever could from her room back in Canterlot. Ponyville lay beneath her still busy with many a pony rushing about setting up decor for the celebration. They all looked so small from such a height. Looking upwards towards the clouds Luna caught glimpses of Rainbow Dash as she cleared out the clouds for Luna's trip. Luna smiled. It wasn't so bad as she first thought it would be. Maybe she could have fun after all. Luna squinted. 'What's that...?' she thought as something in the distance began to approach. “It almost looks like -,” she began but stopped as she froze up with her eyes wide. Luna and her sister locked eyes momentarily as Princess Celestia passed by Luna's balloon atop her stallion pulled coach. She sheer bewilderment of her sisters expression made Luna turn bright red in the cheeks. The glance was only for an instant as her sisters coach took off into the distance past her but Luna knew instantly that her sister would never let her live this down. 'I knew this was a bad idea...' she thought as she slowly sunk to the bottom of the basket once more.

The Great Turnip

38

Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Adventure,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Controlling the Sparkle

incomplete

<p>Things have not been going well for Twinkle, newly appointed student of Equestria’s beloved Princess. Not only has her idealised perception of Canterlot appeared to be completely incorrect, but she has also had to endure a devastating combination of illness and loss of control of her magical abilities. Thankfully, the Princess is at hand to distract Twinkle's worries with a tale of the much hated Elements of Harmony, which she claims is designed to teach her the methodology of control. But as the Princesses’ tale continues, it becomes clear that both the true meaning of this story and the Princesses’ intentions for telling the story are far deeper than Twinkle had originally believed...</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:11:21+00:00

2011-07-10T22:11:21+00:00

Prologue – Diary Entry 1 A wonderful introduction to life in the big city indeed! Within my first few weeks of residence here, not only have I been consistently sneered upon by practically everypony whom I’ve happened upon (whether on the basis of envy or ignorant superiority I’m unsure), but now I’ve been stricken by some insatiable disease that appears fixed in its intent to claim my life! Oh, how I miss the tranquillity of life in Ponyville; the succulent scent of Sweet Apple Acre’s apple trees in the summer, the inescapable beauty of the snow-laden landscape in winter – and most importantly, the all-year-round hospitality of its inhabitants. Each time I think back to my home tears threaten to fill my eyes; I do so wish to be among my friends but for a few minutes! The concept of spending a further five years away from them all is almost too much to bear... Not that I was necessarily forced to migrate to Canterlot – quite the contrary, I’d been so overcome by enthusiasm upon hearing the news that I’d almost fainted! Just the thought of it... a small town Unicorn like me travelling to the almost mythical city of Canterlot to study under the Princess herself – if I recall correctly I practically bounced the entire way! So enraptured at the prospect was I that any sense of logical reasoning that I possessed (and I possess a great deal) had been swiftly suspended – ironically when such reasoning would have come most useful. I barely even considered how alien such a change in scenery would prove to be; how dramatic the change in customs, in personality and even lifestyle of those who live here. I would feel completely lost in the metaphorical darkness of my current situation, were it not for my one guiding light – the Princess. She, at least, has met and surpassed my expectations in every way imaginable! As the legends have always said – she possesses such beauty, such grace and such kindness that one might think one has died and ascended to the heavens! On first meeting, the emotions that her mere presence first elicited were those of joy, awe and...slight intimidation – after all, when one is speaking to a literal deity; it is excruciatingly difficult to quell one’s nerves. But from the first syllable she uttered, all of my initial nerves were instantly dispelled; her voice betrayed such kindness and wisdom – one could do little but feel safe. If only I could spend my time perpetually at her side, this wretched home-sickness would be instantly purged! Understandably, somepony as busy as her cannot afford to spend more than a few hours a day with me, but the lessons that the Princess sets me each day generally keep feelings of home-sickness at bay... even if those are swiftly replaced by other negative feelings. The workload is indeed strenuous, at times tiresomely so – but over the years I’ve become used to studying for what could (and usually are) be perceived as absurd amounts of time. Indeed, my friends often claimed that I loved books more than them, although that’s only partly true... At any rate, my illness has all but ended any chance of me studying with any degree of effectiveness, so the Princess advised that I record the rather interesting events of the previous few days in a written form. In effect, doing this will be hitting three Pegasi with one pie; as not only will this solve the problem of my boredom and give me an opportunity to continually utilise precise magic (writing with hooves is a rather too difficult affair), but the Princess says it will help me process the meanings of the stories that she appears keen on giving me throughout the duration of my illness. Not that I’m complaining, her stories are always remarkably interesting and fascinating; often completely destroying my preconceptions on a subject! My key problem lay not within the workload itself... more the subject of the lessons that I’d been set. Almost all had revolved around the control of my magical ability rather than the expansion of my knowledge of spells and the likes, an essential topic to be sure – but one that every Unicorn learns as a foal! I couldn’t help but ask myself: does the Princess really think so lowly of me, her supposedly “star pupil”? To further exacerbate matters, I was confined to my quarters in the castle due to my rather sporadic and grave illness. This provided a perfect environment for my insidious thoughts to develop and begin to slowly eat away at my mind; what I initially put down to be mere paranoia became a blatant reality in a matter of days. By this point, my basic line of reasoning went as follows: If the Princess was restricting me to such simple practices, had I done something that led her to doubt my aptitude with magic? I even went as far to consider the idea that the Princess may not wish to keep me as her pupil – a rather steep slippery slope of an argument to adopt to be sure; but with the combination of my illness and my potent emotional response to such a prospect, I doubt I can be blamed for forgoing logical reasoning. Whilst among my friends I can be known as a “book-worm” who takes the prospect of failure rather poorly – I don’t believe that such a stereotypical description accurately befits me. My parents have in fact always instilled upon me values of diligence and determination, so as opposed to meekly resigning myself to my perceived fate, I did what I always do in these situations: I “hit” the books, determined to prove to the Princess that I was indeed worthy enough to be her pupil. The results however...were not overly successful. Apparently, the Princess was summoned to my quarters at some ungodly hour of the night, as one of the guards on his evening patrol noticed smoke pouring out from underneath the door. Whether or not the Princess was utilising hyperbole whilst describing the state I was found in to me the next morning (as her melancholy laughter would suggest), her portrayal of events was indeed more than a little shocking. Half of the furniture within the room had been transformed into plants of varying species, whilst the rest was either on fire, or soon to be on fire. According to the Princess, I lay at the centre of this bizarre scene, surrounded by a sphere of pure magic. The most perplexing thing – I retained no recollection of such events... the last thing I remember was discovering a spell in one of the many books at my bed side that certainly looked impressive, but after that...it was all blank. Ironically, perhaps, it appears that I lost control. The Princess, as I relayed my perspective of events back to her, found this irony rather humorous – her usually perfect face creased, suggesting that she could barely seem to contain her laughter as she stood by my new bedside. I distinctly remember myself blushing from the sheer embarrassment of the situation, a reaction which I attempted to hide by subtly pulling the bed sheet over my face (a surprisingly difficult challenge when one is gifted with hooves). Not only had I neglected to heed her advice based on so many flimsy assumptions (and paid a price for it) but now the Princess herself was laughing at my transgression. In that moment I was sure that she would remove me as her pupil.... “Oh, Twinkle!” the Princess exclaimed merrily, doing her best to quell her now abundant laughter. “You never cease to bring something interesting to an otherwise monotonous day!” For a moment, I could not decipher whether this was a compliment or a mockery, but given the benevolence of the Princess before me, I deduced her comment was of the former nature – even if it did appear that I had temporarily assumed the role of jester as opposed to student. At any rate, I held the bed sheets closer to my face, fearful that the rosy red that inhabited my cheeks would be seen. “I do apologise for my laughter, Twinkle, it was not my intention to embarrass you so. You simply remind me a great deal of a friend from long ago, she retained a similar pride that resonates so fully in you!” The sheet remained over my head, admittedly I was again somewhat confused as to whether this was a compliment or an insult. “But that’s a story for another time, for now at let me put your mind at ease – I have no intention of removing such a promising young Unicorn from my teaching. That, I can assure you,” The news did wonders to calm my frightful heart, hearing such words coming from the Princess brought an abrupt end to the torment my mind had undergone in the past few days. In its place, however, my sense of foolishness increased tenfold upon the revelation that I’d worried myself about nothing, suspending reason and instead following the path laid out by my uncontrolled emotions like some petty foal. I audibly sighed, pulling the bed sheets from my face (almost tearing the delicate linen on my horn) and stared down at my hooves, utterly disappointed in myself. Even if the Princess did not wish to dismiss me, I felt that I surely deserved it. “Come now, Twinkle – you are far too hard on yourself. You have come here to learn, have you not? And do we not learn the most from our mistakes?” Her words penetrated my self-made cocoon of disparity with remarkable ease, soothing me with the kind message that they carried. Even if such a lesson was already known to me, sometimes lessons needed reiteration from a person other than oneself. “Yes, Princess,” I murmured meekly in reply. While such advice may be sound, I’ve never been one to take failure well – especially when I commit such failure in the presence of somepony of such esteemed personage. I momentarily froze when I felt the touch of her muzzle upon my brow, gently lifting my head up to meet her warm gaze. “Even I, Equestria’s supposedly omnipotent ruler, am prone to the occasional lapse of judgement – in fact, I distinctly remember myself losing control on multiple occasions in my earlier years; my afore-mentioned friend too, for that matter! When a pony is gifted with any large quantity of magic, complete control can take a lifetime to properly master – a Unicorn is effectively trying to impose order on an ultimately natural entity. I’ve been rather impressed that this is only your second time undergoing such a loss of control – especially when one considers your currently unstable health condition!” Whilst the Princess did seem to be cunningly appealing to my (admittedly high levels of) arrogance throughout this perfectly executed lecture, I couldn’t help but feel comforted by the prospect that even the Princess herself initially had difficulty with control. That is, until I recalled her specifically mentioning that this had been the “second time” I’d lost control...as far as I had been aware, the previous night had been the only time! “Um...second time, Princess?” I asked softly, rather worried by the fact that I possessed no memory of such an event occurring before last night. The Princess paused for a moment, before emitting a soft giggle as realisation struck her. “Again, I apologise Twinkle, it has been a while since I myself have undergone such an action – so I momentarily forgot the loss of memory a Unicorn undergoes during such an event. As you are not entirely conscious when it occurs, it’s no wonder that you have no recollection of the first event. It was rather spectacular if I do recall, the invigilators were most displeased by their temporary vegetable-theme transformations! I hadn’t laughed so hard in a long while!” Ignoring this rather sadistic turn in humour of the Princess, I mulled this new information over for a short while, at least that explained why exactly I had been chosen to be taught by the Princess – when I’d awoken the proceeding day I’d been in my house as usual. I’d simply assumed that I had failed the entrance examination so completely that my mind had closed off all memories of such an event (an unusually common experience for me). Yes, it was a pretty perturbing thought to consider, completely losing control of my magic twice in a period of a month – but the Princess was, as usual, right. A far healthier attitude to adopt would be to treat these failures as lessons which I can learn from – and if nothing else this revelation certainly impressed upon me the importance of control. “Thank you, Princess; as usual your wisdom far exceeds my own.” I eventually said humbly, before starting to unwrap myself from the tangled mesh of bed sheets. I decided that if I were to adopt the mentality of viewing failures as lessons, I would approach them in the same way that I approach lessons – diligently. “I’ll get studying immediately,” But as I tried to pull myself up onto four hooves, I suddenly became aware of the fatigued state my body had entered – weariness suddenly engulfed me, and I instantly fell back against the plump cushions, rather dazed by my strange ordeal. The Princess giggled sweetly, most likely humoured by my impatience to continue my studies. “I’m afraid you’ve yet to recover fully, Twinkle; sudden expulsion of such magical power combined with your illness has undoubtedly left your body in a slightly fragile state. It appears more bed rest will be in order, for the moment,” Overcome by annoyance, I let out an indignant huff in protest against my exhausted equine body – if there had ever been one thing I’ve detested, it’s periods of inactivity. Lethargy is a near alien term to me, I’d always preferred to commit my time to something worthwhile; the concept of further bed rest was one that sat poorly with me. Oh! If only my body could have kept up with my mind! I looked up with tentative annoyance at the Princess as she commences her delicate laughter once more; I failed to see any humour in my current situation, perhaps my reactions further elicited nostalgia within her? With so much free time now on my hooves, I suddenly found myself overcome by intrigue by the Princess’ constant references to this mystery “friend” of hers. The simple fact that an Alicorn such as the Princess, who has undoubtedly lived for centuries, remembers this pony in particular led me to deduce that she held relative important for the Princess, which certainly spiked my interest. Furthermore, if this “friend” of the Princess’ was a Unicorn like me... there was a strong possibility that it would be beneficial if I were to understand how she learnt to gain control. “Princess...you mentioned that the friend who I remind you of...had similar difficulties with control; if it’s not too personal a question, may I enquire how she dealt with the matter?” The Princess blinked, seemingly being caught off-guard by the nature of my question; this and the proceeding few moments of eerie silence led me to fear that I’d approached a far too personal matter. The Princess’ usually direct and kind gaze had momentarily clouded over into one that could only be of deep thought mixed withwith...perhaps even a slight sadness, a look that I had never before bore witness too. My lack of experience with the Princess acting in this manner led me to grow worried that I had brought up a potentially painful matter. “I sincerely apologise if I’ve brought up a painful subject, your majesty!” I hastily add, “I’m afraid I let my curiosity get the better of me...” The idea that I’d potentially hurt the Princess in any way sent tremors of guilt through my heart, too often have I made the foolish mistake of forgetting that my teacher’s are susceptible to emotions, and are not simply databases of information for me to consult! The Princess’ gaze immediately returned to its usual state of tranquil kindness as my voice anchored her back in reality, momentarily quelling the steady tide of memories. “There is no need to be so formal around me, Twinkle. I may be a Princess, but I would wish you to also consider me a friend – whilst such etiquette is flattering, it is also unnecessary. Part of the fun of having a personal student such as you is to rather selfishly breach my own isolation,” Before I could aptly consider the prospect of the Princess herself feeling isolated (my mind being far too caught up in the childish yet delectable glee that accompanied the fact that the Princess wished to be my friend!), she continued, a reassuring smile that radiated warmth now spread across her lips. “And there is no need to apologise, my student; those memories that you have stirred up yield only happiness for me. The pain of being an Alicorn living among mortal creatures is one I have learnt to overcome – whilst short-lived, such relationships burn with the incandescence of a thousand supernovas, and from that I can take solace.” Foolishly, I’d only ever considered what it would be like to be an immortal being from an idealistic, romanticised perspective. With this small snippet of reality the Princess had provided me with, I could not help but consider such a thing more of curse than gift... outliving generation after generation of your friends is a prospect I could not even begin to imagine. Yet the way the Princess described her perspective served to escalate the awe I held for her... to combat such potentially devastating sadness with such a beautiful image showed her to be both pragmatic and wise. “But the answer to your question is one that I can only properly address in a narrative form, one that over the years you will become accustomed to me using, I find it to be a far more exhilarating way of expressing lessons. And given your current state, I can see no better way to teach,” A story, I remember thinking, certainly a strange way of answering my question – but then again, if the Princess believed this to be the best course of action, then I would not doubt her again. “That and it gives me an excuse to spend some extra with my favourite pupil, I’m sure Equestria can govern itself for a while,” the Princess added with a sly wink, causing the rosy colour to once again return to my cheeks. She chose spending time with me over ruling Equestria?! It took all my pride not to emit a girlish squeal of unbridled joy and I fear were it not for the fatigued state of my body even that would have proved too futile to prevent me from bouncing up and down on the bed! “The story accounts for certainly one of the more interesting experiences that I and my friends went through together, and many valuable lessons lie within, including but not exclusive to the importance and methods of controlling one’s magic. Tell me, Twinkle, have you heard of the Elements of Harmony?” I nodded my head curtly in response to her question. Everypony in Equestria, let alone Ponyville, had heard the myth of the dreaded and ironically named Elements of Harmony. But as far I knew, it was but a myth that parents told to their disobedient children. “Only briefly...although I thought they were little more than an old pony’s tale designed to scare young fillies?” Judging by the Princess’ visible flinch at my response, it was evident that I’d been pretty seriously misinformed. “I guess I’m wrong?” I added sheepishly, embarrassed by my apparent ignorance. “No, you’re correct... in so far as that is what their memory has regressed to over the centuries. They were, however, very much real, and the friend who you remind me of was one of them,” The very fact that a source as credible as the Princess confirmed the terrible myth’s reality shocked me initially, I’d thought a tale of destruction of such a scale could only be confined in the realms of mythology, of fiction – it seemed utterly bizarre to conceive that a real group of ponies could ever act so malevolently! This led to the question of how in Equestria I could ever remind the Princess of one of their cruel number?! The Princess did not fail to pick up on my shock. “Twinkle, please do bear in mind that the reality of the events that transpired are rather different to the events depicted in the fictitious rendition – an overly-dramatic perspective to the events such as that is one that would inevitably spread like wildfire throughout Equestria. The truth can oft be sadly erased in by fiction,” The morbid tone with which the Princess translated this information quelled my tempestuous thoughts somewhat, but a question still begged to be voiced. “But Princess! Surely the events can only be warped by perspective only so much? If even a smallest piece of the myth holds true... do they not deserve to be remembered in such a way?” I asked, my voice completely betraying my disgruntlement at being considered similar to one of their number. “Calm yourself, Twinkle, I fear your temper is clouding your judgement. One cannot make such generalisations from mere results, one must consider the events that led to the results,” The Princess responded sharply, striking me into silence with the unexpected vehemence in her tone, let alone the fiery gaze that she held. One thing about the Princess was certainly clear by such a response, when riled she is exceptionally effective at making one feel like a new-born foal. She immediately seemed apologetic, however. “But come,” the Princess said soothingly as she rested her haunches next to my bed, making herself comfortable in preparation for what would turn out to be a long and engaging tale, “An intelligent pony such as yourself should be able to make your own conclusions as I relay to you what really happened...”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-07-03T00:39:37+00:00

2013-01-01T18:57:57+00:00

Wings spread wide, a yellow pegasus dove down the steep mountain face. With the barest tilts of her wings, she wove through a maze of protruding shelves of rock and tumbling boulders as she extended her hooves to grab at the falling hummingbird. It was tiny and hard to see, the pegasus having to lock her eyes on it to keep it in sight between the falling rocks as it blended into the grassy earth below. With a look of fierce determination, she pushed past the remaining chunks of rock and scooped up the emerald bird up into her hooves. With a quick glace, she watched the hummingbird rest in her arms, its wing mangled and broken. She tilted herself up, flapped her wings and flew away from the crumbling mountain, watching the rocks tumble and crash down the remaining hundred feet. With a long sigh of relief, she floated down into the soft grass, flipping her long pink mane out of her face as she caught her breath. When she reached the ground, she gently placed the hummingbird down to let it rest. Its tiny chest rose and fell quickly, giving the pegasus a breath of relief that the bird was still alive. She then examined its injuries: a few bruises on its side and a broken right wing. “Don’t you worry about a thing; I’ll bring you back to my cottage and nurse you back to health,” she promised the sleeping bird with a warm smile. The pegasus would have to head back home without the armis flower she had been looking for, but taking care of a new patient was a much higher priority. I wonder what could’ve done this, she thought to herself as she made her way home back through the Everfree Forest. The sun had risen only an hour ago, leaving the forest still shrouded in long shadows and thick fog. It wasn’t normal for the pegasus to venture out into the forest, let alone by herself when the visibility was so poor. Carefully tracing her steps, she walked slowly along the beaten road with the hummingbird on her back, keeping her eyes peeled for any lurking cockatrice or manticore that might have concealed itself in the thick fog. She quickly shook off the feeling and quickened her steps, wanting to leave the forest as quickly as she could. A distant roar made her skid to a stop and look back, watching the faint silhouette of a dragon curl its way up the mountain she had just left. With a gulp, she continued at a quicker pace, just barely able to keep her wings from snapping shut out of fear as a shudder coursed through her. The last of the trees passed the pony as she flew from the forest and landed next to her cottage nestled close to Everfree’s edge and just outside of town. Several pegasi could be seen flying through the air, tasked with cutting through the fog so the sun might shine on the pastel-colored town. With her new patient in hoof, the yellow pegasus flew into the wooden cottage, greeted by the noise of slumbering critters. Inside the cottage was a veritable veterinary hospital, one that was respected by all of Ponyville and doubled as the pegasus’ home. Small woodland creatures, birds, insects, and reptiles snuggled in specially made beds, and a multitude of birdhouses were gathered about outside. She rummaged through her closet, pulled out a small comforter, and placed it on the floor before setting the hummingbird on top. “You just rest now, who knows why you would go all the way up that mountain for nectar. It’s so dangerous out there,” she said as she tucked the still unconscious bird in. The pegasus always made sure her patients were comfortable before she began to treat them. With most of her patients still asleep, she quietly hovered into the kitchen and began to sort through her collection of dried herbs, selecting a few from the shelf to prepare a remedy for the hummingbird. As she started to grind them, there came a knock at the door, stirring several of the animals out of their slumber. After a quick, soft hush, she made her way to the door, wondering who would come over at such an early hour. On the other side was a cyan pegasus with a rainbow-striped mane tapping her hoof impatiently on the front steps. “Hey there, Fluttershy.” The blue pegasus smiled, ceasing her hoof taps. “Can I come in?” “Of course. Oh, just be sure to stay quiet though... the animals are still sleeping.” Fluttershy moved out from the doorway, allowing the rainbow-maned pegasus to enter. After slowly shutting the door behind them, she turned to her friend. “What brings you over, Rainbow Dash?” “Just seeing what you’re up to. I saw you flying out of the Everfree Forest a few minutes ago. What was with that?” Rainbow inquired. “Oh, I was looking for a special flower for a recipe I use for some of my more potent medicines. They have a soft glow, so they’re much easier to see in the dark,” Fluttershy explained as she went into the kitchen to finish making the medicine. “You? Going into the Everfree Forest? At night? Alone?” Rainbow asked as she made her way to the counter and leaned on it as she shot her friend an incredulous look. “That doesn’t sound like something you’d do.” “I know I don’t venture out there much, but the forest has been pretty quiet lately and I thought I’d give it a try,” she explained, continuing to grind the leaves. “But when I made my way up Jaggedpeak, I found that hummingbird over there falling off. It was hit by something, maybe a large wind gust. I caught it and brought it back here.” “Oh, so that’s why you were out so early,” Rainbow said, watching the hummingbird squirm under its blanket over the kitchen counter. “Is the little guy gonna be alright?” “I’m sure it will be. It’s only a broken wing.” Fluttershy took the ground up leaves and dumped them into a jar filled with a clear viscous liquid, shaking it before pouring it into a small bowl. She stepped away from the counter and set the bowl down next to the hummingbird’s bed. “This pain-killer will help make the recovery easier.” Before she could give it the medicine, however, it awoke, thrashing under the covers. “Hold still please, I’m just trying to help,” Fluttershy said before the bird escaped from the blanket and flew erratically around the room, its fight hobbled by its broken wing. “Oh my, you’ll hurt yourself if you keep doing this,” she pleaded, chasing the hobbling bird around the cottage. Rainbow simply stood and watched as Fluttershy, trying to calm the frantic bird, flew over her couch and tables, through the opening above the kitchen counter and up the stairs.. “How’s it still flying? I thought its wing was broken,” Rainbow asked as she made her way up the stairs. The hummingbird was flying near the ceiling, occasionally dipping and chirping in pain. “Why’s it spazzing out like that? Is it because I’m here?” “I-I don’t think so. I’ve had other ponies here before and the animals were fine,” Fluttershy assured her. “Maybe it doesn’t trust me,” she said dishearteningly, watching as the bird continued to flap about the ceiling. Before too long, it descended and plopped onto Fluttershy’s bed, chest puffing from exhaustion. Fluttershy slowly approached the bird so as not to scare it into another frenzy, but before she could even reach it, it had nestled into the bed and fallen asleep. “So, is it over now?” Rainbow asked anxiously, watching as Fluttershy picked up the tuckered out bird. “Maybe it’s scared of something,” she guessed as the two made their way down to the lower floor. Fluttershy trotted over to its makeshift bed and set it down, tucking it back in as she put the medicine away. “If it doesn’t take its medicine, it’ll never heal its wing. Hopefully it’s just this one time.” “Well, I’ll leave you to it,” Rainbow said as she trotted to the cottage door. “Wait! Um, are you doing anything today? I mean, um...” Fluttershy squeaked. “You want to hang out? I didn’t have much to do today anyway,” Rainbow said enthusiastically, heading back inside. “The weather is clear right on schedule, and other than that I have off today.” “Thanks, Dash. I just want somepony here while this hummingbird is being testy.” Fluttershy walked to the kitchen, set up a pot of water and set it on the stove. “I’ll make some tea for us if you’re staying,” she said with a smile. “Uh, thanks,” Rainbow said, looking around for a seat as Fluttershy took some tea leaves from her cupboard. As the water boiled, she tossed the tea leaves in, letting it steep for a few minutes before running it through a strainer into a white, floral designed tea kettle. After placing two cups on a tray, she set the hot tea down on the table in the living area and sat down on one of her cushioned chairs. “Have you heard from the Wonderbolts yet? It’s been a few months since you won the Best Young Flier’s Competition,” Fluttershy asked as she filled both cups with the earthy, dull green tea. “No, they’re probably busy with something else. They’re on tour in Fillydelphia right now, but I’m sure they’ll get around to my audition eventually.” Rainbow sighed before picking up her tea cup. She took a sip, her face distorting in slight revulsion. Fluttershy didn’t mind, however; she knew Rainbow Dash wasn’t a big tea drinker. She was just happy hers was the only tea the cyan pegasus never seemed to spit out. “Blegh... Oh yeah, Fluttershy, I thought of a new trick that might even be cooler than the Sonic Rainboom! It’s pretty technical, but I’m sure I can pull it off. So, first, I dive through a thunderhead, and—” Rainbow was interrupted by the panicked chirps of the hummingbird as it awoke. It fought its way out from the covers again, repeating its panicked antics. Fluttershy looked over, watching as it kept its eyes trained on her. It let out a series of sharp, scared chirps as it backed itself into the corner of the ceiling. Fluttershy sighed and swirled her tea idly, simply watching as it tired itself out again and fluttered to the ground. She tucked the bird back in its bed then sighed as she stood and began pacing, hearing the sound of the other animals waking. “Why is it doing this? I don’t understand.” “Maybe it’s just scared of you,” Rainbow said bluntly. “Maybe... Do I look okay?” Fluttershy asked frantically, trotting up to Rainbow Dash for inspection. “Yeah, you look fine. Maybe if you wait a little longer, it’ll get used to you. I mean it took me a while to get used to Pinkie Pie,” she laughed, Fluttershy joining in with a half-hearted chuckle. “Maybe, but if I don’t do something now, it’ll keep trying to fly. It could irreversibly hurt itself. It could do so much harm to itself, and I can’t get near it without it waking up and flying off,” Fluttershy explained solemnly. She continued to pace around until she caught something out from the corner of her eye in the window. Out the window, over the rooftops of Ponyville, Fluttershy could see the top of a rather large oak tree, giving her an idea. “What’s up? There something out there? Is Pinkie Pie giving out free samples again?” Rainbow asked excitedly, getting up from her seat and trotting over to the window. “I’m thinking I should ask Twilight for help. She tried to help me a few months ago with Philomena, so maybe she could help with this hummingbird,” she explained, looking back on the sleeping bird. “Though... things didn’t go so well last time... But I’m sure it will be better this time since it’s not the princess’s pet... and we actually know what it is this time.” “Didn’t you get in trouble with the royal guards because of her? She’s an egghead, sure, but I don’t think she’s too good with animals,” Rainbow protested. “Well, I’ve never really talked to her about my animals, but she might know something or even have a spell that could help,” Fluttershy explained as she opened the cottage door and waited for Rainbow to head over. “A spell? Really, Fluttershy? Isn’t your specialty animals to begin with?” Rainbow asked. “I really don’t think you need to go that far. Just put a splint on its wing while it’s sleeping. You’re being too delicate.” “Don’t worry, it’ll only be a small spell,” Fluttershy assured Rainbow. “We’ll be in and out, then we can come back and you can tell me more about your new trick.” “Fine,” Rainbow sighed as she removed herself from her seat, following Fluttershy out the door, bound for Ponyville proper. With as hectic a morning as Fluttershy had had, a brisk walk through Ponyville was exactly what she needed. The streets were quiet as a cool, calming breeze rustled gently through the two mares’ manes. Ponyville had been buzzing with activity for a short while after the Grand Galloping Gala and this was the quietest she had seen it since then. It was slowly returning to the sleepy, peaceful town that Fluttershy knew and loved. Even the normally talkative Rainbow Dash was quiet, simply enjoying the stiff breeze as the pair approached the sprawling oak set on the east side of town. Ahead was a crimson door lodged in the trunk of the giant oak tree. The inside of it was completely hollow and housed Ponyville’s Books and Branches Library. In the upper floors of the library lived Twilight Sparkle, just the unicorn Fluttershy wanted to see. The yellow pegasus rapped a hoof against the door, waiting for a response. She had no idea how the massive tree continued to thrive despite its hollow innards and simply chalked it up to magic. Inside she could hear a few crashes and small incomprehensible mumbles coming closer to the door. Rainbow gave a small chuckle before the door glowed in a light purple light. It swung open, revealing a small purple unicorn with a straight, dark navy mane and tail with a pink and purple stripe running down the center of her mane. Floating beside her was an open book, suspended in a bubble of soft purple light that mirrored the glow of her horn. “Oh, hey, Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash.” The unicorn set the book down on her desk, giving the two pegasi her full, undivided attention. “What brings you two here?” “Well, Twilight,” Fluttershy said, dipping her head in embarrassment, “I’m having trouble with a new patient. Since you were so good with Philomena, I thought you might be able to-.” “She’s been saying something about how being forceful wouldn’t work or something,” Rainbow interrupted. “I still think she should just hold the bird down and tape its wings if struggles. Get it over with.” “Oh, another bird? Well... I wouldn’t say I was good with Philomena. I mean, last time I tried to help you, I thought you were going to end up being banished and thrown in a dungeon.... But, I’ll see what I can do,” Twilight laughed as she set down her books. “Come on in.” With that Fluttershy trotted in, thanking Twilight for her assistance with Rainbow following close behind. The inside of the tree was a grand library with bookcase after bookcase of books lining its interior. The tree had two floors. The top floor was Twilight’s sleeping quarters. An observatory connected to that room, a telescope and other astronomical devices contained within it. Even though it was a public library, there wasn’t another pony to be found. “Spike!” Twilight yelled, prompting a small, bipedal purple dragon to zip down the stairs to stand at her side. He was roughly chest high to a pony with green scales protruding from his back and large, emerald eyes. “What’s up, Twilight?” he asked with a smile before turning to see the two pegasi enter the room. “Hi, Fluttershy. Hi, Rainbow Dash—” Spike looked around the room, his expression changing to one of disdain. “Oh... library cleanup... again.” “Yeah... I’m sorry its such a mess, I’ve been doing some research for the princess and I must’ve lost track of time,” Twilight said, embarrassed. “I’m on it,” Spike said with a half-hearted salute before beginning his assigned duty, picking up the books in stacks and setting them away. With Spike busy cleaning up books, Twilight turned back to Fluttershy, puzzled. “So, what seems to be the problem?” Fluttershy shuffled her hoof in a nervous swipe. “You see, I have a hummingbird that simply won’t let me help it. Whenever I try to get close it flies away.” She slowly started to pace around the library, peering at some of the books. “Would you happen to have a spell that would make me a little less, uh, intimidating?” She stopped for a moment, then quickly rebounded. “I mean, i-if you have one that is.” “Intimidating?” Rainbow scoffed. “You couldn’t even scare a mouse if you wanted to.” “Rainbow’s right, you’re over thinking this,” Twilight agreed, “You normally don’t have a problem with getting animals to trust you, so why do you think you need a spell for this one? “The hummingbird is just so fidgety when I get near it... I’m afraid that If it has any more outbursts, it might hurt itself permanently. It keeps flying around my cottage, trying to get away from me. I really need your help,” Fluttershy explained. “How long ago did you bring it in?” “Well, I found it this morning when I was out looking for herbal ingredients.” “This morning... that’s it?” Twilight asked with a puzzled look. “Don’t you think you should let it rest and give it a chance to open up to you first?” “Yes, but a hummingbird’s wings are very fragile and it’s already strained itself twice today just trying to get away from me. I really need to help it relax... I-I still have my other patients to worry about...” “Fine,” Twilight sighed. “But spells that change others’ perception of you are body modification spells and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Are you absolutely sure you need me to do this?” “Oh, absolutely. I can’t even be in the same room as it without it trying to fly away. I’m sure it won’t be any issue at all,” Fluttershy assured the unicorn. “Well, I’ll see what I can find. Wait here a bit.” With that, the unicorn went to work, grabbing a slew of books off the bookshelves. She began digging through them, thoroughly reading in silence with her mind engrossed in the intricate workings and calculations of the arcane arts that the texts provided her. Fluttershy had no worries about what spell Twilight would find. The unicorn was the personal protege of Princess Celestia, she who raised the sun and moon for over a thousand years. If anypony could find Fluttershy a suitable spell, it was her. Within a few minutes, Rainbow Dash yawned and began to pace around the library. “How long is this going to take? Maybe we should just bring Pinkie over; she’d find it if you knocked a book on her head.” Fluttershy and Twilight giggled. Knowing the pink pony’s track record, Rainbow’s prediction likely wasn’t too far off. Minutes turned to hours as Twilight rummaged through a multitude of books for a suitable spell. The yellow pegasus had spent half the day away from her patients, but couldn’t afford to leave and check up on them. Twilight could find the spell any minute, and Fluttershy had to wait it out for her fidgety patient lest it went on another outburst if she went back before the spell was cast. Tried of waiting, Rainbow Dash fell asleep, leaving Fluttershy to wait as Spike went up to the upper floor to continue tidying up. She peered out a window, watching several ponies run around happily in the midday sun. “A-ha! I found something!” Twilight sang out in joy, brushing aside the mountain of scrolls and texts that once again littered the floor. Rainbow slowly awoke and shook herself off before standing beside the now fully alert Fluttershy. Twilight carried the still open book over to Fluttershy, setting it down in front of the yellow pegasus. “It’s a credence spell,” she explained, pointing at the parchment page. “With it, anything should perceive you as more trustworthy, allowing you to give that stubborn bird proper treatment without any problems. It only lasts about a day or so, so you best be quick.” “I’ve never heard of a spell like that,” Fluttershy mentioned, rubbing her head. She looked over at Rainbow who gave her a dispassionate shrug. “Well, it’s an old spell. It’s from the scholar Professor Arcan Grizwald, the pioneer of Equestrian arcane arts,” Twilight explained. “Because it’s an older spell, it’s much more difficult to cast. Every part must be executed perfectly, or it might deviate.” She brought the spell book back to her and readied herself for the casting. She read it over one last time to reinforce her grasp of the spell’s inner-workings, then fixed her gaze on the yellow pegasus. “This will take a lot of energy, so if it doesn’t work the first time you’ll have to come back in a few days.” “What if somepony comes in and interrupts the spell? Shouldn’t we go somewhere less... public?” Fluttershy asked. “No pony has come in so far, so I don’t think there’s anything to worry about.” With her stance ready and the spell at the forefront of her thoughts, she paused. “Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” “I’m sure,” Fluttershy nodded. “Alright then, let’s do this.” Twilight planted her hooves firmly into the floor as her horn began to glow in a fierce purple light. The brightness of her horn eclipsed the light coming in from the window and pulses of energy with a loud rumble caused the book shelves to rattle. Rainbow took a step back as the whole room began to the swallowed up by darkness; as the glow of the horn intensified, it left only the three mares and the book illuminated. Panting, Twilight focused all of her energy into her horn; the tree beginning to tremor violently as her horn glowed ever brighter. “Twilight?! Isn’t this a bit much for a trust spell?!” Rainbow yelled over the roar of the waves of magic, but Twilight seemed oblivious to Rainbow’s inquiry. Fluttershy began to panic, but gritted her teeth and forced herself to stand still; it had taken hours for her friend to find this spell, and she wanted to make sure her waiting was not for nothing. The purple light continued to pulsate, sending waves of energy outwards, shaking Twilight to her knees. The tremors grew in power, knocking books off the shelves and sending Rainbow Dash stumbling into a bookcase. Twilight groaned from the exertion as beads of sweat ran down her hide. A few moments later, the light swirled then collapsed into a single bright ball which shot out towards its target. Fluttershy yelped as she was struck by the ball of energy. Before she knew it, she had been immobilized, and a bright yellow light surrounded her. She struggled to move her body even an inch, but all she could manage was to watch Twilight collapse exhausted into the spell book. “Fluttershy!” Rainbow yelled, running up to the frightened pegasus. “What’s going on? Is everything alright?” A white light flashed from the aura, forcing Rainbow back from her friend. Fluttershy’s breath quickened, her vision blurred, and her head began to throb. She skipped straight from blind panic to chilling terror as the whole world around her seemed to distort and shatter before her. She screamed, trying to reach for the fear-stricken Rainbow Dash until eventually her vision went completely black. The world around her, the feeling of the spell’s energy, even her own body seemed to disappear, lulling her into an eerie calm before the pegasus fell unconscious. Twilight awoke slowly, idly wiping the sleep from her eyes with the back of a forehoof. The sun shone through the windows to the west, bathing the unicorn in the light of the evening sun. She was tucked into her bed somehow, her head aching and pounding furiously. After rubbing her head, she shook herself off before hearing a commotion down the stairs. Beside her she heard a sharp gasp. “Everypony, she’s awake!” a white unicorn with a curled purple mane yelled from her chair, causing a flurry of hooves to rush up the stairs. Her other two friends rushed up the stairs and stopped at her bedside. “I had no idea you could sleep for so long, Twilight.” “Huh? Rarity?” she stammered, her mind quickly trying to come up with an explanation for the sudden influx of ponies. “What are you all doing in my house?” “Well... Everypony felt a rather large tremor, almost thought it would shake Ponyville apart. Then we saw the library lit up like you were having a fancy soiree,” Rarity explained. “When it stopped, we all rushed over as quickly as we could. What happened?” “Oh, sorry. That spell took more out of me than I thou—Wait, an earthquake? I didn’t perform that hard of a spell,” Twilight stated, stepping off the bed. “How is Fluttershy doing?” Her friends looked down on the floor with solemn faces, filling Twilight with confusion. She looked over to the mob of ponies who all started conversing with one another. “She’s been missing for two days now. Rainbow said your spell made her disappear,” Rarity explained, setting a hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. A grim look washed over Twilight’s face as she heard the news. “Rainbow’s out looking for her as we speak. She didn’t look so well when she took off.” “We’re here for you, Twilight” a pink pony with a frizzled pink mane and tail yelled out with a small smile on her face. “I’m sure we’ll find her soon enough. Teleportation spells don’t send ponies that far, right?” “What are you talking about? I didn’t do a teleportation spell. Fluttershy should be—” A wave of horror washed over Twilight’s face, causing her to back away from her bed. “No. N-no no no— Did you say two days? I’ve been asleep for two days!? That spell wasn’t supposed to take that much out of me!” Without another word, she barreled her way past her friends in a frenzy. As she ran down the stairs, an orange earth pony with a blond mane and tail followed her, easily catching up. “Wait up, Twilight,” the pony called after the unicorn in a southern drawl, matching speed with the frantic unicorn. “Where you headed off to?” “Fluttershy’s cottage. She can’t be missing, Applejack, I performed that spell perfectly!” Twilight yelled back in panic as she sped her way through the streets, dirt kicking up from the ground. “Hold on, guys!” Spike yelled, running out the door to chase the two speeding ponies. Twilight and Applejack stopped to let Spike catch up, then the unicorn let him on her back and continued her sprint. “Where are you going, Twilight?” “I’m going to Fluttershy’s to get this story straight once and for all. She’ll be in her cottage, safe and sound.” “Well, I was assigned to look after her animals since she’s gone missing. I already got some animals to start liking me,” Spike said, causing Twilight to scoff. “We’ve gone looking through her cottage so many times, I reckon I might know it better than she does. She ain’t there, Twi,” Applejack said, trying to reason with the hysterical unicorn. No, she has to be there... she just has to be, Twilight thought as they galloped through Ponyville. The streets were empty, most of the town off searching for the missing pegasus. As they came closer, the cottage seemed to loom before Twilight, her panic reaching insurmountable levels. She went over the spell over and over in her head, meticulously sorting over every last detail. She went over each calculation that flew through her head with a fine toothed comb. “Rainbow Dash told me everythin’ before she left. What were ya doing trying a difficult spell on Fluttershy in the first place?” Applejack scolded her. “Fluttershy wanted me to do it... and... I went through every precautionary measure. I... have no idea what happened, but I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding.” A small, nervous laugh escaped Twilight’s mouth. “When we get there, Fluttershy will be just fine; this is all just a joke. I didn’t sleep for two days... that’d be silly,” Twilight lied to herself. In no way did she want to believe her friend, but they would never, if ever, lie to her about something like this. Applejack especially would never lie to her friends, but Twilight desperately wanted this to be the one outlier. “If you say so...” Applejack trailed off as they approached the cottage door. Twilight tapped on the door, hoping desperately that Fluttershy would answer. Some animal noises could be heard through the cracks of the doorway, but no sign of the pegasus. Twilight tried one more time. Nothing. “Umm, maybe she’s asleep. You never know how tired taking care of animals can make you,” Twilight suggested, glancing at a skeptical Applejack. Applejack trotted to the window and peered in, hat tipping back as she pressed her face to the glass. She squinted and stared for a few good seconds before turning towards Twilight and waving her over to the window. “You might want to see this.” Twilight walked over and nudged Applejack aside before planting herself in front of the window and looking inside. Her mouth fell agape from the scene before her eyes. It was a disaster. Many of Fluttershy’s patients were wide awake, ravaging the cottage: cabinets were destroyed, the floor was a mess, the walls were covered with dirt and muck, and the medicine canisters and beds had been utterly decimated. There was a white rabbit standing amidst the chaos simply tapping its foot as the other animals caused mayhem around it. She saw three small, familiar fillies running around with a bulky, older baker mare trying futilely to corral the animals, stumbling over each other as the animals ran haphazardly around the room. It was complete anarchy. “I, I—” Twilight stammered before bolting back to the library, her mind racing furiously with the possibilities of failure. She had run through it multiple times before she’d even thought of suggesting the spell to Fluttershy. It hadn’t looked all that difficult. Relatively speaking, it had been a very basic spell for the book. The longer she poured over that morning, the more jumbled her thoughts became. All she could remember was Rainbow Dash trying to yell something over the roar of the spell, but it had been impossible to hear anything. The unicorn burst through the library door, panting from exertion. She lifted the old book off the floor and placed it on her reading stand, flipping through the pages until she reached the rogue spell. As she went over the spell’s instructions again, her mind refused to accept what she was reading. She had performed the spell perfectly. “Twilight, is that you? Where did you head off to in such a hurry?” Rarity asked. “You left Pinkie and I alone in your room. Why did you leave so hastily?” “Not now, Rarity,” Twilight snapped at her fellow unicorn before pouring over Grizwald’s book. Not knowing what to do, she looked down at the final section of the spell’s instructions, entitled “Deviations”, containing a list of page numbers. Deviations... One spell becoming another due to failure. I know these are common with Grizwald’s spells, but there’s no way I could’ve done it incorrectly. I couldn’t have! She flipped to the first numbered page and scanned over the arcane text. After reading it, she recoiled away from the book, scared by the chilling implications of the spell. Hollowing? No, that can’t be it. She was transported somewhere, not stripped of her emotions,Twilight thought as she flipped to the second deviation listed. Her eyes widened as she looked over the second spell. This spell, if anything, seemed to be the one that may have occurred, judging by her friends’ stories. With a sigh of relief, Twilight flipped to the back of the book to the list of counter spells for the presented spell. After running her hoof down the list of counter-spells, her eyes widened in shock. The counter-spell was missing, along with several others she recognized. What? Why isn’t there a counter?! she silently screamed in frustration and fear as she tore through the book for any clue to the whereabouts of the missing spell. After flipping through it multiple times, not even a hint was to be found, forcing the unicorn to choke back tears. Slowly, she turned to find her friends staring at her with worry written all over their faces. She didn’t want to face them, knowing there was no way to reverse what had been done. Gulping, Twilight stepped forward, her head hung low as she looked up at her friends. “What’s goin’ on? Did ya’ find out what happened?” Applejack asked. “I-I found out what happened to Fluttershy,” Twilight started, turning her head away from her worried companions, “I need you to leave me alone for a while while I figure this out. I need some space, and you need to go find Rainbow Dash.” “Well, what happened?” Pinkie asked, her head forward in curiosity, “Why do we need to go get Dashie?” “I need all of you here for this when I know what to do. That spell I cast deviated and turned into an entirely different spell...” Twilight started, choking up, “It o-opened a rift in space-time and sent her through it. Call back the search parties, th-they won’t find her out there, and...” Twilight looked up at her friends with tears streaming down her face. “I-I can’t find the spell to bring her back.” A dull thump sent Fluttershy back to full alert, causing her to whip her head around in a panic. Save for a tiny sliver of light shining from a small crack near her hoof, everything was pitch black. Still dizzy from the spell, Fluttershy stumbled into a stack of boxes as she rose to her hooves. After regaining her footing, she attempted to center herself, but her aching head sent her doubling over in pain. The ground shifted beneath her, rumbling and shaking everything around in what felt like a cramped space. Sitting down, she braced herself against the boxes, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. She was alone in a dark, unknown, and apparently mobile room with no visible way out. It took all her effort not to scream. Frightened, she scrambled to where the light was shining and examined the area with her hoof, feeling the ridges of what seemed to be a metal door with handles on the bottom. She placed her hooves inside the handles and attempted to jerk them upwards, trying with all of her might to heave open the door, but it didn’t budge. “Where am I—?” Fluttershy wondered before the room banked violently to the right, sending everything shifting quickly to the left, Fluttershy included. She felt a sharp pain in her flank as she slammed against the edge of a box. She rubbed at it, trying to soothe it away, but something felt off beneath her hoof, something coarse. W-what are these... clothes? The room suddenly stopped and the violent shaking of the room faded to a soft rumbling. With a loud clanking sound, the large metal door rolled into the ceiling of what was revealed to be a tiny metal room as sunlight flooded into the space. Fluttershy winced and raised her hoof, shielding her eyes from the sudden, blinding light. As her eyes adjusted, the silhouette of a large figure came into view. Fluttershy was terrified, still unable to take in everything that had happened. Her eyes were transfixed on the mare as it reached into the room. Tears rolling down her cheeks, Fluttershy shook and slunk back, trying to shield herself from the tendrils of her shadowy assailant. “N..no... Please don’t hurt me...”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-07-03T01:05:40+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:03+00:00

May, are you alright back there? It might’ve gotten a little bumpy back there at the end,” the silhouette asked, poking its head into the room. Fluttershy lowered the hoof from her face, looking outside as her eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight. “Moving day’s always tough, huh?” she said, with a laugh. The mare hefted a box onto her back and carried it to a house beside the strange, mobile room in which Fluttershy had arrived. She was a blue-eyed earth pony with a yellow coat and a long brown mane. She wore an orange shirt and a red skirt which covered up her cutie mark. “Well, don’t you want to check out the our new home?” After wiping her eyes, Fluttershy timidly jumped out from the strange room to the ground. She gasped audibly at what she saw, suddenly surrounded by flora and fauna she had never before seen in Equestria. A vast forest surrounded the small town. Between the trees she could see wolves with strange gray and black patterns, large striped ferrets, and tiny red, spiky worms to name just a few. The sight filled Fluttershy’s heart with a familiar sense of wonder and excitement. A sudden loud thud snapped her out of her dreamy state, drawing her attention back to the odd metal room. She watched as two stallions dressed in blue jumpsuits carried the last of the boxes out of the vehicle and brought them into the large house. Fluttershy trotted to the mare, just catching her before she went inside. “E-excuse me, miss? Where are we?” she asked. The mare stared at her blankly, seeming to look right through her. Fluttershy stepped back, dropping her gaze to avoid the mare’s perplexing stare. “I mean, d-do you know how I can get back to Ponyville from here?” The mare laughed, deepening Fluttershy’s growing confusion. “Oh May, what are you on about now? Oh, did you bump your head on the ride here?” she asked, examining Fluttershy’s head as a worried look crossed the strange mare’s face. Satisfied with her inspection, the mare gave her a gentle smile. “Sorry you had to endure that, there wasn’t any room left in the front of the truck.” “Oh, you have the wrong pony. My name isn’t May. It’s Fluttershy.” she explained, trying to keep her composure. “Is that what you’re calling yourself now?” The mare chuckled, placing her hoof about Fluttershy. Fluttershy shrank back shyly, slipping from the mare’s embrace. Nothing in this town made any sense to her. She tried analyzing what had happened as she was unwittingly dragged into the two-story wooden house. The home was filled with strange technology the likes of which she had never seen before, the walls covered with pictures of strange, almost animal-looking creatures in picture frames. “All your stuff is in your room now, go get it ready,” the mare explained, nudging Fluttershy towards the stairs before sitting down at the dining table. Slowly the pegasus ascended the stairs, her body on automatic as she tried to absorb everything that had happened. Down the hallway and to the right she found a room filled to the brim with cardboard boxes. This must be it. She trotted to the center of the room and plopped down. It was quiet, quiet enough for her to properly focus on her predicament. She closed her eyes and cleared her mind, something she had been able to do for quite a while. That poor hummingbird, its wing is still damaged and I’m not there to help it. How am I going to get back home? What about...that one pony that tried to help me? Fluttershy’s eyes jolted open. She lifted both of her hooves to her face, trying to recall the pony’s name. Oh my, how could I have forgotten her name? She started to shake, all the stress of the day’s events rushing through her. Did I really forget her name? No, it’s just the stress. What would Rainbow...something do? All she wanted to do was break down. Two names had slipped from her. I couldn’t have forgotten her! She was my first friend! A cold sweat broke out all over her body as she felt herself reaching the breaking point. What’s happening to me? I can’t take this! Fluttershy raised her head from her hooves and saw something strange on the other side of the room. It was a mirror, but it was the reflection staring back at her that had caught her eye. After rising to her hooves, she trotted over and looked at herself. Between thinking and worrying about her newfound problems, she had never paid much attention to the clothes that she now had on. An orange, sleeveless jacket with a black, bent-back collar was fastened securely around her torso, a green bandanna was wrapped about the top of her pink hair, her ears popping through a pair of holes. She turned to view her flank, a pair of black short pants with a trio of pink, butterfly patches sewn into each side. Dipping her shoulder, she could see that a green satchel was secured to her back as well. Before she could study herself further, she heard the mare call out from downstairs, “Come down, May, your father’s on TV! Oh, but make sure you set your clock first!” “Coming down, Mom!” Without hesitation, she jammed her hooves into her mouth at the sudden, involuntary outburst. W-what’s happening to me? was all she could think as her legs carried her down the stairs of their own volition. When she had reached the bottom, she felt a dizzy spell overcome her, but she shook it off quickly and continued towards the mare. With a blank face, she found the mare she had called ‘mom’ watching an odd, flickering box Fluttershy assumed to be the ‘TV.’ The only thing on screen was a news anchor who just finished talking about some event and had quickly shifted to a discussion of the weather. “You missed it,” the mare pouted. “Oh, I know! You should go introduce yourself to our new neighbors.” “I... I... no!” the pegasus squeaked in protest. Her cries went unheeded as the mare simply nudged her towards the door. She sighed and lowered her head, her mind was still racing and she simply allowed herself to be shoved out the door. “Go on, May, I’m sure they’ll be very nice,” the mare reassured her before closing the the front door behind the pegasus. The house door was roughly the same size as the one she had just been forcibly evicted from, and, as she looked at it more, seemed to be an exact copy. With a soft sigh, the yellow pegasus trotted reluctantly towards it. She arrived at the door, gulped, and knocked, quietly hoping nopony would be home. There was no answer. She waited a few seconds and tried it again; still nothing. After letting out a relieved sigh, she trotted around the corner of the house to see what the rest of the town had to offer. Like Ponyville, the weather was nice and balmy. A small breeze rustled every leaf on the trees, the sound alone calming her. But, as she felt her tensions drifting away with the rustling leaves, a loud yell shook Fluttershy from her serene state yet again. She looked around in a panic, waiting for the sound, and, after perking her ears up, she heard the cry once more. “Help!” the voice cried out, and without a moment’s hesitation, she galloped as fast as her hooves would carry her to the northern path out of town in search of the voice’s source. No, no, no!” Twilight yelled out in frustration, taking the hard-cover book and tossing it from her reading stand. It landed in a growing pile on the floor where the rest of her books now sat. Nothing she had read through even came close to providing her with a counter-spell or explaining what exactly had happened. Twilight simply couldn’t accept the ancient spell book’s interpretation. There had to be another explanation. Hastily, she brought over more books to scour before she heard a knock at the door. After her next book landed on the reading stand, she yelled out, “Come in!” and started to flip through it. She ignored the squeak coming from the door, thinking of the best way to explain the whole situation. “We’re back, Twi, and we’ve got Rainbow Dash,” Applejack stated as she walked in, followed by the rest of her friends. When Twilight finally turned around, she saw them staring at the mess of books that had overtaken the floor. Rainbow Dash stood with tan-colored saddlebags secured to her body, slightly bulging from the amount of content inside. Her mane appeared wind-swept and ruffled while a few patches of dirt and scrapes were scattered across her body. “So, why’d you have us leave like that?” “I needed to search the library for the counter-spell uninterrupted, but none of the books I have brought me any closer,” Twilight stated as she lifted the mess of books up off of the library floor, “I-I don’t know what to do, this has never happened before.” “We’ve all made mistakes, dear,” Rarity reassured her. Twilight stared back at the old text, then looked back up to her friends. “But it wasn’t a mistake! I performed the spell perfectly, yet it deviated anyway. I don’t get it.” “Can anypony tell me what's going on? I could be out looking for Fluttershy right now!” Rainbow protested, glaring at the other mares. “Rainbow, Fluttershy isn't out there,” Twilight said, “and we need you here to help.” “If she's not out there, then where is she!?” Rainbow snapped. “That spell you did screwed up and she disappeared. If it wasn't a teleport spell, then what was it?” “The spell deviated. These old spells have a chance to turn into something else, and that's what happened.” “So you didn't do it right? You said you researched it and everything... How could you do this!?” “Rainbow Dash, calm down,” Rarity said, trying to calm Rainbow down, “Don't you think Twilight feels terrible enough about this?” Rainbow backed away from Twilight, plodding slowly away from the distraught unicorn. “I-I could've saved her...” Rainbow started, drawing attention away from Twilight as the cyan pegasus faced away from the group. “Fluttershy looked right at me, and I didn't do anything.” She darted through the air to Twilight, hovering in front of the unicorn, ears lowered. “I need to help her Twilight, somepony has to.” She landed, and looked at the unicorn pleadingly. “Please... just tell me where she is.” Twilight gulped, looking at Rainbow's shimmering eyes. Her knowledge of what had happened after she had passed out was still hazy, but Rainbow's was probably less so if she had bolted off right away. “The spell that was cast instead... sent her outside of Equestria's place in the space-time continuum. I don't know how to bring her back.” “Isn’t there anything we can do?” Rainbow asked, her body seeming to visibly sag at the news. “Hold on.” Twilight’s horn glowed, bringing the book on the lectern to her and flipping it open. After flipping through roughly half the book, she stopped and drew a hoof down the page until she found the spell she was looking for. She could feel all her friends’ eyes on her, and she desperately didn’t want to disappoint them. She exhaled heavily and turned the book around to show them. “This is a psychic communication spell. With it I should be able to contact Fluttershy. I tried it out earlier today, and I think it works, but I just need to confirm it. Now, Pinkie Pie?” “What is it, Twilight?” Pinkie responded. “Did you hear me try to talk to you about thirty minutes ago in your head?” “Oh yeah, I thought I was just hearing things.” Pinkie stated, starting to hop around the library. “It was so amazing, I started baking some cupcakes for everypony since the Cakes are away and when I heard you I was all like ‘wha?’ and I almost flipped the batter all over the kitchen but then I finished baking before coming back over,” she suddenly stopped bouncing. “When you talk to Fluttershy tell her Pinkie says ‘Hi,’ okay, Twilight?” Twilight breathed a sigh of relief, “I’ll do that Pinkie, but I don’t know if this will work. We still don’t know exactly where she is.” She flipped the spell book back around and studied the text, absorbing every last detail of the spell. “Alright, here I go,” the unicorn stated as she readied her stance. She focused her energy to her horn, concentrating on all the intricacies of the spell and on Fluttershy herself. I hope this works. The forest was exactly as Fluttershy would have guessed as her gallop slowed to a quick trot; it was dense with trees, their leaves blotting out the sky from view. Small green sprouts sprang up through the mulch of the previous fall’s leaves while long, winding vines wrapped themselves around some of the older trees. She could hear some of the animals’ cries, the sounds fighting for her ears’ attention with the rustling leaves. The path she followed seemed to have been cut very methodically as it wove through the trees, but still, it was obscured by the forest’s overgrown underbrush. “Help me!” the deeply accented voice howled. Fluttershy immediately focused her attention on the voice, ignoring the forest’s curiosities as she burst into a full gallop. Just ahead she saw a figure running around in a panic with something attached to one of its legs. She skid to a stop, watching as the brown stallion with spiked back brown hair running around aimlessly, a long, striped ferret-like creature attached to his right foreleg, blood leaking from the bite wound and soaking into his white labratory coat. He turned towards her as she thought of what do to. “Could you help me? Please?” the pony desperately tried to shake the creature off. “There’s a briefcase over there. If you would, could you grab a Poké Ball and help me out? This thing just won’t let go.” Fluttershy stood there, confused. She was sure she had never heard of a ‘Poké Ball’ before, but it sounded somehow familiar. She looked at the briefcase, her body wanting her to move towards it, but instead she ran towards the panicked pony. “Hold still,” she said calmly to the pony. He stopped shaking, but still winced in pain. Fluttershy grasped the ferret by its scruff, pulling it from the pony’s leg and tossing it gently to the side. Before it could turn to attack once more, Fluttershy had set herself in a wide stance, staring intensely at the creature. The instant their eyes met, the creature froze. “Don’t you do something like that ever again, do you understand me, mister?” she scolded. “It’s not nice to hurt other creatures like that, and you know it.” As her stare intensified, the ferret cowered before her, whimpering. She stepped closer, brushing its fur and giving it a pat on the head. “There you go, now run off little one.” With that the ferret ran off into the thicket and Fluttershy brought her head back up, closing her eyes and smiling, feeling more secure and comfortable with herself. Suddenly, a sharp, overwhelming pain coursed through her head, forcing her to the ground, both hooves pressed in vain to her skull. Then, as quickly as it had come, the pain was gone. Th-that’s never happened before... she thought silently, her chest heaving from shock. “You saved me without a pokémon, that was remarkable! I’ve never seen anything quite like it. You have an amazing way with these creatures,” the brown stallion complemented her as he walked over to grab his briefcase. “What’s your name, my girl?” Fluttershy lifted her head, shaking it as she tried to recover from the pain. Glancing at the pony, she swore she had seen him before in Ponyville... even the voice was similar if not the same. He wore a lab coat with an hourglass symbol sewn into both sides in the same manner as the butterflies on her own clothes. “I’m, uh...” she began, having to think on it for a moment, “Fluttershy, I think. I just moved in just south of here.” She dipped her head, ears folded back in confusion. “Fluttershy, interesting. I've never met a filly with a name quite like that. It’s quite a lovely name if you ask me. They call me the Professor. Professor Birch.” He shook his bitten forehoof for some relief from the pain. “You know what, take a pokémon as a reward. Obviously you’re better with them than I could have ever imagined. Take your pick, it’s fine by me,” the Professor said. There was that word was again. Pokémon. Like everything Fluttershy had witnessed here, it seemed familiar and completely foreign at the same time. Slowly, she trotted over to the briefcase and nudged open the latches. Inside, on small, black cushions, were three minuscule red and white balls with a white circular button along the center divide. She picked one up in her hoof and stared at it. “Um, thank you.” she whispered shyly, “It’s... nice.” The professor scratched his head, “Well you can’t see your new pokémon if it’s still in its Poke Ball. That’s just not how it works.” She looked at him with confusion before turning back to what she presumed to be a ‘Poké Ball.’ She had to know what this ‘Pokémon’ thing was and how it could fit inside such a tiny ball. She pressed the button with with hoof, eeping as the tiny ball suddenly tripled in size. It opened, sending a shining white light from it; the light and sound causing her to step back. She watched as the light started to take form into an animal. Her wings opened in a defensive posture as she stepped further back. The light faded, revealing a green upright standing gecko. It stared at her with its head cocked to the side. “W-what is that?” Fluttershy wondered aloud, not knowing what to think of the odd creature. The brown pony stared in disbelief. “You’ve never seen a treecko before? I would’ve thought that everyone has seen it on the television in Hoenn, or anywhere else for that matter.” He shook his head and nudged the treecko closer to Fluttershy. “Some kids these days. So sheltered.” Fluttershy dropped to her belly beside the treecko, examining it for a little while. Something told her that she already knew what it was. “Aren’t you adorable?” she finally said, drawing a dismissive harrumph from the creature. “I guess I need to name you, huh, little guy?” The lizard came closer and rubbed its head into her mane. She could only smile; meeting a new type of creature, even after the past events’ hardships, lifted her spirits. “How did you ever fit in something so tiny?” The professor walked over, seeing Fluttershy lay there with her new pokémon. He smiled and sat down next to her. “You have an impressive way with animals. I’m quite taken aback.” “Th-thank you,” she responded. Digging through his bag, he pulled out a thin, red plastic tablet and gave it to Fluttershy. “Here, this is a Pokédex. It will show you everything and anything you wanted to know about Pokémon and the Hoenn region. It should serve you well, being new to the area and all. It’s quite a handy device. Now take it, I need your help with something.” He looked down at his right foreleg and rubbed it to soothe the pain. “My son, Brendan, is out doing research. Brash boy, but I need him to come home. It’s getting dark and as you can see I'm a little out of commission at the moment, so I need you to go in my stead. He should be just north of Oldale Town which is at the northern end of this forest.” She nervously stood up, her ears drooping at the thought, “Oh no, I couldn’t do that,” she shuffled one of her forehooves in the grass, “I don’t know nearly enough about this place to be able to do that.” “No, you can do it,” the professor assured her, “Take that treecko and run with it. Travel the world! You’ve just moved here, and judging by you’re attire you’re here for adventure. You should be excited.” “Oh, I’m really not much for adventure... really.” “Nonsense. Just remember to find my son while you’re out there. I’m sure he’ll do whatever he can to avoid coming home, but even if you can’t, go and explore everything. Give adventure a chance!” As she made to protest further, Fluttershy felt something tap against her side, the treecko trying getting her attention. The confidence in its eyes astounded her, seeming to trust her completely within minutes of meeting her. “I guess her spell worked,” she thought aloud, grabbing the Pokédex with her mouth and slipping it into her bag. “I guess if I can help.” “That’s the spirit!” Birch stated, as he began to hobble back towards town. “Hopefully the trip will help you get your head straight.” Fluttershy watched him as he limped off with his briefcase back into the forest. “If you need anything from me just ask. I’ll be in my lab in Littleroot Town. I’m sure you’ll be fine without me, but if you ever need my help, I’ll be sure to do what I can.” As the professor disappeared into the forest, the wind began to blow through the tree, the calming sound of rustling leaves reaching her ears. She let out a small sigh and looked to her new gecko-like friend. “I suppose that if you’re going to join me, I should give you a name.” Fluttershy looked up at the forest around her thoughtfully. “How about Treecky?” The gecko scoffed and turned its head. “Oh, maybe Leaf?” It sneered, nostrils flaring as it huffed dramatically. Um... how about...” Fluttershy looked around for inspiration, spotting a familiar looking tree. “How about Alerce?” It thought for a moment before it looked up at her with contented grin. “Good. Now climb on and I can fly us over the town.” Alerce leaped into the air, landing with a small impact on Fluttershy. “Gently.” she said, unfurling her wings. She took a couple seconds to stretch out her wings and ready herself for flight before she broke into a short gallop before lifting off. The forest was so thick that branches and leaves obstructed her path to the sky. Carefully, she ducked and dodged her way through them without any harm done to herself or her passenger. Hovering just above the forest canopy, she checked to see if Alerce was alright, finding him a little woozy “Oh...I’m sorry about that,” she blushed, flying at a slow pace as to not upset him further. Slowly rising from the canopy, Fluttershy looked around at the massive expanse of land and sea. She’d never seen so many towns and villages, even when looking down from her old filly-home in Cloudsdale. It had been a long time since she had been so high above the ground. The sun was setting, the sky was painted with rich yellows, oranges, and purples. Flocks of blue and red birds flew along side her, squawking with delight. Fluttershy smiled back, happy with the wind flowing sending her long pink mane whipping about behind her. She felt herself becoming less anxious about the task she had been given as she tried her hardest to enjoy herself as she soared freely. Down below, she could see a small town with only a handful of buildings. If her instincts were right, this was the town that Birch had told her about. With a dip of her wings, she slowly made her decent near the northern pathway out of town. After landing, Alerce immediately hopped off Fluttershy’s back, dazed from the flight. “Are you alright?” she asked, getting closer to see if anything had happened. Alerce shook his head and body, getting rid of the woozy feeling he had, and began to walk down the small path north, Fluttershy following. The path looked exactly like the forest outside of Littleroot. She still thought having no memory of this place when waking up in the back of the truck was odd, but she simply chalked it up to stress. After scaling a rocky ledge, she spotted a young earth pony hunched over with several bags of supplies on his back, studying some of small creatures in the grasses. Fluttershy trotted over nervously. She didn't even know this was Birch's son. “E-excuse me, I’m so sorry for bothering you, but are you Brendan?” She slunk back a little as the light brown pony turned around to face her. He wore a strange headband and white hat combination with a black and orange jacket, his shorts were vertically separated black and dark-gray with a strange gold square with a cross through it stitched on the sides. “Yeah, who are you?” Fluttershy stood erect, trying to appear more confident. “I’m... uh...” W-what’s going on? Why can’t I remember my own name anymore!? “I... just moved in next door to you.” The colt eyed her suspiciously. She caught him staring at Alerce, squinting his eyes to get a more focused view. “That’s my father’s treecko. He normally has those under lock and key.” He lifted his head and walked towards a Poké Ball that lay in the short grass. He hit the circle button, sending out his pokémon. A small orange bird with three large feathers sticking out of its head popped out and chirped. “I know what’s going on.” Fluttershy looked at him confused, but went forward to examine the bird. “Oh my, you’re just so adorable.” The bird rubbed against her in much the same way Alerce had. “What’s your name little guy?” she rubbed the bird’s head and smiled.. “That’s Torchic, and I’d advise you to step away from my pokémon.” “Oh, I’m sorry,” she said, lowering her head and ears, backing away. Torchic took on an aggressive posture, staring down Alerce as the gecko did the same. She looked at the colt who looked as if everything was completely fine. “Alright, let’s get this battle underway, shall we?” Brendan smirked, watching his torchic prepare itself. “Battle? Oh no, I could never do that,” Fluttershy said nervously. She couldn’t tell if he was serious, but she didn’t want to take any chances. She looked down at Alerce who also donned a fighting position. “Alerce no, we don’t have to—” Before she even could finish, she felt another throbbing headache come on, one (much) more intense than the others had been. Every synapse in her brain told her she had to fight, that she had no choice. She found herself on the ground, hooves pressed to her head as she desperately tried to hold onto herself. W-why is this happening, I-I don’t fight... I can’t take this... With her head still buried in the ground, she heard a strange but familiar voice pierce her thoughts, “Fl...rsh... is that you? Please, if you can hear me say something!” “Please... leave me alone,” she fought back against the wayward thought, not knowing how else to respond. “It’s me, Twilight. Are you alright? We’re so worried about you.” Tears rolled down Fluttershy’s cheeks, her body shaking as she sobbed into the grass. “Please, I don’t want to fight. Whoever you are, please make it stop!” The voice faded away as fast as it had come. Still shaking, she rose to her hooves, grabbed Alerce with a hoof, and planted him on her back. The world seemed to flash white and suddenly, in front of her, was a strange figure. The tears in her eyes blurred her vision, but there in front of her was a ghostly wisp with the same clothes she wore. The figure had brown hair and pale skin, with the same bandanna she had and a similar looking treecko. Across from her was another creature standing with a torchic, but its features were too washed out and obscured to see. Confused, she closed her eyes and shook her head; the ghostly figures disappeared from view as her eyes opened. Her vision back to normal, Fluttershy darted into the air and made for the forest. The urge to battle that had raced through her subsided, leaving her head clear. She sighed and with one last involuntary spasm she felt completely fine. Her tears dried as streaks on her face, but it didn’t bother her as she flew on. She was able to fight it off. She landed in a nearby forest clearing, watching the sun set behind the forest canopy. Alerce lay down and fell to sleep, Fluttershy smiling as she took a blanket from her bag. She had no idea how she knew it was there, but she began to trust her new instincts. She laid the blanket over Alerce and herself, preparing for the night. With her new friend in the grass and the wind carrying her worries away on the open road, Fluttershy knew she was finally home. Twilight’s horn stopped glowing as the unicorn slumped down. The spell had taken more out of her than she had anticipated. “Well Twilight, dear? Were you able to talk to her?” Rarity asked. “I was, but she didn’t recognize me,” she began, eyes wide and watering, “It sounded like she was crying... and she said something about fighting. I think she could be in trouble.” Everypony looked worried. The situation seemed dire; they had no idea where Fluttershy had ended up and she was in danger. Rainbow hovered in the air, staring down at the spell book that had caused the whole mess, then up at the purple unicorn, a fiery determination in her eyes. “Send me over there.” “What?! Are you crazy? The last time I cast the spell it was just a deviation. If I cast the deviation... Who knows what the deviation of the space-time rift spell could be!” Rainbow Dash was undeterred. “You said you performed the spell exactly, right? Just perform it exactly again.” Twilight lowered her head to think. She didn’t want to risk the safety of another friend... but Rainbow’s brash confidence was infectious. “We don't even know if it'll result in the same spell, why are you so eager to do this?“ “We can't just sit here and hope. I'm willing to take the risk... Worst case, I end up looking trustworthy,” Rainbow stated confidently. Twilight gulped, afraid of what might happen. The teleportation spell didn’t have a set course; Rainbow Dash could easily end up in a completely different part of space-time than Fluttershy. She didn't want to take the risk, but she was running out of options. “M-maybe I should talk to Celestia first before we do this. Just to be safe.” “We don't have time for Celestia, Fluttershy is in danger now,” Rainbow protested. “Trust me, I'll be fine. I'm sure if Fluttershy has somepony to help her through this, it'll be a load off your mind.” Twilight brought the ancient spell book to her and looked over the spell again, then turned back to her friends, solemn-faced. “What do you girls think? I don't know what to do...” “This all seems a mite risky,” Applejack said, “but right now Fluttershy needs somepony to help her. Who knows what she's going through over there.” “Yeah, plus it would be super fun to see ponies she knows, right? Ooo, maybe I can get some—” “Well,” Rarity cut her off, jamming a hoof into Pinkie’s maw before the pink pony could being to ramble, “I don’t see how it could hurt. Rainbow Dash, I should get you a jacket or something before you leave, it might could be positively frigid there.” “I’ll be fine,” Rainbow Dash said, landing and folding her wings to her body. “I’m sure you girls can come up with something to get us back while I’m gone.” Twilight was shocked at the responses she had received. Every one of her friends was in agreement with Rainbow’s brash and ill-conceived plan. Twilight had to admit, she was running out of options. “Actually,” Twilight pondered. “I do know Canterlot’s eastern library has a book by the same author; maybe the spell to bring her back is in there.” “Great, you girls go to Canterlot and I’ll hang out with Fluttershy. I can’t leave her all alone in some weird place.” She stood in front of Twilight, waiting for her to cast the spell. “Ready when you are!” Looking around, Twilight saw that everypony seemed to be in agreement. With the spell in front of her, she focused on Rainbow Dash. “Alright.” She readied herself, planting her hooves. She was still apprehensive about this plan, her breath caught in her throat just thinking about it. Finally, she closed her eyes and focused all of her energy on Rainbow Dash. Her horn started to glow with the intense purple light of the previous attempt. She went over every calculation in her head, checking for any discrepancies to make sure this went as smoothly as possible. The last thing she wanted to do was to lose another friend. “Hey Rainbow Da—” Pinkie started, but Twilight could only hear that much as all sense of her surroundings faded away. The light of the sun seemed to fade as the light from her horn eclipsed everything else. Violent tremors shook the library, but she ignored them, concentrating and keeping her eyes closed and mind focused. Her knees shook as the tremors vibrated through the tree, sweat dripping down her hide. Panting, she could feel the energy reach a singular point at the tip of her horn and with the last of her energy she released her hold on the spell, launching it towards Rainbow Dash. Exhausted, Twilight’s body went limp as her vision blurred. As the light that now surrounded Rainbow Dash grew drastically brighter, her eyes slowly shut as she collapsed face first into the old tome.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-07-04T14:52:16+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:10+00:00

Rainbow Dash awoke with a throbbing headache. She lay still for a moment in a daze as the reality of what happened now dawned on her. Feeling something heavy push her into the dirt, she squirmed her way out from underneath. One hoof after the other she got to a good point of leverage and shook the weight off, her body now free to stretch. She closed her eyes and spread her wings, taking away some of the pressure and aches her body felt from the trip. Sighing, she turned around and opened her eyes. Quickly she stepped back in confusion and noticed an unconscious pink lump where she had laid. She trotted over and poked it with her hoof. “Pinkie Pie, did you really have to follow me here?” she asked, ceasing to poke the pink pony. In a sudden panic, she took her saddlebags off and opened them for inspection. She carefully sifted through the contents, dreading if any broke from Pinkie falling on top of them or falling herself. Sighing in relief after seeing nothing was harmed, she left Pinkie alone to sleep and looked around at her new surroundings. There were a lot more trees than she had anticipated, especially after hearing how distraught Fluttershy was. Surely that would’ve been the reason, if any, she thought. Looking up she noticed how oddly positioned and disorganized the clouds were especially around a populated town. There were no pegasi in the sky taking care of or placing the cumulonimbus cloud in the distance, nor any of the cumulus or the arcus clouds. That’s weird, it’s almost as if— “Hey Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie Pie yelled out in excitement, causing Rainbow to stagger forward in shock. Rainbow quickly turned around to see the pink pony already bouncing around as if nothing happened. “You’re finally awake! That’s good because you weren’t when I found you so I decided to continue sleeping while you had your little nap.” Rainbow Dash groaned, “Wait, you slept on top of me on purpose?” She shook her head, “Never mind that, why did you follow me in?” “So you wouldn’t be alone, silly!” she continued bouncing to Rainbow’s dismay. Sighing, Rainbow tried to find a sign or clue as to where they were. Many earth ponies were about, seeming aloof to the entire situation. For reasons Rainbow couldn’t comprehend they were all wearing clothes, something almost never seen back in Equestria except for higher class gatherings. They were mostly very dully colored, a striking contrast to both her and Pinkie’s bright color schemes. Upon closer inspection they were wearing belts with strange red and white balls on them, followed closely by other unrecognizable animals. The houses were all earthy colors with red roofs; none of them stood out at all as far as the ones normally seen in Ponyville. Two stood out to her though, two buildings with blue and red roofs respectively with a strange white symbol garnering their fronts. “Hey, Pinkie Pie.” Rainbow called out. Pinkie stopped bouncing around, now paying attention to her friend. She has to be as shaken up as I am, I mean, I can’t be the only one, Rainbow assumed, but continued on her train of thought. “I’m going to fly around and check out where we are. Could you ask around to see what town we’re in?” “Okie dokie Loki!” Pinkie confirmed, looking at Rainbow intensely with her hoof at a salute. She giggled before stopping and hopped around to start her search. Rainbow looked up at the sky, spreading her wings to start her ascent. With a bend of the knees she took off, soaring high enough to reach the start of the cloud-line. She looked at them with a puzzled look, noticing the strange properties of the puffy cumulus clouds. They were much larger than the ones in Ponyville and she could see right through them. They seemed only to be composed of a light fog at most. Curious, she turned away from the cloud and kicked back as hard as she could. Her legs went straight through, causing her to stumble back from lack of contact. She pulled them out and felt something trickle down her leg. She looked down at her legs, noticing drops of water dripping off her hide. That’s strange. That wasn’t a rain cloud... Stunned, she quickly shook off her hooves and continued her ascent. Above the cumulus clouds, the thunderhead loomed in the distance. The sun shone brightly on the pegasus’ wings as she surveyed the area. Large expanses of water surrounded what seemed to be a multitude of islands. She noticed a few mountain and volcano chains in the north with no snow on their peaks. Rainbow started panting as a large wave of humidity swept through the air from the western storm front, quickly tiring her out. Confident that she had everything she needed, she glided back down towards Pinkie who was busy talking to an older gray mare. “Pinkie!” she called out, knocking Pinkie out of her string of rapid-fire conversations. With her hooves now safely planted on one of the dirt roads, she trotted over. The older mare quickly broke off and left as Rainbow grew closer. “Did you find out anything?” “Yeah! According to this one lady we’re in... what was it...” Pinkie paused to think, “Oh, Pendalfurg Town!” Pinkie closed her eyes and smiled. Rainbow scratched her head, “Uh, are you sure Pinkie Pie? That sounds a really weird name for a town.” “Oh, I’m completely sure!” Pinkie stated confidently. Rainbow turned her head and noticed a sign near the eastern path out of town. It was just out of sight for her to read it, so she squinted her eyes and inched closer. After only a few steps it came into focus. Printed in black type was, “You are now leaving Petalburg Town. Entering Route 102 to Oldale Town.” She brought her head upright and turned to Pinkie who was still smiling her somewhat dopey smile. “Uh, Pinkie Pie? The name is the town is on that sign over there,” she said, pointing at the boldly printed sign. “That’s weird, I must’ve missed it,” Pinkie said, her smile fading to thoughtful gaze. “Did you at least find something out about Fluttershy?” Rainbow started pacing, trying to shake off the humidity. “I mean, did you at least ask—” “Not too much. Somepony told me that they saw a yellow pegasus flying in the east last night, but that could’ve been anypony!” Pinkie said, gazing east, seemingly trying to point Rainbow Dash in that direction. Rainbow followed her cue and turned her head. “Well if that’s all we’ve got so far I say we go for it. If she were here, we would’ve seen her already.” She turned to Pinkie with a confident gaze. “Alright, I’ll fly up and check it out. You search on the ground and we’ll meet in the next town over, got it?” “Got it!” Pinkie exclaimed, then promptly hopped off into the forest. Rainbow spread her wings and rocketed into the air, trying to keep the humidity out of mind. She turned with the westerly wind and began her search. Fluttershy jolted awake, panting with piercing headache. She sighed, letting the warmth of the morning sun warm her coat and calm her down. Placing her hoof on her forehead, she tried to alleviate the headache her dream must’ve caused, but something felt off to her. She took her hoof off her head and looked at it, her eyes widening at the sight. It was pink and fleshy, with five appendages jutting out from the outside. It was clothed with a green fingerless cloth with a white collar. Her breathing became heavier and heavier as she stared. She blinked, and her hoof reappeared where the hand once was. After breathing a sigh of relief, she lay back down into the grass and looked up at the forest’s canopy. The yellow light of the sun created a halo of light surrounding the trees. Fluttershy had seen this many times, but it seemed to be dancing with color that morning. A light western wind blew through her hair, letting her mind work out her already frantic morning. Beside her she heard a small rustle in the grass. She turned her head and noticed Alerce still sleeping soundly underneath her blanket. Oh, how could I have forgotten about Alerce? Fluttershy thought. She lifted her hoof and tapped lightly on the blanket, “It’s time to wake up, it’s a brand new—” She paused. T-that’s strange. She tapped the blanket once more, feeling a hard shell underneath. Confused, she grabbed the blanket with her teeth and lifted it slowly. Rays of light illuminated the creature making Fluttershy take a step back as she tore the blanket off. In Alerce’s place was a small green turtle with a yellow underbelly and a hard brown and black striped shell lying on its back. A small, two leaved sprout made its place on the top of its head. Fluttershy slowly crawled closer to investigate. “A-Alerce? Is that... you?” The turtle’s eyes slowly opened. It turned its head to Fluttershy and it smiled at her. “Twii~!” it let out, standing and getting closer to the timid pegasus. It reached her right foreleg and started rubbing its head against her hide. She looked down and smiled. “Oh yes, you must be him.” At that moment her stomach began to rumble violently, causing her to take notice. “With how hectic yesterday was I must’ve forgotten to get us food,” she said to Alerce and herself. Is changing species like that... normal? she thought to herself, but quickly passed it off as something she must’ve forgotten during the truck ride over. “Come on, let’s go get some food,” she said, scooping up Alerce and the blanket and placed them on her back. Facing away from the rising sun, she made her way through the new set of dirt roads, opting not to fly with her new, more bulky and fragile friend. The path was very similar to the two she had already been down, but she saw many more ponies walking around with their pokémon. She planned to walk through unnoticed; the last encounter she had with a pony with a pokémon wasn’t the most pleasant. A dark-blue pony was in the distance with a striped ferret, battling some wild animal. She was shocked, trying to slip by as she was distracted. Hoping that even with her less than functional camouflage she wouldn’t be seen, but she jumped back as the filly cried out, “Hey you! You with the turtwig!” Fluttershy looked away and continued walking unabated. “Hey, I’m talking to you! Let’s see what that turtwig is made of!” the filly continued to shout. Fluttershy turned to the filly, “I’m sorry, I don’t fight.” The filly stood dumbfounded. She huffed and trotted away, continuing with her hunt. Fluttershy made sure to avoid every other encounter along the way, dashing into shrubbery and flying over rock faces to stay out of view. Slowly but surely, she made her way through the forest path to a straightaway towards Petalbug Town. The sun was reaching the apex of the sky as the humidity grew denser. Fluttershy turned her head back to see how far she had gone. Oldale Town was nowhere in sight, and looking ahead, there wasn’t a single pony to be found. She breathed a sigh of relief then lied down. The lack of food made her trip arduous, making her dig through the provisions her mother had given her. A few crackers in a plastic bag were stuffed into the bottom as well as a small flask. She unscrewed the top and took a sip. After realizing it was water, she guzzled it down, only pausing to breathe and give some to Alerce. After the canteen seemed to be half empty, she set it back in her bag and closed her eyes to think. The whole world seemed to be spinning for her as the events of the past few days still hung in the forefront of her thoughts Whenever she tried to think of what happened before the ride in the truck, she couldn’t recall a single memory. It was as if her life started in that pitch black room. She buried her head into her hooves, exhausted and confused. Ever since she woke up, she felt as if there was always something amiss. Something she couldn’t put her hoof on. Alerce began to call out towards the west. Fluttershy popped her head out from her hooves and looked to the distance. She squinted, noticing something pink bouncing steadily towards her. She slowly rose up readying herself to get out of the way before she found herself being hounded for another fight. A sharp pain jolted through her knees as she stood, making it hard to get up. One hoof after the other she finally got up, but her knees shook, causing her to be planted where she stood. She started panting with worry, watching the bouncing pink object come closer. Stepping one hoof forward, she broke her stable footing, yet fell face first into the dirt from the pain. When she finally got her head off the ground, the pink pony was standing right above her, giving her a strange, yet familiar look. “Hey Fluttershy! What are you doing playing in the dirt?” the filly asked, hopping around Fluttershy. F-Flutter...shy? she thought. The name sounded oddly familiar to her, but she passed it off as nothing. “I’m sorry, you have the wrong pony,” she stated, hoping this would cause the pony to leave her alone. “Don’t be silly, of course I have the right pony!” She took in a large gasp, “Oh, I know! You’re playing a game aren’t you? I didn’t know you for being such a good game player, Fluttershy. Ooo, what are we playing? Wait don’t tell me, let me guess. Uh... ‘Ponies and Griffons’! Or—” “No, please stop. I-I’m not trying to play anything, just don’t make me fight you. Please,” Fluttershy pleaded. What’s wrong with her? Why is she so brightly colored and... naked? “Fight? I know you don’t fight; what kind of friend would I be to not know that? I’m so glad I found you so quickly! We were so worried back at Twilight’s that I had to come help find you! “I... still don’t know what you’re talking about. My name’s May, not Fluttershy,” she responded, causing the pink pony to slow down. “Excuse me, but I have to get going.” She hobbled back up to her hooves dug down enough to start moving. She slowly made her way past the pony, but she could already see her starting to follow. “Please, leave me alone,” she squeaked, moving as fast as her hooves could take her. “Fluttershy, are you alright? It’s me, Pinkie Pie!” The name hit Fluttershy like a ton of bricks, but she kept going. ‘Pinkie Pie’ seemed so familiar to her as did the name ‘Fluttershy’, but it hurt to think about it. She just kept running in the hopes of finding somewhere to sort things out in peace. A few hundred yards of chase left her even more exhausted. She turned her head to see if the pink pony had stopped her chase before feeling something slam into the back of her head. She bowled over backwards, sending Alerce flying into the tall grass. Dizzy, she tried to get back up, but her vision started to double and wobble. She tried to shake it off, but her mental and physical exhaustion was too much. “Whoops, sorry about—” was all she heard before she collapsed unconscious into the grass. Incomprehensible noises began to make their way to Fluttershy’s ears as she felt herself becoming conscious once more. Her eyes slowly opened to see a blue pegasus with rainbow-colored hair looking down at her. Fluttershy quietly grunted, exerting all her effort to get up. Oddly her knees weren’t shaking like they were before, and her hunger and thirst seemed to be less of an issue. “Fluttershy, you’re awake! Finally,” the pegasus said excitedly, but cool. “Sorry for bumping into you earlier, I must’ve been going faster than I thought and wasn’t paying attention.” The pegasus embraced Fluttershy in a tight hug before backing off once more. “You have no idea how worried about you we were.” “It’s... quite alright,” she whispered, overwhelmed by the pegasus’s presence. “If you would excuse me, I need to get to get to Petalburg Town.” The pegasus looked at her with a skewed look, “Fluttershy, are you alright? You sound kinda... off.” “Oh, she did that to me when I found her. I think she’s just playing a game or something.” Pinkie assured the pegasus. “I-I’m not playing a game!” Fluttershy tried to yell, wings opened, but shrunk back and folded them, “Just say you want to fight so you can leave me alone afterwards.” she squeaked, continuing to try shaking her followers. “My name isn’t Fluttershy. It’s May...” The pegasus groaned. “Alright fine, you aren’t Fluttershy. I’ll let you play your game,” she said, trotting closer. “My name’s Rainbow Dash, how are you?” She groaned even louder, “Man, why am I even doing this?” Fluttershy stepped back into a defensive position. Rainbow Dash. The name stuck out to her, more so than Pinkie Pie’s did. Wait, ‘Rainbow Dash’? Where have I heard that name before... — She lifted both of her hooves to her face, trying to recall the pony’s name. Oh my, how could I have forgotten her name? She started to shake, all the stress of the day’s events rushing through her. Did I really forget her name? No, it’s just the stress. What would Rainbow Dash do? — She let out a small scream. Her head felt like it split into two as visions, voices and events furiously flashed through her head. She saw a city in the clouds, clouds that could be moved by colorful pegasi. “Fluttershy? Are you okay?” She could feel herself falling from the sky into a pack of butterflies. The explosion of the Sonic Rainboom blasted her ear drums, and the joy of gaining her cutie mark filled her heart with glee. “Pinkie, help me over here. She just collapsed... and she’s not breathing!” She saw Ponyville, her cottage where the sick animals she cared for laid to rest in their beds. The day she opened up to Twilight, facing down the Manticore and the black mare named Nightmare Moon, it all filled her vision as clear as day. Tears formed in her eyes as she ducked her head into her chest. “Wake up! We didn’t come all the way here for you to quit on us!” She could feel her bunny, Angel, thumping his foot into her leg, her stare down with a giant dragon on a mountaintop, Princess Celestia’s phoenix Philomena turning to ash in her hands. Everything. Tears burned down her cheeks as she let out one final scream. Her mind finally went blank, causing her vision to fade to black. Fluttershy awoke out of breath, but her mind finally stabilized. She violently shook her head and forced her eyes open. Her breath sharply stopped as the world around her seemed brighter, sounds coming to her clearer and crisper. Slowly, her breathing stabilized as well as a smile licked across her face. She looked to Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie who were looking at each other with with great relief. “Sorry for scaring you, I’ve... had a rough few days.” “A-are you alright, Fluttershy? Do you recognize me?” Rainbow Dash asked, her wings open in a defensive position. “Oh yes, both you and Pinkie Pie,” Fluttershy responded as she shuffled her forehoof, yet perked her ears up. “So... why’d you go all crazy on us? Missed us too much already?” Rainbow Dash asked, lightly patting Fluttershy’s back, causing a small “Ow!” to escape the fragile pegasus’s mouth. “Come on, we’ll help you with whatever you were doing. We aren’t too far off from... Pendalfurg I think?” She caught her mistake and groaned. “Well, whatever. Tell us, what happened back there?” Fluttershy lowered her head, going over everything that happened. Two strings of memories fought for attention in her mind, but she was able to separate the two even with her fading energy. “I’ll talk about it after I get some food, I’m so hungry,” she said, looking around for where Alerce went off to. Alerce popped his head out from the tall grass and ran as fast as he could over to Fluttershy. He stopped, and looked at the two other ponies, smiling. “I guess he likes you two.” “Great, now we don’t have to introduce ourselves!” Pinkie Pie responded gleefully and started hopping down the path to Petalburg. “So... what’s with the turtle? I mean, I wouldn’t put it past you to immediately start talking to animals when you got here.” Rainbow Dash joked, glancing over at Alerce. “He’s... a turtwig, I guess,” Fluttershy explained. “At least that’s what those other ponies I passed called him. I never actually got a chance to check.” They continued on with Petalburg Town drawing ever closer. They saw red rooftops in the distance and faint silhouettes of ponies with pokémon trotting around and conversing with one another. Pinkie Pie had already arrived at the edge of town, seemingly looking around for someplace to eat some food. The rest of the trip was rather quiet, neither pony wanting to waste Fluttershy’s breath before she even got into town. Details of the town showed themselves to Fluttershy, her wobbly legs working frantically to get her in. “Over here! I found something!” Pinkie Pie shouted, hopping slowly towards a building the middle of town. After a few more yards, the trail came to a stop, merging into the dirt roads of the town. “We’re coming Pinkie Pie, just hold on!” Rainbow Dash yelled, continuing to watch over Fluttershy. “Almost there, just a little more.” Fluttershy took her first step into Petalburg relieved, “Thanks Rainbow—” She was cut off by a loud ringing coming from behind her. She jumped in shock with Alerce following suit and looked behind her, seeing nothing but her backpack. “What’s going on? Is that sound coming from my backpack?” “Well, I don’t have anything on me that would make noise, so it must be from you,” Rainbow responded, beginning to rummage through Fluttershy’s bag. She grabbed the Pokédex with her teeth and felt it vibrating. “I ‘hink ‘his ih’ id’” she said, the flat casing still in her mouth. She set it down and studied it, the small blue light on the Pokédex’s side blinking. “I think you open it like this,” Fluttershy said as she pushed the button near the top of the device, causing the front flap to flip open. It revealed a small screen and set of speakers. The beeping stopped before a strange, monotone voice began to relay from it. [[ TRAINER ( 78342 - MA...FLUTTER...HY... ), YOU HAVE A GYM FIGHT AT ( PETALBURG GYM ) SCHEDULED FOR ( 9:30 PM ) ( TONIGHT ). REMINDER: FAILURE TO SHOW UP AT YOUR SCHEDULED TIME IS GROUNDS FOR DISQUALIFICATION IN THE HOENN LEAGUE AND YOU MUST WAIT THREE DAYS TO APPEAL YOUR CASE. ]] The Pokédex beeped once more and the message stopped. Both of the pegasi looked at each other confused. “Wait, is this what that fighting thing was all about?” Rainbow asked, breaking the silence “A league...? Is it a league for fighting pokémon?” Fluttershy wondered, shuddering to think about the prospect. “That sounds... so awesome!” Rainbow yelled out, shocking Fluttershy, “A whole competitive league set up with automated messages when entering towns? I have to come watch this.” “Can we just get some food please?” Fluttershy demanded, trying to break Rainbow’s train of thought. “Oh, right,” Rainbow said. They continued on in silence to the building Pinkie was waiting by. A small twinge of pain coursed through Fluttershy’s head. She ran through the memories of the girl thoroughly, but couldn’t find an answer as to why the pain suddenly reemerged. She decided to let it go and tried not to pay any attention to anything until she had something more filling than apple slices and water. “By the way, you might want to clean up a bit first. When you were knocked out we tried carrying you back to town, but we kinda dragged you a bit.” Fluttershy ignored the comment and caught up to Pinkie Pie. They’re both naked and I’m covered in dirt... I guess. She looked down at her torso, seeing small grass stains and dirt patches covering her orange vest. Well, I won’t be out of place with them at least. The building Pinkie was waiting by was a red roofed building like all the others, but had an outside terrace with iron-lace tables and chairs with small cushions. Many a pony were dining on exotic fruits and grains, neither of them the Equestrians had ever seen. A stallion exited the building and cleared his throat, grabbing the attention of the three. He looked over them with a confused sneer. He gave out a slight sigh before approaching the three. “Are you madams waiting for a table? We have no wait time this afternoon.” “Oh, great.” Fluttershy said jubilantly and trotted to the closest empty table to sit down. “How about here... if that’s fine with you girls,” she called, hoping that they wouldn’t object. Looks fine,” Rainbow commented, flying over to sit next to her friend. Pinkie Pie followed suit. “So... do you have any money in that bag you’ve got there?” Fluttershy paused for a moment, then quickly rummaged through her bag. Alerce stepped off, letting her check every nook and cranny. Before long, she stumbled upon a small bag that jangled with the sound of metal. “This must be it. I knew there would be some in here.” She took the bag and placed it on the table, untwisting the tie to get it open. Alerce climbed back on top of the bag and waited patiently for his food. “So who gave you that anyway?” Rainbow pried as the waiter brought the three menus. “A mare who is, I guess, supposed to be my mother,” Fluttershy said, scanning the menu. “I woke up in the back of a moving truck and she started talking to me as if I were her daughter.” “Ooo, they have a ‘Sitrus Berry Medley’. That sounds tasty,” Pinkie spouted, then looked up at the two pegasus. “Oh, were you talking about your trip here? Keep talking, I want to hear more!” “That does sound pretty good,” Fluttershy responded. “Anyway, she brought me into the house that the truck was parked in front of. Initially I refused, but she dragged me in. I really think that ponies believe me to be this ‘May’ girl.” She continued browsing as Rainbow and Pinkie listened attentively. “Every time I did something that my new memories were telling me I shouldn’t do I always felt a slight pain in my head. It started off small, but gradually became worse, especially when I refused to fight that colt.” Rainbow Dash interrupted, “Wait, a colt? Why would he want to fight you?” “To be honest, I’m not sure. Maybe it has something to do with the league my device talked about earlier.” Glasses of water were delivered to their table. Fluttershy stirred around the ice in the glass as she continued, “Also he didn’t want to fight me, but Alerce, whom I got from the colt’s father. He seemed ready to fight, but I just couldn’t. During the middle of that crisis was when Twilight contacted me. That’s probably why I sounded like I was in danger.” “Wait, your turtle was ready to fight? Like... without being provoked?” Rainbow asked, sipping her water. “Maybe that’s how they play; they must love roughhousing,” Pinkie added. Fluttershy looked down at Alerce, thinking back to last night, “Maybe.” She turned her attention back to Pinkie and Rainbow. “When did you two get here?” “Well, Twilight was asleep for few days before she woke up and sent us here,” Pinkie said, looking around trying to find the waiter. “Is she okay?” “Oh yeah. She was just tired, that’s all. Anyway, we arrived this morning. Dashie wasn’t up right away, so—” If they both arrived this morning, maybe... No, I don’t know anything about this world yet. It’s just a coincidence, that’s all, Fluttershy thought, trying to piece together the day’s events. She looked at them both, then glanced down at Alerce. “You know Alerce here? He was a gecko yesterday.” Rainbow Dash glanced at Fluttershy with a hint of skepticism as Pinkie set down her menu, looking at Fluttershy with a sense of wonder. “That can’t happen, you know that.” Rainbow said matter-of-factly. The waiter approached the table, interrupting the three’s talk and took their orders. The earth pony scribbled down their requests and left, leaving the three to continue. The humidity had dropped as the sun began arcing down towards the horizon. “It’s true! When I woke up this morning, Alerce had become a turtle. It was surprising to say the least.” She sipped some more of her water and continued, “Anyway, what’s happening in Ponyville? Why did you risk coming to come get me?” She couldn’t imagine why it took her so long to ask. “Originally it was just Rainbow Dash who volunteered to get sent by Twilight, saying something like, ‘I don’t want to leave my bestest friend behind!’” Pinkie opened with a mocking tone. “Hey!” Rainbow shouted, staring at Pinkie. Pinkie giggled, then continued, “Sorry, Rainbow. Anyway, Twilight said that she’s seen the book at Canterlot’s library so the rest of the girls are going to go there and find the missing spell pages.” Fluttershy covered her mouth and squeaked a little at the news. “Twilight doesn’t have the spell to bring us back? W-We’re stuck here until she finds it?” “Don’t worry,” Rainbow said, kicking her legs up onto the table. “I’m sure she’ll find it in no time. Why don’t we just relax while we’re here and just enjoy ourselves.” “Yes, but my animals...” “Yeah, it’ll be fun. Maybe we can see how that league thing goes,” Pinkie interrupted, eyeing the waiter coming with plates full of food. She sharply gasped, “The food’s here, let’s dig in!” The waiter rolled his eyes and sighed at Pinkie’s enthusiasm as he set the plates down in front of them. Fluttershy had never seen food like this before, a normal meal in Ponyville seemed plain in comparison. The salad was filled with bright yellow, red, blue and orange fruits of all different shapes. The lettuce, colored a crisp dark green, was drizzled in what appeared to be a red vinaigrette with multitude of visible herbs and spices. Fluttershy immediately started digging into it, trying to savor every bite. With her ravenous hunger depleting, she had nearly forgot about Alerce whose small meal was still on the table. “Oh, I’m sorry Alerce,” Fluttershy apologized softly, grabbing the plate and setting it on the ground near the hungry turtwig. The instant the plate touched the ground Alerce started chowing down. Fluttershy smiled and rose up to finish her meal, taking in the little amount of solace she could find before the moon rose on her inevitable fight. With a groan, Twilight blocked the light that was shining in her eyes with her hoof and sat up. She had been brought to her bed again she noticed before lifting off her bedsheets. She opened her eyes and checked the mirror. Her hair was a mess, but she expected that. Using her horn, she magically grabbed her hairbrush and started her morning routine. Her left ear perked up from murmurs coming from downstairs. With striking efficiency, she finished her routine and slowly trotted downstairs, still groggy from her sleep. She looked around the library’s main room and saw Applejack, Rarity and Spike talking amongst themselves. Owloysius, her owl, was resting on his perch near the window sleeping from a long night’s patrol of the home. Applejack looked up at Twilight and called out, “Look who’s finally awake.” “Hey girls. Hi, Spike. How long was I out? Did everything go alright?” “You were only out for the night. Oh, and it went perfectly, darling,” Rarity answered, flipping her mane. “I must say the light show was much better inside than in my boutique.” Twilight looked at the three, puzzled. “Where’s Pinkie? Is she back at Sugarcube Corner?” Rarity and Applejack looked at each other, worried. “Uh, Twi’, Pinkie was whisked off with Rainbow.” “What!?” Twilight’s eyes shrunk as shock and terror stuck her, “Oh no no no, this is bad!” She began to pace. “I don’t even know if the spell I used was the right deviation, and it I only know it to work on one pony. What if... What if sending two over screws everything up? I might’ve killed my two friends...” Twilight buried her head in her hooves, trying to go over everything in her head again. “Why did I even do this?” “Well, Rainbow’s confidence rubs off quite easily. Don’t worry about it Twi’, I’m sure with Rainbow’s stubbornness they’ll find a way to survive. Besides, we need you to be at your best when we go to find that spell,” Applejack assured her. Twilight brought her head back up, “You’re right. I need to write to Princess Celestia about getting into the royal archives.” She felt her stomach rumble as she spoke. “Ugh, I need to get some food before we plan anything.” “I’ve got you covered sugar cube,” Applejack proudly stated, trotting to a bushel full of apples near Twilight’s reading stand and tossed some over to Twilight. “Thanks, Applejack,” Twilight said, biting down on one of the large red apples. “Alright, I need to write a letter to the princess to request access to the royal library. In the mean time, I need you two I’d get at least enough supplies for a day’s trip. I’ll meet you outside near the main road out of town when I’m ready.” “You got it Twi,’” Applejack said, making her way out of the library and back to her home in Sweet Apple Acres. “I’ll be sure to pack for everything,” Rarity stated, walking out the door. “Make sure you don’t over pack!” Twilight yelled, just getting her message out before she heard the loud thud of a wooden door closing. She sighed and turned to Spike who had already taken out an empty scroll and quill to relay her message. “Good, now take a note,” Spike started writing out her message. Dear Princess Celestia, I’m writing to you to request access to the Royal Archives in Canterlot. My studies have brought me to a dead end and the edition of the book I have been using is incomplete. This study is of utmost importance and it is imperative that I finish my research on this spell as quickly as possible. My friends’ safety hinges on the information in the complete copies of Professor Arcan Grizwald’s texts, and I do not wish to endanger their livelihoods. I urgently await your answer. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle. With that, Spike rolled up the scroll and blew fire on it, turning it into a purple mist that flew out through the open window. Twilight went back upstairs and grabbed pair of saddle bags with a purple six-pointed star stitched to its front and slipped it on. After getting the strap snug, she met up again with Spike who was holding another scroll. “She responded really quickly this time,” Spike said, preparing to read it. “My faithful student Twilight, of course you can use the royal library, you are my student after all. Make sure to see me once you arrive.” Spike stopped, “She doesn’t sound too worried to me.” “You know the Princess,” Twilight said with a smile as she stuffed apples, small flasks of water and some blankets into her bags. “She’s probably just confident enough in my abilities and trusts I’ll get things taken care of.” With her bags back, she turned to Spike, “Spike, could you take care of Fluttershy’s animals with Mrs. Cake and the Crusaders while we’re away?” “You know what happened last time, Twilight,” Spike returned before shrugging his shoulders. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” “Great! Make sure to lock up when you leave,” Twilight reminded him, opening the the front door. “I shouldn’t be gone for more than two days. If anything does happen, I’ll write you a letter, alright?” “Good luck!” Spike yelled out as Twilight left the house. She heard a small hoot and an apology coming from inside. She laughed and headed towards the eastern path out of town. The sky was covered with a think overcast and a cool wind pierced Twilight’s coat. She sat and waited patiently for the other two to arrive. Taking a pink and white striped scarf out from her bag and wrapping it around her neck, she readied herself for the three’s journey to Canterlot.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:26:59+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:19+00:00

I can see Canterlot’s main gates from here,” Twilight called out. The city was perched on the edge of a mountain cliff with waterfalls above, creating a natural moat that spilled down to the land below. Ivory towers rose above the main wall with golden spires at their peaks. Lush gardens garnered the outer walls with evergreens scattered throughout. The massive city was awe inspiring, but it was nothing new to Twilight. One doesn’t forget their home so easily. The sun shone brightly and a warm wind complimented the inviting, yet regal stature of the capitol. “I’ve never seen the city in daylight this close before,” Rarity said, taking one last sip of her water. “The way the sun glistens throughout. It’s simply marvelous!” “It definitely woke you up in the morning, that’s for sure,” Twilight joked, giving Rarity and Applejack a small chuckle as they approached the draw bridge. The bridge was as crowded as Twilight remembered. There were always ponies coming in and out of the city: merchants with supplies to sell in stores and the streets, dignitaries with audiences with the royal sisters, and visitors staring in awe as one does in the celestial sisters’ city. On the drawbridge they could see almost the whole of Equestria. The entire westward expansion was drenched in golden light as the sun descended towards the horizon. “Watch out Twi’!” Applejack shouted, knocking Twilight out from her thoughts as she ran into the back of a colt. He was helping to move a crop of baked goods into Canterlot. She stepped back and shook her head, tripping over her own hooves in the process. “Oh, I’m sorry,” Twilight said, rubbing her forehead. The colt snorted and turned away, continuing on with his haul. It had been a while since Twilight was in such a crowded area, and her lack of attention showed. She sighed and continued walking, trying to slink away from embarrassment. “Why the nerve of that guy,” Applejack huffed. “Are you alright Twi’?” “Yeah, I just lost my focus for a second,” Twilight responded, seeing the interior of the city. The inside was much bigger than the outside suggested. In fact, it was much larger. Large white buildings scattered across the expanse of land, surrounded by massive parks with ponds and deciduous trees that provided much needed contrast to the crowded area surrounding the castle. Shops and houses crammed along the street towards the alicorns’ palace. Everything in Equestria seemed to be available for purchase: produce, magic spell books, saddlebags, the fanciest jewelery a pony could buy, dresses and other practical clothing, housewares. Twilight looked over fondly at the old book store on an intersection down the road, ignoring the rest of the crowded shops. “So where are we going first? Maybe shop for a few things on our way to the castle?” Rarity asked. “I want to see what the designers up here are up to... see if it can spark a few ideas.” “Later,” Twilight said, turning right off the main road, heading away from the downtown area of the city. “Wait, where are you going?” Rarity wondered, trotting quicker to catch up. “Yeah, weren’t we supposed to go see Celestia?” Applejack prodded. Twilight turned her head back and stopped, making sure this time that she wouldn’t run into another pony. “Yeah, but I want to stop at my old place beforehand. The library back at Ponyville doesn’t have quite as many books as the one I used to use, so I want to check it before seeing the princess.” “Well we never did get to see your old place when we went to the gala,” Applejack thought aloud. “Oh what the hay, let’s go.” Twilight nodded and galloped down the stone road with Applejack and Rarity following close behind. Past parks and ponds, Twilight’s old home towered off the stone road. A spiral staircase wrapped around the tower to the massive main room with its enormous glass outer wall. It was just as Twilight had remembered it. She stepped off the road and made her way up the staircase, oblivious to the lack of hooves clopping behind her. Magically, one of her saddlebags opened and Twilight dug around for her old key. After poking around, she found it, grabbed it and opened the back door. The elegance of the blue interior provided a massive contrast to the down to earth feel of Twilight’s home in Ponyville. It was a refreshing change. She looked back to see the other girls, but neither had followed her in. Twilight made her way down to find Rarity and Applejack standing at the front of the house, conversing. “What are you girls doing? Come on in.” “Rarity and I were just talkin’, and,” Applejack started. “Is this really your old place? I mean, it looks a little... pricey.” Twilight stood dumbfounded. She thought for a moment and realized the problem. “Oh, well it does look a little expensive but that is the norm here,” Twilight assured Applejack. “I’m still paying on the rent during my stay in Ponyville.” Applejack blinked, “Why, how do you get the money to pay for... that?” Rarity broke off from the group and trotted up the stairs, “You two can argue about this all day, but I’m going to go inside. If this is normal for Canterlot, the interior must extravagant.” She turned the corner and escaped from Twilight’s view. Twilight turned back to Applejack who looked like she was crunching numbers in her head. “Well, I get some government grants for my research which helps to pay for my old place,” Twilight explained, wanting to end this so she could commence her search. “Never mind that, I need to find my older copies of Grizwald’s books.” She galloped back up to the library. “Are you coming?” Applejack soon followed. They entered to the sight of Rarity inspecting every nook and cranny of the building. Twilight decided to ignore her musings and began her search. The library glowed with the warm purple light of Twilight’s magic as books flew off the shelves and floated around her. One by one, she searched the spell books. It had been a while since she had been at her old home, and the layout of the library back in Ponyville was conflicting with her old collection’s whereabouts. Applejack and Rarity ducked and weaved through the volley of texts until they all suddenly dropped to the ground. “Found it!” Twilight exclaimed, beginning to skim through the pages. “That was rather quick.” Rarity said, dusting herself off. “I know it’s been I while since I’ve been here, but I don’t forget things that easily,” Twilight responded, digging through Arcane Alchemy and Dubious Divination. She chuckled as she browsed through, just now remembering that Grizwald’s texts had a famous humorous side to them. Before she knew it, Twilight reached the end of the book. The counter-spell was nowhere to be found. “Argh! How is it not in here? This is the latest copy of the book!” Twilight yelled, slamming her head into the pages in frustration. “I’m sure the castle has the original edition. No other place would.” Rarity insisted. Sighing, Twilight took her head out of the book and closed it. “I know,” Twilight said apprehensively. “To be honest I’ve never been in the royal archives. Everyone who’s seen it said it’s absolutely massive. It could take us days just to find evenone of Grizwald’s texts.” She set all the books back on the shelf and looked through her bag, grabbing a gold card with silver text. “Well, there’s no use stayin’ here then,” Applejack stated, heading out the door. “Wait Applejack!” Twilight hollered, stopping Applejack in her tracks. “You can’t just walk in. You’d need an audience with the princess.” She stood up and walked over to the girls. “This card will let us in. They can’t say no to the princess’s own prized student.” With that, she put the card back into her bag and headed out the door, hoping that the rumors of the archive’s size were exaggerated at the least. The three galloped back the way they came, trying to make up for lost ground. Their hooves could be heard from the main street, causing onlookers to take notice. Rarity and Applejack followed suit and merged in with the massive crowd of unicorns and earth ponies. Twilight made sure to keep her eyes ahead of her. All she could think about was what could be lurking in the archives. The amount of knowledge it could contain only excited her, but what kind of ancient secrets and tomes would there be that no pony was to see? The more she thought about it, the crazier her predictions became. “So, what do you reckon is in that archive anyway?” Applejack asked, only adding to Twilight’s train of thought. “Well every time I’ve been in the castle and asked about it I’ve only told about how large and dark it is. Apparently, every book that’s ever been written is in there. I don’t quite believe them, but I’ve never seen it myself so there’s no way for me to really know,” Twilight explained. Slowly, but surely, they made their way through the massive crowd until the castle came squarely into view. Twilight noticed Rarity eying the glass fronts of stores and boutiques, making mental notes of other designers’ techniques and designs. She was sure that once all of her friends returned to Ponyville she wouldn't see Rarity for an entire week; she chuckled a little just thinking about it. The crown jewel of the city, the celestial sisters’ castle, stood near the edge of town just looking over the mountain. Celestia’s afternoon sun made the outer walls glisten, contrasting with the overcast that still loomed over Ponyville. Twilight and the others turned down to the smooth-stone path whose sides were lined with perfectly groomed, richly leaved trees. “Next in line, please,” a guard announced, letting a group of stallions with briefcases enter the crimson gates. The two guards stood by, watching the three come closer. They wore gilded armor with galea helmets covering their manes. The gray unicorn stepped forward as Twilight approached with her identification card hovering near her head. With a sparkle of recognition, the stoic guard broke out into a smile. “Twilight! Ahem..., Miss Sparkle. You’re back so soon from Ponyville?” “I came with urgent business under Princess Celestia’s permissions. I have studying I have to conduct in the royal archives, and my two friends here are helping me.” She placed the card away in her bag and looked over at Rarity and Applejack. “The archives, huh? You must be moving up in the world!” the unicorn joked as the white pegasus still next to the door rolled his eyes. “The princess is entertaining guests from Trottingham, so she won’t be able to seen for the next few days. They’re dealing with a very important matter, and has asked that no pony disturb her.” “Sounds urgent.” “Another guard should be waiting for you when you get inside to escort to you to the archives. Good luck, Twilight.” “Thank you, sirs,” Twilight said, motioning her to go through the towering, wooden doors. The interior still held the class and elegance that it had during the gala; the walls were painted a pastel purple with golden trimmings, thick red carpet draped across the floor with a large symbol of the sun in the middle of the crossroad. The stairs in front of Twilight was graced with stained-glass windows of the day and night cycles which cast their colored light on the black and white checkered floor. Applejack and Rarity were too busy during the night of the gala to truly look at the castle, but they were taking their opportunity now. Although they had just seen ponies walk into the castle, the main hall was completely empty save themselves. A royal guard came out from under large archway and called out to the girls, “Are you Twilight Sparkle?” Twilight looked over, eying the unicorn guard, “Yes, I am.” “The princess told me of your arrival and sent me to escort you to the archives. The princess is busy with other matters so a casual visit will not be possible.” He motioned them over and trotted down a long hallway opposite of the throne room. The three made their way to the guard, traveling to a section of the castle none of them had ever been. It seemed to go on forever; neither of the three ponies said a word as the guard continued on his route. Twilight bit her lower lip, anxiously waiting for them to arrive at the end of the hall. After a few more minutes of trotting, the guard stopped in front of an archway on the side of the hallway. Twilight gained speed to see what the guard was doing. He looked over at the three mares, opened the stained wooden doors and waited for them to arrive. “The archives are down this staircase. It’s a long way down, so please watch your step.” Twilight caught up and stared into the doorway, “Uh, did you say it’s... down?” The hallway sloped down at what looked like the angle of the cliff face for a few hundred feet under the city. At the end of the hallway she saw the stairs curve clockwise down into the mountain. She couldn’t fathom how far down the staircase might go down into the rock, but she would soon find out. She looked back at the guard who simply stared back at her with his continued stoic pose. After taking a deep breath she motioned her friends over started her way down the hallway. When they finally made their pace, she heard the door close behind them, causing her to turn her head back. She closed her eyes, took another deep breath and continued. Step by step, they descended into the mountain, traveling down countless flights of red-carpeted stairs. Each flight was separated with a small track of flat land to make sure one didn’t fall down several thousand stairs without pause. Twilight panted. It was the most physical exercise that she had had in a long time, and the emotional stress of her three friends’ situation didn’t help her in the least. She opened up her water and took a large gulp. Rarity was fairing as well as Twilight, while Applejack kept a swift pace with no sign of exhaustion. “How are you girls holding up?” Twilight asked, closing her water bottle and storing it. “I’m fine. Nothin’ these legs can’t handle,” Applejack stated. “I’m a little tired and sweaty,” Rarity said with a disgusted tone. “Do you have any idea how much further we have to go? Not only that, but I don’t want to know what it’s going to be like to have to go all the way back up.” Twilight hadn’t thought about the trip back up, but she was too eager to see what was in the archives to care. The more she thought about it, the less she noticed the painted walls being replaced with stone and the red carpet’s immediate, torn stop. The lights still shone like the ones near the top, but it began to appear ominous. The stairwell wasn’t finished. After what felt like hours, Twilight saw two large wooden doors ahead of her. They towered over them, being at least twelve feet high. She could feel her hooves shake in anticipation. “This is it.” “Hopefully it isn’t too large,” Rarity said, staring at the behemoth doors. “For all we know we could be down here for days.” “It’s a good thing I brought enough food for y’all.” Applejack replied, comforting Rarity just a little. “Well, here we go.” Twilight said, pushing one of the doors open. It was much heavier than she thought. She tensed every muscle in her body and threw all her weight into opening it. It ground to a halt and was open enough for the three to fit through. “Can someone find a light switch or anything?” she asked as she entered the room. It was a nearly black inside the circular room with torches illuminating the perimeter near the twelve-story high ceiling. Bookshelves lined the outside walls with a maze of them leading to the center of the room on the floor. Twilight couldn’t make out what the floor was made from, but she felt it was stone. Rarity was right, she thought, she could easily be lost in the massive cylindrical library. “What do you reckon we do, Twi?” Applejack asked, still trying to make out the size of the room. “Well we could split up and cover more ground, or stay together,” Twilight started. “I’m sure if one of us finds something we can yell loud enough for each other to hear.” “Sounds fine by me,” Rarity said as she headed off to the left. “If I find anything I’ll make sure to say something right away. It is ‘Grizwald’ that we’re looking for, correct?” “Yeah,” Twilight confirmed then looked over to Applejack. “You take the right and I’ll head to the center.” “Can do!” Applejack responded then headed off, leaving Twilight by herself. Twilight took a deep breath and trotted forward into the maze of bookshelves. There were so many books, most without labels or in languages she had never seen. She simply browsed through the mass of book spines, trying to find a book she was able to understand. After thirty bookshelves, she stopped to think about how to tackle this predicament. She was gaining quite a bit of ground, but almost every book was incomprehensible. What did I get myself into? she thought as her enthusiasm dropped after every useless bookshelf. She closed her eyes to think, but was interrupted by a small noise. It sounded like somepony breathing. Twilight’s breath became quicker as she tip-hooved around the shelves to investigate. She poked her head out from a shelf and saw the silhouette of a pony, head down into an open book. There was a mountain of books on the sides of the desk obscuring her view of her culprit. Wait, who could that be? Who else would have access to the archives? she thought, inching closer the pony. The candles on the desk showed the pony to be a unicorn with a blue coat and a dark blue, flowing mane. A dark blue chest-piece covered its chest. She could only see details on the unicorn’s head. With caution she stopped her approach, wondering what to do next. “Excuse me?” Twilight called out, startling the pony out of her sleep. She saw the pony stretch with a silhouette of a wing covering its face for a short second, then folding back in. Twilight swore she was seeing things as the pony looked over to her, its teal eyes staring back at her. “Umm, could you help me find something in here? I’ve never been in the archives before,” she said, nervously laughing a little as she spat it out. The pony sat up and trotted towards Twilight, spreading her wings. Twilight stepped back, intimidated by the sight. She hadn’t seen anything unusual when she saw it the first time; the pony was an alicorn. She could still make out little of the pony as it approached, the light still behind it. It stopped and folded its wings back, its long shadow casting itself on Twilight. “You are the Element of Magic, are you not?” it asked. Twilight swore she had heard the pony’s voice somewhere but couldn’t quite place it. “Um, yes. Yes I am,” Twilight responded, not knowing where the pony was going with this. “How do you know who I am?” “I’m sorry, I seem to always forget to properly introduce myself,” it said, her long azure horn glowing and illuminating the archive. Twilight blocked out the light with her hoof and slowly lowered it to see the alicorn in her full regal majesty. “I am Princess Luna, bringer of the night. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to introduce myself to you in the old castle.” She took a step back in defense. “Please forgive my actions on that night, I wish you no harm.” Her voice had a hint of despair as she retracted from her formal speech. Twilight took a step back, confused, “Hurt you? Why would I—” she stopped to remember what happened the last time they met. “Of course I won’t hurt you, you’re Princess Celestia’s sister. My name is Twilight Sparkle. I’m glad to finally meet you.” “Twilight...” Luna started. “I’ve heard much about you from Celess. She often shows me the letters you send her about your studies. They’re very interesting,” she said, pacing. “She shows you those?” Twilight gasped, her face flush red from embarrassment. “What are you doing down here, don’t you have to raise the moon soon?” Luna turned and closed all her books with her magic. “I always come down here. Ever since it was built I came down when I was awake so I could study. I couldn’t handle the voices I heard when sitting on the throne,” she sighed, continuing to clean. “Voices?” Twilight interrupted, intrigued by Luna’s story. “Yes. When Celess and I sit on the throne we can hear the voices of our subjects in Equestria. The voices I heard... they were never very pleasant.” “Oh,” Twilight muttered, trying not to upset the alicorn. “Since you know your way around the archives, could you help me find a certain spell? It’s very important that I find this right away.” “Do you know who crafted it?” Luna asked, trotting back over to Twilight. “It’s a spell from Arcan Grizwald. Have you heard of him before?” Luna lightly laughed, “I’m very aware of Professor Grizwald’s work. In fact the first offering Celess and I got as rulers was one of his texts. During my reign before I was banished, I tried to use a spell that would make flowers grow in moonlight. What resulted was the destruction of the entire eastern half of the castle.” Twilight couldn’t help but laugh at Luna’s silly tale, “So, even you had deviations occur? I thought only inexperienced magic users had that happen to them.” “Oh no, Grizwald’s spells are the most intricate spells known to ponykind. Even the most powerful unicorn would have problems with his spells,” Luna explained, trotting into the hallway. “Come, I’ll see which of his books I can find.” The two made their way down the path Twilight took to get in. Luna was able to decipher all the texts’ names for Twilight, making her feel a little better about browsing the selection. It was ghastly quiet in the room with only the sound of hooves hitting stone and the flicker of flames could be heard. “Well none of them seem to be here,” Luna said, looking over to Twilight. “They’re probably along the inner wall. Knowing how old they are they shouldn’t be up too high.” As they left the maze, Twilight couldn’t keep herself as her curiosity got the best of her, “So Princess, could I ask you... something personal?” Luna stopped to look over to Twilight, “Yes, what is it?” Twilight noticed her trying to regain her proper tone of voice. “Well,” Twilight started. She had no idea how the princess would react to this question. She took a few deep breaths and continued. “Is... is what the history books say about your fight with Princess Celestia accurate?” Luna looked down ashamed. Twilight took a step back, still wary about how the princess was going to act. “Yes, technically,” she finally said, breaking the tension around the two. “I just want to say that I was never jealous of my sister’s abilities or work, only the constant ill-gotten praise she received. I was angry at the rest of my subjects, and I still am.” Luna started trotting again. Twilight could only watch as the armor-clad alicorn started to ramble. “My sister was always the one who loved to be in the spotlight. She was a ponies’ pony. The Summer Sun Celebration was just her way of going out and seeing Equestria. Every year, I would make my way to my chambers to sleep through the day, and I would hear ponies celebrating that the night was over. I would hear fillies cry at night because they couldn’t play outside since the night was ‘too scary’—” Twilight started to sweat, becoming very uncomfortable around the princess, but her curiosity was peaked. “I never needed any praise for raising the moon. I never wanted that much attention. I know ponies need sleep, but it was their words that slayed me. Every winter solstice I would put my soul and everything I could into the night sky: a bright moon, a multitude of stars, the Milky Way was visible as well as the aurora borealis. I sat at the throne and heard nothing. They only cried about their lament that winter had come and the nights were too cold. They only wanted my sister’s sun. Nothing I did ever made them happy—” The books on the shelves started to rumble, causing Twilight to become more nervous and jumpy. “Even when I was banished they wouldn’t stop. They called me a demon and mocked me from the land I called home. They then had the nerve to completely forget about me and treat me as some monster they would use to scare their children into going to sleep. Even so much as to assume I was merely myth. Every time I would begin to forget about what they did I would hear them them again; their hatred of me still haunted me, even on my own moon—” The ground started shaking. In her emotional whirlwind, Luna’s magic began to spiral out of control. “Why!? I gave up everything for them! Why did they hate me so much!?” "Luna! Stop!" Twilight yelled. The room's shaking came to a halt and the princess lowered her head. The last of the teetering books fell to the ground and filled the room with sound of them landing. The library was sick with the sound of silence. "I-I'm sorry," Luna said, the archives now absent of light. "I've just never talked to anypony about this before. I shouldn't have exploded like that." Twilight got closer, "Do you regret what happened then? I'm so sorry for prying." Luna lifted her head and looked at Twilight with tears streaming down her cheeks, "I only regret getting my sister involved. She shouldn't have had to defend those ungrateful monsters." After gaining her composure, she trotted to the outer wall and lifted twenty books from the shelves to scan. "It's got to be around here somewhere..." she said to herself, trailing off mid-sentence. An uncomfortable air around the princess filled the room, causing Twilight to stay a good distance away. She had no idea that Equestria was like how Luna described a thousand years ago, and she hoped that things were better now. She didn't want to fight Luna again, and Luna would be better prepared. Twilight shook off those thoughts. All that mattered with getting Fluttershy and the rest of her friends back home. With that in mind, Twilight took a look at the books Luna had brought out. "Some of these should be in Equestrian. The blue one is one of Grizwald's.” “Alright, I'll take a look,” Twilight said, feverishly taking control of the book and setting it on the ground. She scanned through the pages as Luna hunted down more copies. Every one of the spells in the text Twilight recognized, it seemed to be a smaller version of the book she had back at her home. She read deeper, hoping to find at least a hint of where the spell could be found, but everything was word-for-word like book she had read already. She closed it and looked up at Luna who had found three other texts. “So, did you find what you needed?” Luna asked. “No, it's just a condensed version of the book I have at home,” Twilight responded. "Hope- fully these other ones have something. “Most of these are older if that helps. I think there's two more around here somewhere." Luna explained, heading off again. Once again, Twilight delved into the texts. There were a few new spells near the end of the books, but most of them were repeats. Even ‘The Completely Complete Essential Spell Book by Professor Arcan S. Grizwald: The Compendium’ held nothing. Twilight yelled out in frustration. Every other spell in the books had a counter-spell. Even ones as complicated as animal/inanimate object gene splicing had a fix, but not the transportation spell. She opened her bag and had a drink of her water. Twilight was exhausted by the hours that seemed to slip by in the archive. Over to her right she saw Luna coming with an old leather-bound book with frayed and loose pages. Applejack and Rarity were following behind her, talking to each other and Luna. “This is it,” Luna called out, setting the book down in front of Twilight. “This is the book that Celess and I received as a gift when Equestria was remade. It is thousands of years old, so please take good care of it.” The book was leather bound and quite thick. There were upholstered letters stitched into the cover that spelled out “Spells of Arcan Grizwald”. The pages inside were parchment with both Equestrian writing and a language Twilight had never seen. Many of the spells were the same, but it was the original copy; those spells were bound to be in it. The book started on page seven which stood out to her, but she didn't pay too much attention to it. Each page had calculations and very specific instructions for pose and technique to perform each spell. The illustrations showed something standing on its hind legs to demonstrate. Twilight had never seen anything like it before, but she continued her hunt unabated. After a few hundred pages of spells, the book suddenly stopped. Nothing. “Are you sure this is all you have? I still can’t find anything,” Twilight said, exasperated. “Really? That’s the book where that spell originally came from.” Luna explained. She started to pace, thinking. “What-” she started, still in thought, “What exactly is the spell you’re looking for?” “...and it was the most disgusting thing I’ve ever—” Twilight heard Rarity say as Luna cut out her conversation. Rarity perked her ears up to hear what was happening between the other unicorns. “It’s a spell that sends one outside of the realm of space and time,” Twilight explained. “A deviation happened and my friends were accidentally sent somewhere and I can’t bring them back,” she started to get choked up, the guilt of that night returning to her. “I need the spell to reverse it.” Luna began pacing. “Oh, that spell. I know that one.” She stopped and lifted the old book and scanned through the pages. She brought her head back with a sneer, “Huh, the preface and back have ripped out.” “What!?” the three exclaimed, staring at each other in disbelief. With a distraught look Luna flipped through the book again. Twilight bit her lower lip anxiously and turned to Rarity and Applejack, “If those pages were ripped out, what are we going to do?” Her chest suddenly became heavy. “How are we supposed to bring them back now?” “I don’t know,” Applejack bluntly stated. “That spell has to be somewhere, a copy of it had to have been made at some point.” Twilight perked up, “That... is possible. The problem is who would have access to that first book and why wouldn’t the copy be in the archives in the first place?” she started to think. “Hey!” Luna called out. “I have an idea about what happened.” The three turned her heads to see the alicorn digging through an old shelf filled with scrolls. “Somepony had to have come here at some point to steal those pages. I come down here every day, so I would’ve noticed something wrong right away.” She opened the scroll revealing a map and glanced over it. Her eyes widened as she scanned it. “Oh, I know,” Luna said with a small tinge of malice in her voice. “Take a look at this,” she motioned the girls closer. “What is it?” Rarity asked as she approached. “Did you find that spell?” “No, but I have a pretty good idea where the thieves who took it are from.” She placed her hoof near the northern sea. “See that country? That’s Ventia. It’s quite the distance away from Equestria, but I have a good feeling about my odds.” She moved her hoof to a small dot a little north of the country name, “This city right here is Mistral City. This is where all of Grizwald’s spells came from.” Twilight was taken back, “Is that why those spells are so hard to do? Is it because they’re not Equestrian?” “If there’s any other reason for it than just being advanced then ‘yes’,” the princess responded. “Now, Mistral City has some strange properties to it. It’s where space and time converge in this world, and that creates a city filled with different time periods and cultures. Unfortunately it’s filled not too friendly characters.” She looked up at the three with a stern look in her eyes. “It’s known as the ‘City of the Damned’.” Luna took the scroll and rolled it up, placing it in front of Twilight. “If the spells are anywhere, they are in that city. I have a feeling on why they either stole or destroyed ours, but that doesn’t matter. A full copy should be there.” With a quick snatch, Twilight took the map and examined it. “So, you think we should leave Equestria?” she asked with a nervous tick. She looked over to the girls who both stared back at her with worry in their eyes. “Is it safe? What’s out there? What happens if they don’t have a copy?” She asked, placing the scroll in her bag. “You should be fine, you have the physical representations of the Elements of Harmony. Those will help you out quite a bit.” “Actually, we don’t have them.” Rarity interrupted. “As much as I adore it, I haven’t touched it in months.” “Same,” Applejack joined in. “I reckoned I didn’t need any fancy necklace on this trip.” “I’m guess you didn’t either?” Luna volleyed over to Twilight who simply shook her head. “Well, I can retrieve them for you; I did help create them after all, in a sense. I don’t know why you wouldn’t carry them around more often, they enhance your special talents in a pinch or high-adrenaline situations.” She stopped. “So, what are you going to do?” The three looked at each other again, trying to read each others facial expressions. Twilight noticed her friends’ nervous looks which just added to her anxiety. After a long pause, Luna finally spoke up, “Here, let me make this easier on you.” Her horn started to glow, enveloping the three in a bright white light. “I’ll send you to the guest rooms so you can sleep on it. If you want to go, I will summon your element charms and give you a note on where to go. If you don’t want to go, the pegasi will bring you back to Ponyville.” The light got brighter as Twilight felt her hooves leave the ground. She scrambled to get them back on the floor. “If you do decide to go the guards will bring you to the northern Equestrian border. You have to make the rest of the trip on hoof.” “Wait, what happens if—” Twilight called out, but she her vision started to blur, startling her. The light became brighter, causing her body to tingle. She looked over to Luna who was simply staring back at her with a thoughtful look on her face. “Good luck,” the alicorn said as the light fully enveloped Twilight. She could feel her consciousness slipping as she felt her whole body lightly compressed. A mere moment later, the white light disappeared revealing a red painted room with three beds and large windows that showed the sun still setting over Equestia. They had landed in the guest room. The three stood in silence, trying to let everything that Luna had described sink in. “So, what do you girls think? Should we go? The spell might not even be there,” Twilight asked, starting to pace nervously. “Do we really have a choice?” Rarity asked, inspecting her new living quarters. “No pony I know of has ever been outside of Equestria so I don’t really know what to expect, but we have to go regardless.” “It can’t be too different from Equestria.” Applejack said reassuringly. “If we do I just need to make sure Big Mac knows I’ll be away for a while longer. Applebuck season’s coming.” After a long pause, Twilight spoke up, “Well, if that city is truly where space and time can converge, Luna may be right. There might be no other place where this spell could be.” She thought aloud. “Who knows what that city will be like, we could walk into a door and find Fluttershy for all we know.” With a sigh she stopped and turned to Applejack. “Alright, I still need to write that letter to Spike, so I’ll mention something in there about the Apple family.” Twilight said, taking a quill, ink and parchment from her bag and set up on the nearest flat surface. She began to write: Dear Spike, Tomorrow, the girls and I are heading to the country of Ventia in search of the spell we need to bring Fluttershy back. I don’t know when I’ll be back, so please continue to watch over Fluttershy’s cottage and the library. If you can, feed Gummy and tell Mr. and Mrs. Cake that Pinkie is gone. It would really help. Applejack needs you to tell her family that she’s gone. Apparently, it’s close to Applebuck Season again, so they need that information right away. Thank you so much for helping at such a short notice. I promise I’ll be back as soon as I can. Twilight With her writing supplies neatly put away, she slid the letter under the door for the mail pony to collect then sat in her bed. She was still anxious about her coming travels, but she agreed with her friends. She had no choice but to leave. Twilight looked over at the other girls who were both sound asleep. The room had become dark as the sun fully set, letting the moon rise over the horizon. She slipped into the thick covers and closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep. Twilight arose with the sun’s rays hitting her square in the face. She rubbed her eyes and looked over to the nightstand; the crown with her six-star purple cutie mark was there with a note. She grabbed the note and read it, noticing instructions on where the chariots would be and when they would depart. Twilight looked over, noticing that Rarity and Applejack were still sound asleep. “Girls, wake up!” Twilight hollered, causing the two to shuffle under their covers. She grabbed the crown from the nightstand, set it in her bag, and opened the set of doors. They were situated at the end of a long hallway that made its way to the main hall, so it wouldn’t take too long to leave. She heard small mutters of the other girls waking up as she went into her bag and grabbed an apple to eat. “Is it mornin’ already?” Applejack asked, groggy from her sleep. “Yes it is. I’m going to get some supplies for our trip, you girls meet me where that map says we need to be.” Twilight stated, heading out the door. “Alright,” Applejack yawned, grabbing her element necklace. Twilight made her way down the hall and out of the castle. The sun had just rose, making the whole town glow in a pale yellow light. In the courtyard she could see a chariot being set up with several pegasus guards getting strapped in for the flight. She made a mental note of the location and trotted along the main street that was near void of ponies. Shops were just setting up for the day as Twilight noticed a small shop was set up on a street corner. It was a market store with fresh fruits, vegetables and grains. Twilight looked over the immense amounts of produce, making sure it was cost effective for their trip. She had no idea what kind of food would be on the outside so she didn’t want to take any chances. After picking up more food than they probably needed, Twilight made her way back to the castle. She saw several dignitaries had already started to bother the guards to enter the castle as she noticed Applejack and Rarity were standing near the chariot, all ready to go. Rarity was already wearing her element proudly. The pegasi were almost finished preparing for the trip as Twilight arrived, setting down the bag of groceries, “This should be enough for a while at least.” “I’m sure if we run out there‘ll be some towns along the road to pick up more.” Applejack said. “That is if they take bits as currency,” Rarity interrupted. “Personally, I wouldn’t want to eat in a potentially disgusting road town, but if we must I’m willing to make an exception. “We’re ready to depart, Miss Sparkle,” one of the guards stated, preparing to head to the skies. After rationing the food between themselves, they headed on the chariot. They made sure they were all securely then and took off at an astounding speed. Applejack looked down and gulped. “I- I’ve never been on a flyin’ chariot before.” Applejack stated nervously. “It’ll be fine,” Twilight assured her. She knew Applejack wasn’t afraid of heights: she’d walked on clouds before. The prospect of leaving Equestria must have been getting to her. “I’ve been on these many times. It’ll be over before you know it.” As they left Canterlot, the three could see a large expanse of forest on the earth, covering most of what they could see. Small specks of pony towns spotted the landscape as mountains threatened the carefully placed clouds. On the horizon they could see a large expanse of plains and rivers as narrow roads snaked their way across the ground. Twilight’s breathing became heavy as the altitude's lower density of oxygen started to get to her. She looked down over the edge of the chariot and saw just how fast they were going. Anything she saw just flashed by her and traveled off into the distance. Before they knew, it the chariot began to slow down. “So, what was that city called that Luna told us about?” she asked, looking over to Twilight. “I think it was Mistral City,” Twilight responded. “What confused me is what she called it. The ‘city of the damned’. I wonder what that’s about.” Rarity winced as the chariot started to descend, “Whatever the reason, I would rather not find out why.” The chariot made its way through the canopy and landed on an earthy forest trail. “We have been instructed to drop you three off here at the northern border. If you would exit off the back we can make our way back to the castle,” one of the guards explained. The three hopped off, Rarity trying to shake a lose clod of dirt off of her hoof. The pegasi flew off back south, leaving the three on their own. The forest was dense, with a little amount of light able to penetrate the canopy. It felt just like the Everfree Forest. Twilight noticed they were close to the exit and trotted down the path to see where it took them. “So, this is it, huh?” Twilight stated as she stared out into the open grasslands and blue sky ahead of her. Apprehensively, the three trotted down the path into the wide expanse, leaving the safety of their home of Equestria and began their hike to Ventia on hoof.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:27:16+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:29+00:00

Fluttershy’s Pokédex began to beep as the clock stuck nine o’clock. Petalburg Gym was lit up to illuminate the path for aspiring trainers and to welcome them to the Pokémon League. Fluttershy didn’t feel like one of them. The sun had set hours ago, giving way to the moon and stars whose light was drowned out by the city’s buzzing lights. As she stood near the building, a group of young ponies opened the doors and entered with a large blue mudskipper with orange body protrusions and two dark blue fins on its head. The pokémon made Alerce look like a small chew toy in comparison, which caused Fluttershy to shudder. “Hey, is it time for your fight yet?” Rainbow Dash asked, excitedly. It had been a few hours since their meal a the ‘Horse du Jour’, and she appeared very antsy for something interesting to happen. “Also, did you see all those ponies staring at me and Pinkie? We must be so cool here!” “Maybe it’s because you aren’t wearing any clothes, remember?” remarked Fluttershy as she glanced at Rainbow’s exposed hide. She shook her head and looked back at the gym. “I’m not going to fight. I didn’t fight that colt near Oldale Town, so why would I fight a league member?” At that moment she felt Alerce rub its head against her hind leg, making her feel a little less anxious. “If you aren’t going to do anything then why are we waiting here? We could be doing so many other things like exploring those woods over there, or we could see what else is in this town,” Pinkie argued. She looked around, surveying her surroundings for anything better to do. “Those memories I have from that girl is telling me I have to go to the gym while I’m here. If I don’t then those headaches will come back.” Fluttershy preemptively rubbed her head, then quickly set her hoof back down. “While I’m here, I’d like things to be as calm as possible.” Tension filled minutes slowly ticked by as the three waited. The night was quiet; the bustle of the small town had halted, leaving only lit windows and illuminated business signs for any of them to take notice of. The forests were pitch black due to the town’s lights which caused Fluttershy to feel cramped and tense. Back in Ponyville, the moon’s light would dance across the ground with help of the stars, allowing all of Equestria to be seen at night. Even the Everfree Forest, which Fluttershy steered clear of, felt more inviting than the oppressive void that the forests had become. A few moments later the group of ponies came out from the gym, ecstatic. The blue unicorn was holding a case with several pins in the air with his mouth, hollering and jumping around with excitement. Fluttershy watched as they entered a building with a light red roof to celebrate. She took a deep breath and checked the time on her Pokédex. 9:27 pm. After closing the device, she set it back in her bag and headed towards the door in silence with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie following in suit. She took one last deep breath, then entered the gym. The inside of the gym felt much more massive than the outside had implied. It was built like a fighting dojo: punching bags were attached to the ceiling with chains, mats covered the hardwood floor with two distinct sides separating it. A Poké Ball design was placed in the center of the gym floor; it seemed to be the theme in the town. Red bleachers covered the perimeter with several ponies in the crowd with signs, bright white florescent lights hung from the ceilings. It was a little much Fluttershy thought. “Wow, this place is huge!” Pinkie Pie said excitedly. “Welcome to Petalburg Gym!” a voice bellowed from the other side of the gym. A light brown stallion with a short black mane approached the three with a smile on his face. “Congratulations on getting—” He paused and quickly galloped over to Fluttershy. “May, you’re my 9:30 challenger? The computer must’ve screwed something up. Your name came up as a weird mess of characters. I’m surprised they let you come here so early.” He hugged her, making her shrink back. “How was the move?” “Um, my name isn’t—” Fluttershy started and was halted by a short twinge of pain. After squeezing her eyes shut, she opened them and squeaked, “It was... fine,” she paused. “Dad.” “Uh, Fluttershy? What are you talking about—” “So, who are your two,” the stallion asked, cutting Rainbow Dash short. He looked at them with a puzzled look. “Your two... naked friends?” Fluttershy quickly regained her composure. She felt the confidence of the girl her memories were from coming through as she talked to the stallion. “This is Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie.” She pointed to both of them, then looked down at Alerce. “...and this is Alerce, my, uh, turtwig?” Her face went flush. She couldn’t stand not knowing what an animal was called and she had no way of remembering if she was wrong, and the stress was making it hard for her to remember. “Haha, that is a turtwig, I assure you. I’m surprised Birch gave you a pokémon all the way from Sinnoh,” he said, trotting back to the to the opposite side of the arena. “Um, actually he was a treecko first—” “Alright, let’s see what your turtwig can do.” The stallion said, facing them with a Poké Ball at the ground. “My name is Norman, the fifth gym leader of Hoenn’s Pokémon League. I humbly accept your challenge.” Fluttershy’s eyes widened, “F-f-f-fifth?” she began to shake. “I-I won’t fight you—” she tried to say as her vision became white and she felt a wave of dizziness rush over her. She wobbled back and forth before collapsing. She heard a faint voice to her left reverberating through her head. “Hey dad!” Fluttershy quickly opened her eyes and turned her head. The girl from the day before was standing right next to her. She could see her in much better detail than before, but her body was still wispy and translucent. Her face was like that of a monkey’s, but it was sleek with a pointer chain and smaller nose. Her hair was only on the top of her head flowing down like a mane. The spirit’s eyes were much smaller on her head proportion wise than Fluttershy and she was a little taller than her as well. Fluttershy looked around frantically for something familiar, but Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were gone. The bleachers were empty as well. “May, I didn’t expect to see you here,” the strange looking Norman said, hugging May. He was wearing a red jacket and black pants like he had outside the vision. He towered over Fluttershy, making her a little anxious. “How was the move? Did you get your pokémon yet?” “Yeah!” she said excitedly as she grabbed a Poké Ball from her belt and released a treecko. “I got him from Professor Birch for saving him from a Zigzagoon.” Fluttershy couldn’t believe what she was seeing. May still had her Treecko in tact. Why Alerce changed into a Turtwig that morning was all she could think about as this transpired. Norman bent down and patted the treecko on the head, “He looks like a strong one. Maybe we can battle some day when you get stronger.” He looked up at May and placed his hands on her shoulders. “We have a legacy to uphold, May. Do the best you can and have fun. I’ll be rooting for you.” “Thanks dad,” May responded with a smile before sending the treecko back into the Poké Ball. She turned away and headed towards the doors. “Wait, there’s a boy outside. It’s Wally, I think. Could you show him how to catch a pokémon? It would really make the kid’s day.” “Uh, sure.” May responded as she closed the doors behind her. “Good luck!” Norman yelled as Fluttershy’s vision went white again. She shivered, trying to make sense of the scene. Before Fluttershy knew it, her vision was perfectly clear again. She was head down into her hooves and the arena was completely silent. Embarrassed, she slowly lifted her head, seeing all the ponies in the gym staring at her with concern contorting their expressions. She got up to her four hooves and quickly uttered an apology. “Are you alright Fluttershy? You had us worried for a bit there,” Rainbow Dash asked, but got no response. Fluttershy could only think about the vision and how everything in this situation felt wrong. Norman was waiting with a white feral monkey with a red tuft of hair on its forehead out on the field. She couldn’t help but notice its large black claws as well. After a deep breath, Fluttershy called out, “I won’t fight you—” a sharp pain coursed through her head, causing her to double over. She took some quick breaths and let the pain subside. Why is the pain coming back? I’m not supposed to fight him, she thought, trying to deny Norman again. After feeling another shot of pain coming on she decided enough was enough. “Alright, I’ll fight you.” She heard the crowd roar. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Pinkie asked. It was the first time Fluttershy had seen Pinkie upset since her surprise birthday fiasco, but she had no other choice. “I-I’m fine,” she stated coldly. “Alerce, please be careful” The small turtle make his way onto the field and looked back with a smile on his face. The crowed roared and streamers flew as air horns were let off. “Let the next chapter of our legacy begin, May,” Norman announced, pointing out to the monkey. “Vigoroth, use Focus Punch!” At that moment Vigoroth’s right fist stated to glow white. Fluttershy could see the raw fire in its eyes. Panicking, she dug through her bag and whipped out her Pokédex. She opened it up, hoping it could give her some answers. It beeped as it was opened and the screen began to glow. It showed a screen with an image of Alerce with a list of attacks he had skill enough to perform. One attack stuck out to her. It was the only one she was willing to do. “Alerce, use Withdraw!” Fluttershy commanded, hoping it was enough to ward off whatever that beast was going to do. Alerce nodded and shielded himself. Not a moment later, the Vigoroth sprang forward, arching its arm back and slammed its fist into Alerce and the ground, sending him flying and tumbling across the room. It stood there arched over with look of malice as it clenched its teeth. Bound after bound, Alerce slammed into the ground, Fluttershy’s heart missing a beat with every crunch she heard. Her lower lip began quivering as Alerce finally stopped sliding across the ground. He wasn’t moving. “A-Alerce?” Fluttershy squeaked, rushing towards the Turtwig. Her throat began to close and tears welled up in her eyes. She tried to say something else as she examined Alerce’s mangled body, but nothing came out. “Turtwig is unable to battle!” a pony in a black and white striped shirt announced. Fluttershy’s body trembled and small audible sobs were drowned out by the exuberant cheering of the crowd. She nudged Alerce with her hoof, trying desperately to find out the damage he took. There were multiple bruises on his head and legs with several scrapes as well. There was a faint smile on his face, but Fluttershy couldn’t keep her composure any longer. “F-Fluttershy?” Rainbow Dash asked, placing her hoof on Fluttershy’s back. “I... I...” Fluttershy squeaked as she picked up Alerce. “I’m sorry!” she cried out as he bolted out the door with tears streaming down her face. “Fluttershy, wait!” Pinkie Pie yelled out galloping out of the gym with her. “What did you do!?” Fluttershy heard Rainbow yell out at Norman, but that’s all she could hear before she powered her way through the town and into the forest. After landing on a small dew covered patch of grass she let down Alerce and quickly went through her bag. Inside was a few rolls of cloth bandages and patches laced with herbal antiseptics. She started to tape Alerce’s wounds, trying her hardest to see through the veil of tears in her eyes. After all the wounds were wrapped, she bowed her head, letting all the emotions she had bottled up rush to her at once. “Fluttershy, are you alright? You left so quickly... I didn’t see what happened,” Pinkie asked, trying to comfort her. “I-I don’t think I can save him,” Fluttershy sobbed, looking up at Pinkie. “What do you mean?” the worry in Pinkie’s voice only made Fluttershy more ashamed. “Turtles are fragile creatures and with the impact of that punch, there’s probably internal bleeding, and I can’t—” Fluttershy felt her heart break in two. “He... He’s going to die just because I didn’t want another headache,” she let her head sink into her hooves and cried. “T-they even cheered...” “It’ll be alright,” Pinkie stated, trying to comfort her bawling friend. “It’s not your fault they made you fight the fifth guy.” All Pinkie could do was watch Fluttershy wail in the grass. There was nothing she could do for her. She trotted around Fluttershy and looked at Alerce. His eyes were open, and was trying to move. He shook his head, looking as if he was just trying to shake it off. “Are you alright Alerce, that looked like that hurt,” Pinkie said to the turtwig. He turned to her and slightly smiled, still obviously in pain. “You don’t look like your dying, but I’ve never seen anyone die so I wouldn’t know. Hey Fluttershy, do dying animals normally walk around like this?” Fluttershy’s head snapped up at Pinkie’s inquiry. She took her hoof and wiped the tears from her eyes and saw Alerce struggling to move around, but he was moving nonetheless. “W-what? How is he...?” she sniffed, moving closer to see him better. She couldn’t understand it. In all the years she had been a veterinarian she had never seen an animal make such a miraculous recovery with no medicine so quickly. “Hey, there you two are,” Rainbow Dash called out as she flew towards the two. “What happened, are you alright?” “I’m fine, and so is Alerce amazingly,” Fluttershy responded, picking up Alerce. “I have no idea how he survived that hit, but he seems to be making a good recovery.” “That’s what I figured after talking to that Norman guy. He was saying something about how, uh, ‘polka-men’ are resilient, so Alerce was easily able to take a hit like that. He was wondering why you left in such a hurry.” “Wait, when did you talk to Norman?” Fluttershy asked, confused. “After I was done yelling at him. He told me a lot actually. He also gave me this chip to put into your computer thing,” Rainbow took a small chip out from her hair and brought it down to Fluttershy who started to dig through her bag. “What does it do?” Fluttershy asked as she opened the Pokédex up. “It registers me for the league!” Fluttershy’s eyes widened at Rainbow’s explanation. She dropped the Pokédex as her mouth went agape. “What!?” Fluttershy snapped. “After what you just saw in there? How could you want to do this?” She was shaking from the confrontation, but she had to say something. “I had to do it after seeing what these ‘polka-men’—” “Pokémon.” “Right. Anyway I had to sign up after seeing what those things could do. I’ve never seen anything create a crater in the ground after one punch. We need a way to defend ourselves, and those things are what we need.” “So you want to exploit them? I thought better of you Rainbow Dash.” Rainbow groaned, “No. Norman told me everything about the league. And, since he isn’t so confused with weird memories, I trust that he knows what he’s talking about.” Fluttershy sat down, somehow knowing it was going to be a long explanation. “Okay, so these Pokémon are born to fight. They’re really easy to train so ponies can easily make them really strong really quickly.” “Okay,” Fluttershy said, almost knowing that was the case. Her memories, she found, were becoming more and more useful. Surprisingly, Pinkie was quiet as Rainbow spoke. “So because they’re so easy to train and with the strange powers they have, they’re basically animal weapons in the wrong hooves.” “Weapons? That’s a little much.” Pinkie interrupted. “Whatever, just listen,” Rainbow snapped in frustration. “So the league here was set up to train ponies to protect themselves using these pokémon since we can’t do any magic ourselves. They don’t fight for sport, they fight for self-defense. Well at least that’s what Norman told me.” Alerce leaped from Fluttershy’s hooves and started to walk around. It had been night for longer than they had thought with the air was now cold with the moon now comfortably situated in the sky. The lights in the buildings had all but gone out with the street lights making the town feel lifeless. “So, what do we do about a place to sleep for the night?” Rainbow asked, trying to change the subject. “Norman told me that there’s this thing called a ‘Pokémon Center’ that houses trainers for free for the night. We could try that.” “That sounds like a great idea!” Pinkie said, springing up to her hooves. “Is that center the only building over there with its lights on?” she pointed to a building that a light blue glow coming from the windows and a white Poké Ball symbol lit up on the roof. “Well, what are we still doing here? Let’s check it out,” Rainbow flew off, leaving a rainbow streak behind her. Pinkie hopped along to follow as Fluttershy picked up her medical supplies. She picked up Alerce with her head hung low and made her way to the building to catch up to the other two. “May?” Norman called out from in front of the gym. Fluttershy turned her head and watched him gallop towards her as Alerce made purchase on Fluttershy’s bandanna. “Are you okay? I never thought that you’d run out of the gym like that...” Fluttershy stopped to meet the stallion, slightly flinching as Norman embraced her. “I... I was just under a lot of stress, that’s all.” “That’s good. I’m glad you came out of it okay.” Norman released Fluttershy and patted her lightly on the head. “I thought I had missed something by coming here early.” He looked over to Rainbow and Pinkie as they watched from the distance. “I’m sorry that I worried you,” Fluttershy said before taking a step back towards her friends. “This is just so new to me...” “It’s okay. You’ll come into your own sooner than you think.” Norman smiled as he looked back towards the gym. Before Fluttershy could move away, the stallion turned back with a beaming face. “You did well tonight, May. How the league brought you to me first I’ll never understand, but I’ve never seen you more compassionate for a pokémon than I saw tonight. I don’t know if it was your new friends that brought about this change, but I’m so glad to see you before you fully embark on your journey.” I was more compassionate than May...? What kind of girl is she? “Good luck, and make sure to keep in touch with me and your mother. We’ll want to hear all about it.” Norman gave Fluttershy one last tight hug before turning back to the gym. “The first gym you should go to is the one in Rustboro City. She uses ground and rock types, so your turtwig should be great against her. If you have any more trouble with your gym order, I’ll make sure to sort it out.” He turned to face Fluttershy one last time. “Make us proud, May. Let our legacy continue.” “T-thanks,” Fluttershy squeaked as she watched Norman head back inside of the gym as the next opponent made her entrance. She sighed with relief then turned around to catch up with Rainbow and Pinkie as they stood near the entrance of the Pokémon Center. Without saying a word, the three entered the bustling building. The inside was filled to the brim with cots and mats for ponies to sleep on. There was a direct path to a pink mare with a white doctor’s coat behind a counter. Fluttershy daintily made her way past the mob of ponies, looking at all the medical equipment behind the counter. “Welcome to the Pokémon Center! How can I help you tonight?” the mare asked, bowing her head slightly. “Um, do you have any more room for the night? I mean with the amount of ponies here...” “Of course, but we only have room left downstairs,” the mare explained. “Okay. We’ll head down then I guess,” Fluttershy stated as she daintily trotted towards the stairs. “Fluttershy, what about Alerce?” Pinkie asked, stopping Fluttershy in her tracks. “Shouldn’t you keep him here for the night?” “Oh, you have an injured pokémon? We’ll be able to take care of him tonight to make sure he’s ready for wherever you’re headed tomorrow,” the nurse said with a warm smile. “A-alright,” Fluttershy said meekly as she trotted back over to the desk, letting Alerce hop down onto the counter. “Are you sure it’s alright if I kept him here?” she squeaked in a panic. “Don’t worry, Pokémon Centers are here to heal pokémon when they’re injured in battles. He’ll be all better by the time you wake up in the morning.” The mare slightly chuckled. “It looks like you tried your hoof in healing him yourself. You have a good eye for patient care it seems.” Fluttershy wasn’t used to getting compliments about her veterinary skills, but she liked it quite a bit. The mare took Alerce and placed him and a bed, letting a pink blob creature with stubby arms and a nurse hat wheel him off to the care center in the back. “Thank you,” Fluttershy said before she turned back and trotted down the stairs. The basement was just as full of ponies as the main lobby, most of them already asleep. It was as lit up in bright fluorescent lights as the lobby had been, making Fluttershy wish that they would’ve slept under the stars like she did the night before. There was a small empty section on the floor, enough for the three to tightly fit in. Luckily, only one pony could be heard snoring. “So, you have any sleeping gear in that bag?” Rainbow asked. “I didn’t pack any since I was going to sleep on a cloud on my search. That isn’t really an option here, is it?” “Uh, I might. I haven’t really had a chance to completely go through this yet.” Fluttershy dumped out the contents of the bag to find anything the three could sleep on. All she could find was one small rolled up sleeping mat. She sighed and unrolled it. “I shouldn’t have fought Norman today.” “Are you still going on about that? Alerce is fine. You didn’t do anything wrong,” Rainbow started. “No, I mean a really shouldn’t have fought him. When he challenged me to that fight and I refused, I got some kind of memory vision,” she began as she cleaned up the jumbled supplies. “The girl just talked to him and left to show some kid how to catch a pokémon. Something weird is happening.” “Huh, that’s strange,” Pinkie said. “Did anything else weird happen today?” “I already told you about—” Fluttershy paused as she thought about the vision. “So the girl in the vision had a treecko, the pokémon I got from the professor back in that town I ended up in. Like I told you before, Alerce had turned into a turtwig when I was asleep yesterday.” “Oh, right! Did you see anything strange then? Like... a unicorn, or a wizard?” Pinkie asked as Rainbow groaned and slapped her hoof against her forehead. “No, nothing like that. I remember my dream was just a normal dream, but something jolted me awake. That’s when I checked on Alerce and he had turned into a turtwig,” Fluttershy paused and glanced at both her friends. “You said that you came early this morning, right?” “Yeah,” Rainbow said, then quickly snapped back. “Wait, are you saying we did this?” “I-I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.” Fluttershy said, shrinking back. Rainbow trotted to the small mattress and laid herself down, trying to make room for the other two. “Let’s just get some sleep,” she muttered as she closed her eyes and turned to her side. Fluttershy snuggled into the middle as Pinkie flopped down on the other side. She closed her eyes and saw nothing but red on her eye lids, making it hard to get to sleep, but it didn’t matter to her. She was just happy to have two of her friends help her in this strange world. The sounds of many voices woke Fluttershy up. She stretched out and shook to get the tension out of her joints, but something felt off. She couldn’t feel Rainbow or Pinkie on either side of her. She opened her eyes and took a look around, noticing they were both gone. Her bag appeared to be rummaged through as well. Without thinking, she rolled up the mat, grabbed her bag, then galloped up the stairs. When she reached the top, she saw bunch of ponies standing in line. She wasn’t sure what was happening, but a flurry of senses hit her: the smells of fresh baked goods, specialty fruits, and spices filled the air and pierced her nostrils. She licked her lips; with all the turmoil and thoughts she hadn’t paid attention to how hungry she was. The line was relatively small with most of the ponies already gone with their taken share. She trotted over and waited, cocking her head to the side every once and a while to see what she could get. “Hey Fluttershy!” Rainbow Dash called out, taking Fluttershy out of her hunger filled trance. Rainbow was standing just past the Pokémon Center doors with a brown jacket with a white fluffy collar on which covered a white shirt along with black pants that covered her flank. “Wait, did you go clothes shopping? Where did you get the money for it?” Fluttershy asked, still trying to take in the sight of her friend with clothes on that wasn’t made by Rarity. “Pinkie and I woke up before you so we could get some clothes. We kinda took some money out of your bag. We needed to get something.” Fluttershy sighed, moving ever closer to the massive amount of food waiting on the table. “Where’s Pinkie? I thought you said she went with you.” “I’m right here!” Pinkie shouted, springing out from behind Rainbow Dash. She had a light blue shirt with jean overalls on. “I couldn’t find anything that looked very fun, so I got something different. Looks good, huh?” Fluttershy couldn’t help but snicker. In all her time with her friends, she had never seen them look so ridiculous. She covered her mouth with her hoof, trying to disguise the laughter. “I-I’m sorry, it’s just...” Tears formed in her eyes as her laughter grew. A few seconds later she sniffed and wiped the tears from her eyes. “They look fine.” “Well at least today’s starting off better than yesterday,” Rainbow said, glancing over at Pinkie. “We should probably find some pokémon to catch. We can’t be out here forever with just Alerce.” Rainbow dug through the pockets of the jacket, taking out several miniature Poké Balls. “I picked up some of these as well. Thought we might need them.” “Alright,” Fluttershy said as she made her way to the start of the food filled table. She grabbed a plate took a small amount that filled her plate and sat down to eat. Pinkie and Rainbow trotted over and sat down beside her. “So, what’s the plan? Are we going to go off of your weird, messed up memories?” Rainbow asked. “I can’t really think of anything else to do. Twilight hasn’t tried to talk to me lately so I don’t know how long it’ll take them to find that spell,” Fluttershy said, digging away at her food. “I’ll get Alerce after this, then we should probably head west since that’s the only other way out of town.” Pinkie and Rainbow nodded in agreement. “I think no matter what we find, we’ll come out of it okay,” Rainbow stated with confidence. “If we ever get into trouble, we can always use this to help us out.” Rainbow dug through one of the saddlebags and lifted out a small vial of liquid. It was mostly clear, but a wisp of teal viscous liquid swirled and contorted at the slightest movement. Fluttershy leaned in closer to get a better look before reeling back in shock. “I-is that... armis!? How did you get that? I don’t know of any other pony that has access to that type of medicine!” “I got it from your medicine cabnet before I left to go find you just in case anything happened to me or you. You said it was a really potent medicine, right?” “Yes, but I never expected anyone to use it but me.” Fluttershy sighed and took another fork full of food and ate it. “I didn’t expect you to pay that much attention to what I was saying when you were over.” “What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t?” Rainbow asked before Fluttershy’s face flushed in a bright red hue. “Don’t worry about it.” Rainbow placed the vial carefully back into her saddlebag and waited patiently for Fluttershy to finish her breakfast. “Thanks, Rainbow,” Fluttershy said with a smile as she finished her plate. “Thank you so much you two for coming to help me. It... really means a lot.” “Don’t mention it, Fluttershy!” Pinkie exclaimed. “Besides all of those weird things, it’s been fun so far! And the ponies are friendly as well!” With her plate cleared, Fluttershy scooted around the other sitting ponies and reached the front desk. It had been Fluttershy’s first night in this world without a pokémon, and she was anxious to see Alerce again. “E-Excuse me, my turtwig was being taken care of last night. Could I get him back please? Also... what do I owe for breakfast and lodging? It’s my first time in a Pokémon Center, and—” The mare turned to her, setting down her paper work. “The breakfast is complimentary,” the mare laughed. “What was your turtwig’s name?” “Alerce.” “Let me go check.” With that, the mare went off into the back. The three waited in silence, both Pinkie and Rainbow nipping at their new clothes. A moment later Fluttershy saw Alerce on the a cart the mare was pushing, fresh and new. She took him off and placed him on the counter, letting him climb onto Fluttershy’s bandanna. “There you go, good as new.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said, making her way out of the Pokémon Center with Rainbow and Pinkie following behind. “He really is resilient,” she remarked. The sun was already half-way up in the sky with a small haze of clouds making their way from the west. The humidity from the other day had returned, making Rainbow and Pinkie squirm a little in their new clothes. “Bleh, this is going to be disgusting later, isn’t it?” Rainbow asked, finally fitting her wing out from under her clothes. “I can already feel sweat soaking through my pants.” With that, Pinkie Pie suddenly burst out in laughter. Looking towards the path out Fluttershy knew that’s where they had to go next: against the sweltering western wind. “Alright, let’s see what pokémon we can find. There has to be some cool ones over there,” Rainbow said in a hopeful voice as they trotted towards the western forest.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:27:36+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:37+00:00

The plains stretched as far as Twilight could see. Semblances of small settlements were peppered in the distance, but nothing too remarkable in the barren openness. The three had traveled for hours in tall grass with the sun beating down on them, refusing to let up. A small breeze blew through the array of grasses, creating a calm whistling sound that put the ponies at ease, at least just a little. Twilight took a swig of her water and placed it back in her bag as she licked her lips. The map they were given by the princess wasn’t as much help as they had hoped: some of the ink markings were smudged, and the path towards Ventia was nowhere to be seen. She only hoped they were headed in the right direction. “How long have we been walking? There hasn’t been a sign or road at all; I’m wondering if we’re even headed the right way,” Rarity asked, slightly panting. She took one of the apples from her bag and bit into it. “There has to be a path around here somewhere. Delivery ponies head to that there Ventia country, right?” Applejack asked, looking back at the two unicorns. “Luna must’ve put us in that forest if it was close to the path.” “I’ve talked with some of the mail ponies before. Most of them just do local stops. I haven’t heard any talk about heading to another country before,” Twilight explained. “They’re probably just being modest. As much as I would love for people to know about my boutique’s success, it’s impolite to boast in casual conversation.” Twilight stopped, causing Rarity and Applejack to follow suit. “It’s just strange. I’ve never heard of this country, or any other ones on this map. I haven’t even read about them. It wasn’t until the princess explained it until I knew of what was outside of Equestria, if there was anything at all,” Twilight said. A bead of sweat passed between Twilight’s eyes. She let it run down, then plopped down in the grass. “I’m getting tired. If we can’t find anything soon, what should we do? We’ve been following the sun’s movement correctly... I don’t understand why we haven’t found the road yet.” Without a second thought, the other two sat down and started to rummage through their provisions. Rarity set up a small cloth on the ground for a makeshift picnic, trying to lighten the mood. Twilight took out two pieces of flat bread and some red apples and promptly placed them on the mat. Before Twilight could even blink, Rarity cut up the food with several quick slashes of a knife and split it amongst the three. Applejack dug in as soon as she could while Twilight wiped the sweat off her brow. The heat from the sun was much more unbareable when she wasn’t moving. Except for short expeditions, Twilight never went on excursions, and it showed. She took a small bite of an apple slice and tried to savour it as much as she could. Without a proper destination, Twilight wanted to make sure they had enough rations to make an emergency trip back to Ponyville if need be. Suddenly, the three ponies sprang to their feet as the aftershock of an explosion rushed past them. A cloud of smoke rose in the distance, towering above the plains. This was their chance to finally see another living creature from outside Equestria. Through an unspoken plan they quickly gathered their belongings and broke out into a full gallop towards the towering fume. The grass whipped at Twilight’s face, but she gritted her teeth and barreled through, still too tired to form a path with her magic. “I think I can see somethin’!” Applejack yelled back. The grass ahead of them thinned out enough that they could see patches of shorter grass ahead. Applejack quickened her pace, plowing her way through the last thicket and made her way to the other side. Twilight turned her head to the side to prevent long grass from whipping against her face as she ran. After losing sight of the earth pony ahead of her, she bowed her head to make the final push. Just as she got up to speed, she felt no tall grass in her way, leaving only shorter grass ahead. She opened her eyes and skidded to a stop, seeing Applejack waiting. The area was a lower prairie with cut down grass covering a large expanse, showcasing an array of small towns and mountains in the distance. The sound of debris crashing caught Twilight’s attention. There was a small wagon engulfed in flames as two ponies lay on the ground, covered in burns and bruises. Twilight bolted ahead with Applejack as Rarity made her way out from the grass patch. Adrenaline flowed through Twilight like she had never felt before: the rush of fear and anticipation was exciting, though worrisome. One stallion lay trapped under a broken off piece of wood, while the other was thrown from the driver’s seat lying on his side. Twilight stood over the stallion in the grass, inspecting his wounds and trying to calculate the force of impact. How an explosion could occur in a wooden cart was beyond her, but her interest was piqued. A few broken ribs, severe burns to the back and several scrapes... Twilight thought as she continued her inspection. She bent down to hear for breathing; luckily he was, but it was shallow and empty. Twilight breathed a short sigh of relief and resumed her investigation. Nothing seemed too out of the ordinary, until she reached the pony’s flank: he didn’t have a cutie mark. “Twi’, over here! I found somethin’ interesting!” Applejack yelled, motioning Twilight to head over. Still confused by her patient’s lack of cutie mark, she trotted over, wary of the still smoldering flames. Rarity had reached Applejack before Twilight and peered inside, Twilight noticing a strange look on both of their faces. She was just hoping it wasn’t anything too tragic. “Take a look at this.” Applejack pointed her hoof to a small hole which lead to the inside of the wagon. “Did you make sure that pony was alright?” Twilight asked in a worried tone. “Yeah, I checked, and he’s still breathin’. I need your knowledge on what this thing is supposed to be,” Applejack responded. Twilight took a look, making sure to not get too close to the flames. Inside was a pile of wood from the outside of the wagon, but there was something hidden underneath. A mass of twisted steel and cables lay with a black liquid burning on top of it. Twilight took a step back, trying to make sense of what she saw. Upon closer inspection, she saw remnants of pistons and gears with other varying scraps that must’ve made up the exterior. “So, what do ya make of it, Twi’?” Applejack prodded. “It looks like machinery of some sort. Maybe it powered the wagon?” Twilight speculated, looking in once more to make out any more details. “Well alright then. What should we do? We can’t just leave ‘em here,” Applejack stated. “We have to get them some help, but we don’t have enough medical supplies.” Twilight hung her head, looking back and the bare flanked pony. “Agreed, but if they could tell us where we could find some more we could gladly spare some of our own,” Rarity suggested. “Now if we could just wake one of them up we could get on our way.” Twilight made her way back to the injured pony as Rarity helped Applejack lift the plank from the other victim. As Twilight approached she noticed the pony moving around, at least squirming. She rushed over and sat down beside him, waiting for a response. He opened his eyes and looked at Twilight as he began wincing in pain. “What... What happened?” he asked weakly. “You were caught in an explosion a few minutes ago. Could you tell me what happened?” The stallion struggled to gain his footing, stumbling over himself on the way up. He clutched his chest as he stood. “Ugh, I remember drivin’ and hearin’ some clankin’ in the engine.” He labored as he set his hoof back down to stabilize himself. “Somethin’ must’ve got stuck there and caused the engine to blow.” Twilight lent herself as a crutch and helped the pony towards the wreckage where the other pony was now out of the rubble and was being treated. “Do you know where a town with supplies to sell is? My friends and I are a little lost.” The pony sighed in pain, “There’s one not too far down the road to the north. It’s small, but it might be what you’re looking for.” “Thanks,” Twilight responded as she stared as his body. “Where’s your cutie mark? Did you not get one? I’m sorry for prying.” “Cutie mark? Never heard of that before,” the pony said before taking his forehoof off of Twilight and hobbled his way to his friend. “Thanks for your help. We can handle it from here.” The stallion lifted his friend to get him up, talking to him in a low voice. “Are you sure?” Twilight asked, trying her best to help. “Yeah, we’ll be fine.” He sat down near his friend and began to console him. Applejack and Rarity stepped off and trotted over to Twilight, leaving the two battered ponies to their wreckage. “I really don’t want to leave them here, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.” Applejack stated morosely. “Did he tell you where we could find a place to stay?” Rarity interrupted. “Yeah, he said there was a small town down the road,” Twilight said. Even with the wreckage she was happy to finally see a road that led somewhere. She thought maybe the old map that Luna gave them would finally become useful. As they left the burning wreckage behind, the whole world seemed to open up to them. There were more ponies with wagons with merchandise and supplies traveling along the main road, none of them giving the three Equestrians a nod or paid any attention to them. They simply went along quietly and Twilight didn’t mind. Just the view of the rolling plains and mountains in the distance was enough to make her satisfied, at least for a little while. As they walked, Twilight couldn’t help but obsess over that one pony’s lack of cutie mark knowledge. Maybe he came from a town that never had them... but he traveled. He had to have seen them, Twilight thought. She had to let the others know. Twilight spoke up, “So, did you see something off to you about those ponies we helped?” “Not exactly. They seemed perfectly normal to me,” Rarity said. “Why? Did we miss somethin’?” Applejack asked, looking over to Twilight. “When I inspected that stallion’s wounds, I noticed he didn’t have a cutie mark.” Twilight turned her head, watching her friends exchange sideways glances. “I brought this up to him and he said he had never heard of them. You would think if he travels he would’ve heard of them, right?” “Come to think of it, I don’t think that other pony had a cutie mark either,” Applejack thought aloud. “Maybe we shouldn’t pry too much into this. It’s only two ponies.” “You’re right.” Twilight turned her head and continued to watch for any signs that pointed them to a town. The sun began its descent towards the horizon allowing the air to cool off, alleviating the three from the heat. The view along the path was consistent throughout: rolling plains with short and long grasses, mountains in the distance, the faint silhouettes of what looked like settlements. Twilight opened the map and tried to chart out how far away they were. They had passed a sign maybe fifteen minutes before, and she wanted to see what was near them. She scanned it over, noticing a distinct lack of towns on the map. The one that they had been heading to, Wheatown, wasn’t listed. The town was either too small for the map to list, or the map was older than the town. Twilight sighed in exasperation as she put the map away. After only an hour of trekking, a small town came into view with a wooden gate blocking the path in. It looked like it had a quaint feel to it, with straw thatched roofs and what looked like a small fountain in the center. Twilight hastened her steps, eager to find out what a town outside of Equestria would be like. She blazed past Applejack, who followed in tow with Rarity as they tried catch up to Twilight. After only a minute of running later, she banked left and slowed herself before stopping in front of the gate. “Is this Wheatown?” Rarity asked as she trotted up to Twilight. “I reckon it is. This is the first town we’ve seen.” Applejack stated. “Well, here we go,” Twilight said as she opened the gate with her hoof. The town was very small, with only eight or so buildings lining the perimeter. Several earth ponies walked around with hoes and rakes, conversing about the days events. Two fillies ran around the stone fountain, chasing each other and rolling around in the grass. As they entered they noticed the lack of fanciful architecture like they saw back in Equestria; every one of the buildings had an old world charm to them. They looked simple and drab. They approached a stallion who was carrying a hoe and rake on his back who was heading west into the field. Twilight assumed by the name of the town that he was off to harvest wheat, but she didn’t want to assume anything. “Excuse me,” Twilight said, catching the pony’s attention. “Do you know we could find a store here? We’ve never been in this part of the country before.” The stallion stopped and pointed his hoof towards a relatively larger building that had a wooden sign with the words ‘General Store’ written in red paint. Twilight looked over, then looked back, red with embarrassment. “Uh, thanks,” she responded as the pony turned back to the field and began to walk again. “Well he ain’t much for talkin’,” Applejack said, peering over to the shop. “Let’s take a look at what they have then.” The three slowly trotted to the store and opened the wooden door. The shop had a wooden design to everything, with thatched patches and designs on the walls and floor. There was a dark brown earth pony behind the counter, taking a look at some of its inventory. The store was packed with food like grains and produce, small steel weapons, canisters of oil, books on local events and history, rolled up scroll maps, small trinkets, and bedding just to name a few. Twilight forged ahead, looking up over the counter to get a better view of the storekeeper. “Excuse me sir, my friends and I would like to buy something. Do you have a minute?” The mare tilted her head up, trotted to the counter and placed her hooves on top. She looked over the three ponies, causing Twilight to become a little uneasy. “What can ah’ do ya for?” the mare asked, tapping her hooves on the counter. Twilight’s face flushed red from the gender mix-up, but the mare didn’t seem to mind. “We’re just looking for some food and blankets to buy. We’re making our way to Ventia.” “Ah’ see. Just enough fer the three a’ you?” she asked, bowing her head into the display case to retrieve a few folded blankets. “Yes ma’am.” Twilight took a few gold bits from her bag and placed them on the counter. “I’m hoping this is enough to cover it. I don’t see any prices anywhere.” The mare brought up a few blankets and placed them on the counter, then eyed the few bits Twilight had left. She squinted to get a better look, inspecting them carefully. After a few seconds, the mare finally spoke up, “What’s this?” Twilight stood dumbfounded. “Uh, those are bits. You know, money.” “Don’t patronize me, ah’ figured that much out,” the mare snapped. “So, where’d you say you were from again?” “We’re from Equestria.” At that moment, Twilight saw the mare’s eyes widen as if she was about to be hit by an oncoming freight train. She stepped off the counter and walked to a small section of the counter that swung open upwards, allowing a pony to pass through. “Over ‘ere. If it’s alright with ya’ ah’d like to talk to you a bit. Ah’ have some tea goin’ at the moment.” The mare made her way up a flight of stairs, leaving the shop completely empty except for Twilight, Rarity and Applejack. They each glanced at each other with contorted looks. “What should we do? We need supplies, but I don’t know if I like this.” Twilight looked over to the opened pathway, rubbing her left foreleg with her right. The three sat in silence, neither of them wanting to make the decision. A high-pitched whistle of a teapot pierced Twilight’s ears now perked ears. At least it sounds like she’s boiling water, Twilight thought. The whistling died down as the mare walked down the stairs and motioned them over. Twilight grimaced as she looked at her friends and cautiously made her way past the open path and slowly ascended the stairs. She didn’t check back for Applejack and Rarity, trying to make sure that everything ahead of her was innocuous. At the top of the stairs was a bedroom the size of the lower floor. A small, one-pony bed lay on the north end of the room with a window on all four walls. It was decorated with multi-colored banners hanging on each side of the walls with golden stitched insignias of various animals and weaponry. There was a wooden rack filled with steel swords and maces in the corner, putting Twilight on edge. Next to it was a small stove with a tea pot with rising steam coming from the spout. She finished her ascent and approached the mare who was sitting at a table with four chairs set up, each with a set of teacups and saucers in front of them. “Come, sit.” Apprehensively, Twilight sat down as the mare poured some tea in their cups. Applejack and Rarity sat down and they all watched the mare closely, making sure she didn’t do anything suspicious. She set the teapot down in the middle of the table and took a small sip. “So, you’re from Equestria, huh? Ah’ve never met anypony from there before.” “Your store is empty downstairs. Aren’t you afraid somepony’s goin’ to take somethin’?” Applejack asked, taking a look outside. “No one’s stolen anythin’ in this town in years. We don’t lock doors at night like you city ponies do,” the mare explained, irking Applejack. “The name’s Zipporah. It’s nice to meet you folk.” “Twilight Sparkle,” Twilight said, extending her hoof to shake. “That’s an odd name fer a pony. Are all Equestrians named weirdly like that?” Twilight rolled her her eyes and sighed. “Well, this is Rarity.” She pointed at Rarity who slightly bowed. “And this is Applejack.” Applejack graciously tipped her hat. “So, you’ve never seen an Equestrian before? It’s only a few hours walk away.” “Not sure. No one I know’s ever gone neither. Ponyfolk just tend to avoid it.” Zipporah took another sip. “Now why’s that do you suppose?” Applejack asked. “Sorry for my interruption, but do you not have a cutie mark as well?” Rarity prodded. Twilight hadn’t noticed, but when she dipped her head to check Zipporah’s flank, it was indeed blank. Applejack took a quick sip of her tea, her face scrunched as she did it and set it down. She looked around trying to be nonchalant as she pushed the cup away and slumped in her chair “Cutie mark? Is that some weird Equestrian thing?” The old mare crossed her forelegs and looked at them inquisitively. “Ah’ve never heard of them before.” “You’re the second pony we’ve talked to that’s never heard of them,” Twilight said as she took a sip of tea. It had a strong earthy flavor, but it wasn’t overbearing. Slightly bitter, but she could handle it. “That’s so strange. Most ponies in Equestria have them by the time they’re little fillies. Basically they’re markings on your flank to signify your special talent. Mine is conjuring magic, so my mark is a six pointed star.” She leaped off the chair and pointed to her mark. “It’s always nice to have a reminder of what you live for.” “So, you two have one as well?” Zipporah asked. “What about that necklace?” She pointed to Rarity who promptly looked down at her element charm. “Oh this? It’s just decoration,” Rarity passed off. “It’s nothing, really. Though it does match my cutie mark which are three cyan diamonds.” She took a sip of her tea and patted her mouth with a nearby napkin. Applejack stayed quiet. The room was quiet for a few minutes. A small rustling was heard outside as a group of stallions came out from the fields. The sun set lower in the sky, causing the sky to become a pale yellow and orange. Twilight tapped her hooves together nervously. The silence was overbearing, and she had to break the tension. “Is this where you live, Zipporah?” “Yes,” she stated as she grabbed her teacup with both hooves. “Ah’ just tend to mah store every day.” After taking a larger gulp of her tea, she looked over to Twilight. “So, where are you three headed anyways? Ah’ know you din’t come all the way out here for our lil’ town.” “Well one of our friends needs some help and the spell to we need isn’t anywhere in Equestria. We’re headed to Mistral City in Ventia.” Twilight said. “Mistral City? You Equestrians never stop surprisin’ me,” Zipporah laughed. “Mistral City is a wretched place last ah’ heard. They don’t much care for Equestrians neither. Whenever one of them ponies is over in this town ah’ always hear ‘bout two unkillable demons that haunt Equestria. Everypony ah’ve met from there is quite obsessed.” “Two... demons?” Twilight asked, bewildered. “I don’t know of any demons in Equestria. It sounds like made up rumors.” She dug into her pack and took out the map, unfurling it onto the table. “Could you take a look at this while we’re here? We don’t have any recent maps of areas outside Equestria and this is pretty old. Is this map still accurate?” “Ah’ can look, sure.” Zipporah turned the map towards her and looked at it closely. She nodded her head a few times as her eyes scanned every inch. She placed her hooves on it several times, pointing out locations to herself. After a few minutes she turned the map around and looked up at Twilight. “Everythin’ looks fine. There’s a few more towns than before, but everything else looks alright.” A muffled commotion was heard from outside. Twilight nodded to Zipporah, set the map back in her bag and took a look out the window. Two ponies passed by at a full gallop, one turned and headed towards the shop. She got up to look down at the pony. “What’s wrong, sugar cube?” Applejack asked. Before Twilight answered she saw a brown blur fly passed the window; she looked to see if she could see what it was, but it was gone. There was a hurried knock at the door. “Griffons! We need help!” a stallion shouted and ran off. Zipporah quickly left her chair and galloped to the weapon rack, taking out three swords and a mace. “Alright, ah’ve got weapons fer us. Take one and let’s go.” The three looked at each other, neither of them wanting to move. “Uh, what are we doin’ again?” Applejack prodded. Zipporah stared at them blankly. “Are ya’ joking? We don’t have time fer that, jus’ hurry an’ get over here!” Twilight took a deep breath a trotted over, taking a sword and held it in the air with her magic. “You two as well, meet me downstairs!” Zipporah grabbed a mace with her mouth and galloped down the stairs, leaving the three alone in the room. “What should we do? We can’t go out and kill griffons our first day out, can we?” Twilight wondered, glancing at the sharp steel. “We don’t really have a choice, do we?” Rarity said, “We’re on a mission to save Fluttershy, aren’t we? If she knew we were killing animals to save her she would never forgive us.” Applejack took a sword and held it in her mouth, “Right. we have to be as non-lethal as possible.” With sword in mouth she trotted to the base of the stairs and looked over to Twilight and Rarity. “I’m ready when you two are.” Rarity and Twilight looked at each other nervously. Rarity picked up the third sword, placed it on her back and held it there with magic. “Well let us go, shall we?” “Alright.” Twilight caught up to Applejack who proceeded down the stairs. Zipporah was outside the open door, mace ready. She turned her head, and as she saw the girls she motioned them over. They followed her direction, seeing six griffons swooping and striking ponies with terrible force. “Do ya know what to do?” Zipporah asked, surveying the town. “Uh, no. We don’t really have this problem in Ponyville,” Twilight said as she began to sweat. “Really? Ugh,” Zipporah groaned. “Alright, stay together. They hunt down the strays, now move!” She bolted out the door, bunching together with the other ponies. Twilight could see shutters on houses closing and doors slamming. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She looked back at her friends, then raced out into the fray. A large dark brown griffon swooped down, clipping a white stallion in the back, causing him to topple over in the grass. A mare and stallion grouped together, grimacing and awaiting their chance to strike. Applejack burst through the door, easily vaulting over one of the low-flying griffons. As she was in the air, she kicked with her back legs, causing the griffon to slam into the earth. She landed and ran to join the ranks, creating a phalanx with the others. Rarity was the last to come out, holding the sword close to her face in a defense stance. She crept around, swinging her sword to ward off stray griffons. “Why are they attacking!?” Twilight yelled over to Zipporah, who had just slammed her mace into a griffon’s skull. It liay there with small trickles of blood coming from the impact wound. “They’re after us and our young, just attack!” Zipporah yelled, scrambling to make note of the griffons’ positions. Twilight wanted to argue, but a griffon with extended claws lunged at her, screeching at the top of its lungs. Twilight dodged, dropped her sword, and used her magic to create a large blinding light. She shot out a bright spark and it struck the griffon, and with the sound of thunder it crashed to the ground. It was alive, but unable to move. Rarity swung her sword wildly as she backed into the phalanx. She halted the sword and looked around, keeping her eyes peeled. Twilight galloped to the fountain, checking to see if any griffon was hiding around it. Nothing. She looked to the sky trying to track their location, when she heard a sickening screech. She whipped her head around and saw two griffons break apart the group, one of them held a mare in its talons, trying to take off with it. Rarity was on the ground, struggling to get up. Her sword was far behind her. Twilight charged up another light spell and quickly fired it at the fleeing griffon, causing the mare to drop to the earth. Rarity hobbled on to her hooves, her knees shaking from the impact. She was dizzy and couldn’t see straight, putting her in a panic. She hurried towards the sword, but fell over as a griffon landed right near her. “RARITY!” Twilight called out as she went into a full gallop to her ailing friend. Before she could reach her the griffon swiped, but a blinding light came from Rarity, making Twilight stumble backwards. She saw the griffon topple back as well, Rarity still enveloped in light. All the commotion seemed to be gone as the light stopped, revealing Rarity with glowing white eyes, her necklace and cutie mark where glowing in a bright purple light. She took a wide stance and her horn glowed, causing twenty needles to come out from her bag and form a shield around her. She lifted her head and reared back, sending the magically charged needles flying in precise paths across the town. Two griffons that were beating down on a few ponies where struck in the wings, forcing and pinning them down to the earth. They tried moving but yelped out in pain as the needles pierced muscle and bound them to the ground. A white griffon timidly stepped back, then took off trying to flee the magically charged unicorn. Rarity snapped her head towards it and tossed the rest of the sewing needles out, catching it in its wings and legs, letting it tumble from the sky and crash into the earth. All that remained was the griffon that confidently stood on Rarity’s steel weapon. She slowly let her head down and stared at her oppressor, waiting for it to make a move. Just as the griffon jutted its claw out and began racing towards her, Rarity took a long piece of fabric out from her bag. With the thin edge, she slashed the griffon’s back, making it plant face first into the dirt right out of reach. With all the griffons down, the element stopped glowing as did her cutie mark. She fluttered her eyelids, bringing her eyes back to their azure color. She let out a long sigh, then toppled over herself into the dirt. After the dust cleared, Twilight rushed over to Rarity, checking frantically for signs of life. She saw her chest rise and fall; she was breathing. Twilight sighed in relief. The air was cool but slightly charged as the battle came to a close, letting the ponies breathe easier. Twilight shook; the adrenaline was just starting to wear off as she grabbed Rarity, attempting to drag her into the shop. A brown stallion rushed over and easily hefted Rarity on to his back, catching Twilight off guard. “Uh, thanks,” she said, trotting into the store. They went up the stairs and placed Rarity in Zipporah’s bed. Twilight sat down next to it. The stallion took his leave as Applejack came into view. Looking over Rarity, she was visibly shaking and her breathing was shallow. Magically, Twilight stripped Rarity of her necklace and looked over it, turning and inspecting every inch. “Twi’, what happened? I couldn’t see anything over the pack of ponies near me,” Applejack asked as she plopped down next to Twilight. “Poor Rarity, it must’ve been too much for her.” “It had to do with this.” Twilight floated the necklace in front of Applejack. “When she was in need this started to glow, enhancing her abilities I believe. I’ve never seen her do anything so quickly with that kind of accuracy and power.” “Luna did say somethin’ about that before we left, didn’t she?” “I think so. It must’ve taken out so much energy as a last resort that she just passed out. We won’t be able to move until tomorrow, if then.” Twilight let the necklace fall to the ground, its gold ornate plate slightly clanging on the wooden floor. “We should get our supplies while she’s asleep. I’ll stay here and tend to her.” “Alright, I’m on it.” Applejack said. She got to her hooves and headed downstairs, leaving Twilight and Rarity alone in the room. Out from her bag she took a her element crown form her bag and looked at carefully. Her curious eyes filled with trepidation as she stared at her reflection in the purple star. I’m the Element of Magic. If generosity gave Rarity the ability to single-hoofedly take out a whole pack of griffons, what would magic do? Twilight shuddered as she set the crown next to Rarity’s necklace, waiting anxiously until her friend awoke. Zipoorah came up the stairs, weapons covered in dirt and traces of blood. She put them away in the rack and looked over Rarity. “How are her wounds?” she asked, inspecting Rarity’s body.. “Well, she’ll live,” Twilight said, choking up. “This is all my fault. If I hadnt’ messed up that spell, she’d still be making clothes in her boutique. Why did they attack us?” She put her face in her hooves, trying hard to keep her composure. “If I found an easier spell, none of this would have happened.” “Why does that matter? She has t’ normally defend against creatures, doesn’t she?” Zipporah assumed as she placed the tea kettle back on the burner. “No, nothing like this happens in Ponyville, we said that before. The only dangers lie in the Everfree Forest, and those creatures never come into town.” She paused, thinking of her next course of action. “What is the trail like to Mistral City?” “It’s nothing too bad,” Zipporah answered. “Tell me!” Twilight snapped. Her breathing became labored as her guilt finally caught up to her. “What am I putting my friends through? How many attacks will there be?” Zipporah sighed as she checked on the tea. “If ya’ must know, the path goes through the Drakiris mountain range. That’s where the feral griffons lie. After the mountains is Ventia, whose winter is very long. It may snow for over half the year. Barely anyone makes the trip.” Twilight stared in disbelief. “You weren’t going to tell me this!? Why?” “Well, you hadn’t paid for my services yet.” After sighing, Twilight pointed down the stairs, hoping Zipporah would get the hint. “Applejack is downstairs looking to buy things. Just... just take the bits; we need Rarity in bed more than the money.” Zipporah nodded her head and headed towards the stairs. She stopped, and turned to face Twilight. “If you’re really going, I would wear some cloaks. You stick out too much.” She turned away and descended the stairs. Twilight looked down at the floor, trying to ease her guilt as Zipporah left. She glanced at the crown coldly, regretting opening the door for Fluttershy that day. The library in Ponyville felt so distant from her, and all she wanted to do was go back. She lay down on the hard wooden floor, still staring as she waited for Applejack to come up the stairs.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:27:51+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:45+00:00

And that’s how you get kicked out of flight school with style,” Rainbow Dash touted as she spun around in the air. The forest was thick with trees, leaving Rainbow Dash’s trick obscured in the shadows. Fluttershy didn’t mind; she liked hearing her friends talk about themselves even without visual aid. “Did you really pull that off?” Fluttershy asked. “Yeah, who else has that kind of speed?” Rainbow said, flipping once again. She looked up at the canopy, slowed her flying, then landed next to Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “You know, I think I’m going to walk. The clearance is so low I can barely maneuver.” Fluttershy and Pinkie laughed. “That’s why I landed when we got here. I flew in a forest here before and it was hard to get out without getting hit by tree branches.” This forest was much bigger than the one outside of Oldale Town. Thicker trees were flush with darker bark as a deep green moss made its home across the forest floor. Only small rays of light could penetrate the forest ceiling, making the woods appear ominous. Both Rainbow and Pinkie looked around curiously at everything, with a mix of excited and annoyed looks. “I’m getting a bad Everfree Forest vibe from this place,” Rainbow Dash stated. “I mean I’m not worried about it or anything, it just reminds me of it,” she backpedaled. “Well since there are strange animals in here I can see why. I wonder what kind of pokémon will be in here. Bugs maybe?” Fluttershy wondered, checking for any signs of movement or animal sounds. “That sounds cool I guess,” Rainbow stated. “I was just hoping for something, you know, cooler. By the way Pinkie, did I give you those Poké Balls yet?” Pinkie looked up in thought, “No, I’m not even registered for the league. Should I even have a Pokémon, I mean I wouldn’t want to take any of yours—” “We need all the help we can get if that Norman guy is right,” Rainbow Dash interrupted as she stuck her hoof onto Pinkie’s mouth to silence her. She took her hoof out and rummaged through her new bag, pulling out three Poké Balls. “That’s great! I could look for an alligator, it’ll be just like Gummy!” She jumped up and gasped. “Oh no I forgot about Gummy! I hope he’s alright.” “I’m sure he’ll be fine, Fluttershy assured her. “Mr. and Mrs. Cake probably know how to take care of him. The animals back at my cottage however—” “But he needs so much attention! I can’t imagine what Mr. and Mrs. Cake are going through,” Pinkie Pie said as she sat down to ponder. The three had a good laugh and pressed onward. Red spiked worms crawled on the leaves, along with hanging white and purple cocoons. Only the sound of rustling leaves and the crunching of fallen sticks filled the forest, giving Fluttershy some time to relax. The events of the other day still haunted her: the memory backlash, Alerce’s strange transformation, and the fight with Norman still caused her to shake. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself and focus. This was a new day, filled with new outfits for her friends, a sea side view off the shallow cliffs, and a forest with new animals to explore. Everything was serene, just as Fluttershy liked. Fluttershy’s ears perked up. She could hear a small chirp in the distance, something that didn’t come from a worm or cocoon. She thought maybe it was one of those birds that flew with her above Oldale Town as she stopped to get a better sense of the noise. Rainbow and Pinkie stopped and looked back, confused. “Hey, are you alright? Is it another one of those weird flashes?” “Shhh,” Fluttershy shushed them. “Do you hear that? It sounds like a tiny bird in the distance. The sound is coming from the ground, and it hasn’t moved. That’s so strange.” Rainbow looked around, trying to see past the large thicket. “I don’t hear or see anything except us. Are you sure?” “Positive.” Fluttershy crept closer, keeping her ears perked and listened for any sudden movements. Several chirps made their way through the forest, each one louder than the last one. She increased her speed, weaving her way through the mass of trees until she came upon a large opening. Except for a few twigs and rocks, the area was completely empty. Only a small figure at the other end showed itself from beneath the forest shadows. It was hard to see, but as Fluttershy got closer, she began noticing an orange tint to the figure. Its silhouette became clear to her, causing Fluttershy to stop in her tracks. “What’s wrong?” Rainbow asked, stopping next to Fluttershy. “Over there, that’s—” she inched closer, trying her best not to startle it. A few more chips came, as she approached. They sounded like sobs. “T-that’s Brendan’s torchic.” She spread her wings and flew, landing next to the abandoned bird. It looked up at her, staring straight into her eyes. “What are you doing all the way out here? Where’s Brendan?” she quietly asked, trying to comfort the distraught torchic. “Wait, Brendan? As in the crazy fighter Brendan you were talking about?” Pinkie asked as she trotted to the torchic. “Yeah, but I don’t understand. This was the Pokémon his father gave him.” The torchic got up and ran around the group, its small bout of depression seeming to gone. “He was so proud of it when he challenged me. Why would he leave it here?” Flutttershy looked around, trying to find any signs of Brendan. The forest floor was so dense with leaves and moss that if he had left any hoof prints, they would be impossible to find. “Maybe it ran away? You did say he was kinda mean, I mean I would have.” Pinkie chimed in. “Considering how Brendan acted, I don’t think it would’ve done that. It’s scared of something.” Fluttershy watched the Torchic make its way towards Rainbow Dash. It jumped up and down with glee, causing Rainbow to look down at it. A faint smile ran across her face as she patted it. It looked up at her and smiled back. Laughing, Rainbow reached down and picked up the torchic, holding it up in the air. It began to laugh with her, making random hiccup noises as well. “So, I don’t understand. If this is Brendan’s, then why is it hovering around me?” Rainbow asked, placing the bird on her back. “Maybe it just likes you,’ Fluttershy assumed, walking to the torchic to examine it. “Oh! Catch it! It can be your first Pokémon, Rainbow Dash! We could celebrate afterwards, I’m sure there’s a place to make a cake or something like for Flut—” Rainbow shushed Pinkie, and ran her hoof across her mouth like a zipper. Pinkie nodded and sat down, making the same hoof motion. “So, what do you know about catching these things?” Rainbow dug into her bag and took out a small Poké Ball. She tapped the button, causing it to enlarge to its normal size. Her head jumped back a little, but she quickly went back to pondering. “Well, I don’t think you can catch a Pokémon that another pony owns. It just... doesn’t sound right.” Fluttershy explained. “I... I think.” “Only one way to find out.” Rainbow exclaimed, “We should try it out!” She took the Poké Ball and tossed it in her hoof, ready to catch the bird. “Uh... what do I do? Just toss it?” “Umm, maybe we should try it with Alerce first. I’m sure he won’t mind a small toss on the shell.” Fluttershy looked down at Alerce who nodded at her suggestion. She stepped away from Alerce, waiting for Rainbow to make her move. With a quick toss, the Poké Ball bounced off of Alerce’s shell, causing it to bounce in the air and open up. He became enveloped in in white light and turned into a wisp of energy. It went inside the Poké Ball and it closed shut. Only a moment later, it burst open in a green light, bringing Alerce out and back to his original form. “Well, I guess that didn’t work.” “What should we do then? We can’t just leave it here.” Fluttershy started to pace, looking up at the forest canopy. “Wait, where is it?” Pinkie asked as she frantically searched. The other two turned their heads, and looked in disbelief. It was gone. Fluttershy bolted out to the perimeter of the treeless opening and poked her head between the trees to look. Rainbow took off, hovering just below the canopy. The three yelled out the to the torchic, trying to catch its attention. Pass after pass yielded no results. Distraught, Fluttershy approached the two Poké Balls that lay in the clearing. “Did you find anything?” Fluttershy asked with her head hung low. “No, all that’s here are these Poké Balls. Oh, maybe you can use your memory thing to find it.” Pinkie suggested. “But, it only shows up when something weird happens. Also I’ve never tried actually conjuring it before.” “You’ve got to try! Maybe we’ll be able to find him faster!” Fluttershy slowly nodded and swallowed nervously. Her breathing became stuttered from the tension, but she closed her eyes and concentrated. She could only hear the ambient sounds of the forest, and saw nothing but black. The only memories that appeared were ones of her own. She bit her lower lip, straining to get a memory to appear. After a few moments, a wave of wooziness fell over her. She stumbled to the left, almost falling over, then heard faint cries for help. They became louder and louder each time, and it began to hurt Fluttershy’s ears. Suddenly, a flash of the image of a man appeared. He held a manila envelope and was on his back, scurrying away from a man in pirate’s clothing as he yelled for help. The assailant had a knife and a wolf, waiting to attack. The vision became clearer as she felt herself running towards the man to save him. “Leave him alone!” It was May’s voice. Right as she reached the man, her vision went white. She opened her eyes and looked around. She was lying on the ground, surrounded by Rainbow, Pinkie and Alerce. She got up and shook her head, trying to keep the memory at the forefront of her mind. “Did you see anything? You kinda just fell over.” “Yeah, but it wasn’t about the torchic. There was some thing being attacked, and the girl in the memory was trying to save him.” Rainbow cocked her head, “Some ‘thing’? What do you talking about? You’re usually better at explaining animals to us than that.” “I-It’s, well,” Fluttershy lowered her head. “It’s hard to explain. I’ve never seen a creature anywhere close to this, and they have the intelligence and language as us.” “What did it look like?” Pinkie Pie jumped around with excitement. “Well, their face was like that of a monkey’s, but he had no hair on its face and it was more defined. The only hair it had was on the top of its head, and it was quite short. Also it stood on two legs and had hands, similar to a monkey’s as well.” She looked up at the two. “I’m sorry, I’m not great at explaining things.” “Whatever. We still need to find that bird.” Rainbow Dash trotted to the two Poké Balls that still lay in the grass. “That’s... strange. I only took out one. Pinkie, did you drop one?” “Nope! Mine are still in my pocket.” Pinkie tapped on her pocket, causing the capsules to rustle and clank. Fluttershy and Pinkie began to slightly panic, glaring at all the trees to make sure there was nothing hiding in their midst. Rainbow picked up one of the capsules and opened it. It was empty. She sighed and closed it. After placing it in her jacket pocket, she picked up the other one. It felt slightly heavier to her. She pressed the button, causing a bright white light to burst out from it. Rainbow backed away and dropped the Poké Ball, wings spread in defense. The light formed into a familiar figure and faded, leaving a smiling torchic. It shivered, then looked up at Rainbow. “Did it just... did it just catch itself?” Rainbow wondered as she inspected the Torchic. “Why would you do that?” she asked as she ruffled the torchic’s feathers. “Maybe it did run away from Brendan and went to you. It was probably feeling lonely after it fled and clinged to you.” “Ooo, you should give him a name! Is it a guy?” Pinkie rushed to Rainbow’s side and placed her hoof on her friend’s back. “Hmm...” Rainbow began to think. “How about Igni? That sounds cool.” The torchic began jumping up and down with joy. “It seems to like it.” “He was a lot less fussy than Alerce was when I named him,” Fluttershy stated, patting Alerce on the head. She donned a frown and looked to the north. All she could think of was the memory vision she conjured. “We... we should go find that creature. He could still be in trouble.” “How do you know that he would even be here? Maybe that’s supposed to happen later, or it already happened.” Rainbow took Igni and placed him on her back. “Well, every time I’ve had a flash, it’s been at the time it should be happening. I think.” Fluttershy started pacing. “We have to go see.” “Fine,” Rainbow said as she headed to the edge of the clearing. “Let’s get going then.” The three headed through the forest’s thicket, keeping their eyes peeled for the troubled creature. Fluttershy kept her ears perked for any sounds, but all she heard was the sound of rustling leaves. None of them made a sound as they peered behind and between the trees. Neither Pinkie or Rainbow had a clear idea of what they were searching for, but Fluttershy did. She was hoping that the memory was false, or that they weren’t too late. The rays of sunlight began to dissipate as an overcast of clouds loomed over them. The once vibrant colors of the forest became muted and dull, and everything started to blend together. She kept her head east, hoping her friends were checking in other directions. The only visuals she remembered were the two figures. The layout of the tress were obscured, but she noticed sunlight dappled their clothes and skin. It was still sunny then. “Where could he be? It feels like we’ve been searching forever, and that fog isn’t helping us one bit,” Pinkie stated, causing Fluttershy to turn her head. Fog? What is she talking about, there’s no fog, it’s just— Fluttershy’s train of thought stopped as a saw a thick wave of fog was headed towards them from the west. “This is all wrong. They where covered in sunlight, like it was... a few...” She stopped and frantically jumped around to find the figure. “No, no,” she whimpered. “We need to find him, now.” “Calm down, we don’t even know if he’s out there.” Rainbow grabbed a hold of the frantic pegasus. “I know you haven’t done things like this before, but you can’t lose your head,” Rainbow said in a calm tone. “We don’t even know if your memories are correct, they could be completely fake.” Fluttershy’s breathing began to stabilize as Rainbow backed away. It had been a while since Fluttershy had heard Rainbow use that tone of voice. She figured it was the unfamiliar land they were in that caused her to act as she does with her weather team. She let out a small sigh and ventured into the fog, trying to avoid the silhouetted trees. Rainbow and Pinkie followed close behind. After a half-hour of searching, they found nothing. Fluttershy leaned up against a tree, taking a break from the search. Pinkie was still hopping around, quickly peeking behind each tree while Rainbow sat along side Fluttershy. Alerce jumped off her trainer’s back and played around with Igni, each of them laughing as they rolled around. Rainbow Dash watched them with fascination. “So, we have to fight with them.” “That’s what Norman said,” Fluttershy explained. “Before I got Igni, I was all for it. I never really owned a pet, so I never knew what it was like,” Rainbow explained as she watched her Torchic run around. She paused. Igni began jumping on Alerce’s back, happily chirping. He lost his balance and fell to the ground, but quickly sprang back up. “This might be harder than I thought.” Fluttershy’s right ear twitched, catching the faintest bizarre sound from the thicket. She turned her head and stood up, just staring into the fog. “I heard something,” she stated. She crept her head closer to the north, waiting for the sound to come back. Pinkie jumped over, crunching sticks and leaves as she went. “Pinkie! She’s trying to listen for something,” Rainbow yelled in a whispered tone. “Sorry, I’ll try to be quieter.” Pinkie halted, now tip-hoofing closer to the pegasi. Fluttershy slowly made her way through, keeping her ears pointed to the north. With each step, she became more nervous. The noise was sickening, making her uneasy. A moment later it cried out again and it was loud enough to pierce Pinkie and Rainbow’s ears. “What was that? It sounded like someone having a stomach ache.” “No, it sounds like...” Fluttershy knew that sound. She increased her speed, hoping she could get there quick enough. Weaving her way through trees, she leaped over fallen branches and charged her way through the thicket. She shook from the knowledge of what was ahead, but she couldn’t stop. Both of her friends kept pace, seemingly unaware of what Fluttershy knew. A hazy figure came into few. It was lying on the ground, making it hard to see exactly what it was. Fluttershy slowed her gallop into a trot, trying to casually approach the creature. It had not made a sound for since she started her gallop, making her nervous. After a few methodical steps, the creature became fully visible. It was a grey stallion in a while coat and black pants, with a massive bite wound on his left shoulder. He was moaning and shaking, trying to stave off the pain. Fluttershy rushed over and started to inspect the wound. “Are you alright? C-can you hear me?” He groaned again, then forced his head over to the yellow pegasus. “I’ve been better...” he trailed off into an episode of shaking and yelps of pain. “What happened? This wound doesn’t look good at all.” Rainbow and Pinkie caught up to her and stopped. They looked over him and stayed back to let Fluttershy work. Fluttershy began digging through her back, taking out a bottle of antiseptic and bandages. “I was attacked. A pony came at me with a knife and a Poochyena. Just like that one over there.” He lifted his right hoof and pointed at a wolf who stood behind Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy looked over, jumping back from shock. She didn’t hear anything following her, but it just stood there, staring at her. Turning back to the stallion, she began covering the would with the antiseptic. “This is going to sting, I’m sorry.” The stallion bit his lower lip, trying not to make a noise. He panted and let his head fall back to the ground. “Who attacked you? Do you know why?” Rainbow got closer and inspected the area around them. “It was somepony from Team Aqua. He was wearing a blue bandanna, and had a black and white—” “—white striped shirt and blue pants,” Fluttershy finished. Both Rainbow and Pinkie looked straight at Fluttershy, then looked at each other. The stallion stopped mid-sentence, and looked at her dumbfounded. Fluttershy quickly recoiled, “Oh, I’m sorry.” “You’ve seen Team Aqua before?” he asked, then winced. “Um, no. It was a lucky guess,” Fluttershy fibbed. She quickly went to change the subject. “So, what was he after?” The stallion sighed. “He took a package from me. I was making my way to the Devon Corporation, and he stopped me. He sicked his dog on me and stole an important document I was delivering.” “So, he used his Pokémon as a weapon...” Fluttershy looked over at Rainbow as she paced and messed with her coat. She took the roll of bandages and wrapped them around the wound, pulling hard to make sure it stayed on correctly. “Where did he go? “He went north, probably passed right through Rustboro City. Please don’t go after him though, it’s Devon Corporation business. I don’t want you fillies to involved in this.” “Is there anything we can do though?” Pinkie asked. “You’re doing enough as it is, but if you really want to help I do have something you can do.” The stallion planted his hoofs into the grass and tried to stand. He wobbled and fell back down, grunting in pain. “If you can, could you tell my boss about what happened? I’m being expected to arrive with it, and they need to know now.” “What about your job? Won’t you lose it if we say it was stolen?” Fluttershy interjected. “Don’t worry about it.” The stallion rubbed his wound, trying to soothe it. “As long as they know about it, it’s fine.” “So how do we go about getting in? They aren’t going to let three random ponies talk to their president, will they?” Rainbow asked as she looked over at the Poochyena. “Also, what should we do about this guy?” She approached it and it began to snarl. Quickly she stepped back, making it stop. “Well, that’s new.” “Tell them you need to talk to the president about ‘Project 746’. The receptionist will know what you’re talking about.” He tried standing again, bracing himself better this time. “Could you help me get out of these woods? There’s a house in the next route that I can rest at.” Fluttershy took his injured foreleg and put it around her neck, trying to lift him to carry. “Could someone take the other side? I can’t do this myself.” Pinkie Pie hopped over, and took his right side. With Pinkie out of the way, the Poochyena approached Fluttershy, nuzzling her torso. Her body shifted, trying to still hold onto the pony as the wolf tried to play. “Not now, maybe later.” The wolf looked into her eyes and backed off, keeping itself at a good distance. “Why does it come up to you, but when I get near it it growls at me?” Rainbow asked, then looked ahead. “Whatever, I’ll lead the way.” “Thank you so much for this,” the stallion said, walking in sync with Fluttershy and Pinkie. The fog was lighter than before, giving way for details to show themselves. It made it much easier for the four to navigate the rest of the woods. The striped Poochyena walked along side them and glanced in all directions, seemingly watching for sudden movements. “The path to Rustboro should be just up ahead. It should take too much longer.” They pressed on, side-stepping around trees and bushes before seeing a clearing in the distance. Rainbow spread her wings, flew ahead and checked their distance. She turned and nodded her head towards the clearing, signaling them through. As they passed through the forest, a large city sprawled in front of their eyes. Giant towers threatened the sky, and loomed over the trees and houses along the path to the city. They appeared as sentinels, silently standing in the fog’s midst. Fluttershy took her eyes off the sight and noticed a small house west, right near the beginning of the path. “Is that it?” she asked, pointing to the house with her head. “Yeah, that’s it.” He grunted and fell to knees, bringing both Fluttershy and Pinkie with him. Struggling, they brought him back up and trekked to the building. It was small but cozy, nestling itself amongst the trees. Rainbow dashed ahead and looked inside, inspecting the building thoroughly. They crossed over a small wooden bridge and made their way to the front door. There was a sign that read ‘Rustboro Rest House’ hanging on the door. Rainbow knocked and waited for an answer. A light flickered in the window, as they could hear something approach. “Hello, welcome to—” A dark brown unicorn stated as he opened the door. He stopped mid- sentence, glaring at the injured Devon employee. “W-what happened here?” “It’s a long story. Can we come in? I heard you house trainers needing some rest.” Fluttershy asked, trying to look around the unicorn to see the inside. “Well, I can’t refuse an injured traveler. Please, come in.” He stepped aside, revealing an inside filled with beds and an area to cook. There were several other ponies inside, each with their Pokémon out. The variety of them intrigued Fluttershy, but she had other pressing matters to attend to. She and Pinkie brought the stallion to a bed and laid him down, making sure he stayed on his left side as to not ruin his shoulder more. With that taken care of, Fluttershy turned to the Poochyena who sat on the floor, wagging its tail. “Why did it follow us all the way over here? Shouldn’t it still be in the forest?” Fluttershy wondered as she began inspecting the wolf. “I don’t know. I didn’t even hear it behind us when we were finding this guy.” Pinkie said. “D-do you want to be my friend, wolf?” Fluttershy asked, rubbing its fur. It closed its eyes and began wagging its tail. “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’.” It happily barked as she dug into her bag and pulled out a Poké Ball. She brought it close to the wolf, far enough away for it to make its own decision. Without hesitation, the poochyena tapped the button on the Poké Ball. It opened and enveloped the poochyena in a white light then trapped it inside. She let go of it, letting it fall on the floor. It wobbled back and forth a few times before it was completely dormant. She picked it up and looked at it, smiling. “I’ll have to name you later.” “Ugh, thanks,” the stallion spoke up. “I would give you something to reward you, but that thug took my wallet as well. I’m sure that Mr. Stone will be able to reward you kindly.” He took the blanket and draped it over him. “Will you be fine by yourself? I-I mean you’re still badly injured,” Fluttershy asked. “Oh yeah, I’m sure if anything happens the pony who runs it can help. When you reach the city, it’s on Celestial Road. It’s about four blocks north and to your left, and it’s the tallest building on the road. You can’t miss it.” He motioned Fluttershy over, bringing her head close to his. “Remember, it’s ‘Project 746’,” he whispered. “Why do you trust us so much with this?” she said under her breath. “Isn’t it really important?” He chuckled. “No matter what, they’ll find out eventually. The project name isn’t important, I’m just trying to get the news there faster. It doesn’t hurt anyone that three filly trainers knows that Devon is working on a project.” Fluttershy lifted her head and backed away from the stallion. After placing her new pokémon in her bag, she turned towards the door. “Well... let’s go.” She didn’t want to leave the stallion, but she had no choice. They smiled to the unicorn as they left off to Rustboro City. “So, what should we do? I really don’t want to get involved in something like this. Well, more than we’ve already been.” “Maybe it’ll lead to an adventure!” Pinkie gasped, “I’m always wanted to go on an adventure. I mean the Nightmare Moon and dragon trips were fun, but this has intrigue and suspense.” Pinkie began hopping as they turned north. “Yeah, adventure sounds good,” Rainbow said. “I mean as long as we’re here, we might as well do something cool, right?” “I guess...” Fluttershy squeaked. “Great! Let’s do it right away so we have a better story to tell when we get back. We can get supplies and stuff later, adventure calls!” Pinkie let her expectations get the best of her. “We don’t even know if this will lead to anything though.” “Well, you can always use that weird memory thing again, can’t you? It worked for that pony, we were just a little late,” Rainbow said. “Let’s just deliver the news and be on our way. We should probably talk about this when we know more about it, shouldn’t we?” Fluttershy asked as they approached the beginning of the city’s main road. “Yeah, that’s fine,” Rainbow said, looking over at Pinkie. The Pokédex began to beep, startling Fluttershy. She closed her eyes and groaned, then took the Pokédex out and flipped it open. The screen flickered and the automated voice ran through its routine. “Rustboro gym at 3:30,” Fluttershy repeated to her friends. She took a look at the clock. It was 12:15 p.m. “Well, we have enough time at least.” “Um, shouldn’t we train a little bit before your fight? I mean Alerce didn’t do so hot against Norman.” Rainbow asked in a worried tone. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt,” Fluttershy said painfully. She swallowed nervously and looked over at Igni who was sleeping on Rainbow’s back. “If we finish this early enough, maybe we can... spar?” “I never thought you’d ask!” Rainbow said with excitement. “I can’t wait to see what Igni can do,” she sighed, and looked at Fluttershy. “I know what I said back in the forest about Igni, but if there really are ponies out there using these creatures as weapons we have to be ready for anything.” They both looked on ahead and stared at the city that was laid in front of them. The streets were crowded with ponies without their pokémon in view, all of them dwarfed by the massive buildings. It looked like Canterlot to them, except the buildings were more rectangular and dully colored, and the layout was much more structured and rigid. Ponies trotted with suits and formal dress, while others in more adventures attire. A battle took place on the side of the road between two ponies, each one of them looked as if they were only sparing. “I’m so hungry. Shouldn’t we stop somewhere to eat?” Pinkie asked, rubbing her stomach. “After the we visit that ‘Devon’ company. That is what you wanted, Pinkie.” Rainbow said. “Okie dokie!” Pinkie exclaimed as they traveled another block. Fluttershy couldn’t help but stare upward at the towers. They eclipsed anything she had ever seen built by ponies, and it amazed her. Glass surrounded the perimeter of each of the buildings, and fanciful decorations garnered the front of each, attracting the view of everypony. She turned her head towards where they walking, looking up at the sign they were approaching. “Alright let’s see, that was one, two, three blocks?” Pinkie asked. “Yeah, we’re coming up to it now I think.” Rainbow said, turning her head to the left. Pinkie and Fluttershy followed suit. Like every other street, it was lined to the brim with compact buildings, though one did stick out. The tallest building on the street had an insignia of a swooping pegasus wing, with a sharp expanding line running opposite bolted to the front. Small statues of ponies lined the front, standing as guardians of the building. “Uh, I think that’s the building.” “The one with the statues?” Fluttershy asked. “Well, he did say it stuck out. It wouldn’t hurt to check it out.” Rainbow spread her wings and flew towards the building, Fluttershy following. Pinkie bounced around the constant stream of ponies until they reached the front doors. There was ‘Devon Corporation’ plastered on the doors, but something stuck out to Fluttershy: there were no door handles. She crept closer, scanning the doors for a way in, but as she got close they slid open. Puzzled, she moved in closer to make sure it wouldn’t close on her. She waved her hoof between the doors. They remained motionless. “Well, I guess it’s fine.” Pinkie and Rainbow passed her into the building’s lush interior. The carpet was a deep crimson, making a striking contrast to the pale yellow of the walls. A mare with reading glasses sat behind a counter, watching as the three gaze around with stupefying fascination. “Can I help you?” the pony asked as she removed her glasses. “Oh yes, we need to talk to, uh, the president.” Fluttershy responded. “Uh huh,” the mare said sarcastically. “So, what do you need to see Mr. Stone for?” Rainbow jumped ahead of Fluttershy, “It’s about, what was that...” Rainbow rubbed her chin in thought. “Oh yeah, ‘Project 746’.” The mare sighed and pressed a button on a strange device and began speaking into it, “Mr. Stone, there are three fillies here about ‘Project 746’.” She waited for a response. “Anypony else sick of being called fillies?” Rainbow asked, sneering at the receptionist. “Follow me,” the mare said as she left the desk, and began walking down a hallway. Fluttershy hesitated, then followed at a distance. After a few steps, she pressed a button on the wall that was on the side of two metal doors. A light on the top flashed the number ‘3’, and progressively went down until it reached the letter ‘G’. Suddenly the doors slid open as the front doors did. “It’s the top floor. Please don’t be too long, Mr. Stone is a busy stallion.” The three moved through the doors into a small box-like room. There wasn’t much inside except a panel of buttons to the right of the door and that same informative light on top. The three adjacent walls were of polished metal, allowed the three to see themselves. So... top floor,” Rainbow said to herself as she press the highest number button. “How is this supposed to—” The room began to shake and they could feel themselves being pulled to the floor. “What’s going on!?” “I-I don’t know,” Fluttershy said, trying to make sure Alerce was still safe on her back. Just as the shaking began, it stopped. The doors slid open, revealing a small hallway and a door at the end. Couches that lined the walls for them to sit on. They each exited the room, and the doors closed behind them. Right as the exited, the door at the hallway opened, and a stallion in a black suit and sunglasses motioned the three in. Fluttershy took a deep breath and followed the pony’s invitation. The room was as large as the base floor, but more open and grand. Windows lined the walls, leaving no sense of walls. A large Devon symbol was sprawled across the floor in front of a large wooden desk where a stallion sat in a plush chair. “So, you must be the three here about ‘Project 746’, am I correct?” he asked in a pleasant tone. It was a blue unicorn with a dark blue swooping mane. He wore a dark brown suit with a mark stitched on the lapel. It was a yellow crescent moon with a smaller white crescent inside. “Uh, yes we are.” Fluttershy couldn’t help but look around the room more as she spoke. “I found an employee of yours injured in the forest to the south. He told me that somepony from a ‘Team Aqua’ stole some documents that pertained to it.” “Is that so?” he said, placing his hooves on the desk. “I’m not surprised.” “D-does that mean you’re not going to fire him?” Fluttershy responded. “Hmm, why do you care so much about one pony’s employment status?” He stood up and approached the three. “I... uh... well...” Fluttershy shuffled her forehooves and lowered her head. “I haven’t seen such caring young mares in quite a long time. You remind me of my daughter.” Fluttershy’s head perked back up. “I thank you for bringing this to my attention. I will make sure you are rewarded in kind. Could I see your PokéNavs?” “A Poké-what?” Rainbow asked. The stallion chuckled. “I thought every trainer had one by now.” He trotted back to his desk and opened a drawer. He pulled out three devices with open straps coming out from the bottom. “These are PokéNavs, they’re quite essential for every trainer. They’re of Devon Corp. design.” He carried them over and handed them to each of them. “They come with a map, clock, touch screen, feeding timer, everything you need pre-installed.” “Why would you give us these for free? It seems like a little much.” Fluttershy asked. “I’m letting you keep them under one condition.” He trotted back to his desk and sat down. “My daughter, Stephanie, is doing some research in the caves of Dewford Town, and I can’t contact her at the moment. I need a letter delivered to her right away. You seem trustworthy enough.” “But, I—” “Don’t worry, whatever is inside will mean nothing if you peek I can assure you.” One of the two black-suited ponies handed Fluttershy an envelope. “Dewford has a gym, and since you’re trainers you should be going there anyway. Also I’ve heard there are quite a lot of rare Pokémon as well.” One of the ponies began escorting the three out of the room. “Good luck!” he yelled out as they approached the door. Fluttershy was the last to go through, and she overheard the two at the other end of the room talking quietly to each other. “Did you see those two ponies that were with the yellow pegasus?” “Yeah, what about them?” “Well, don’t they look fami—” She was pushed out the door and strained to hear the rest of the conversation. The door closed, leaving the three alone in the hallway. “This is so exciting! I can’t wait to see what this ‘Stephanie’ looks like!” Pinkie yelled out as she hopped towards the metal doors. “Wait, they were just talking about you two!” Fluttershy yelled out, desperate to grab their attention. “Oh well, they can talk about us all they want. I’m sure its because they think we’ll be expert trainers.” Rainbow said with confidence. Fluttershy sighed and walked to the doors. She took one last sideways glance at Mr. Stone’s office. After a short sigh, she walked through to the metallic room and watched the stallion’s office disappear behind the polished steel doors.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:28:08+00:00

2013-01-01T18:58:54+00:00

Alerce stood at the ready, staring down his feathered rival. It was his first real fight, and Fluttershy tried hard to keep her nerves under control. They stood in the middle of the crowded city with ponies in business suits passing by without question. She still wasn't used to the frantic nature of the place, but while she was here she felt she had to get used to it. "Uh, use Tackle," Fluttershy commanded weakly, prompting Alerce to run at a full sprint. Igni swiftly dodged and slapped Alerce with his wing. The Turtwig struck the ground but then popped back to his feet. “Alright, try scratching him,” Rainbow commanded, still trying to get her bearings. Igni jumped onto Alerce and scratched at his head. Alerce withdrew into his shell and spun, launching Ingi back towards Rainbow Dash. Igni started coughing and hacking; Rainbow bent down to check on him. "Are you alright, guy?" After a few more coughs, small embers flew from his mouth, catching Rainbow in the snout. She frantically rubbed her nose, trying to alleviate herself from the singeing embers. “Ow, what was that?” Igni slunk back and continued coughing. “Uh, let me check.” Fluttershy dug through her bag and whipped out her Pokédex. She had never used it to check information without desperation, so now was good a time as any. It lit up automatically, showing a screen with several options. She clicked the button next to “Move List”. It beeped at her, saying to point it at a pokémon. She tilted it down and lined it up with Igni; it flashed white and showed a text file of available league recognized moves. “It looks like that’s ‘Ember’. Igni is apparently a fire type, so he creates fire in his body I’m sure.” “That sounds... awesome!” Rainbow said, pushing Igni back into the fray. “Now, use that Ember attack on Alerce, not me.” Igni smiled and nodded, then turned and stared her opponent down. With a quick lunge forward, she fired a spray of small embers at Alerce. Some caught him on the face and legs, making him run and yelp in pain. With a worried glance, Fluttershy took the Pokédex and scanned over Alerce, revealing him to be a grass type. A type that’s weak to fire. “Uh... uh,” Fluttershy stammered. She tried coming up with a strategy, but the type and power disadvantage between the two was overwhelming. In desperation, she scanned the tablet again, looking ahead on Alerce’s move set. The only attack ahead in the list was Absorb, but it was still a ways off. “Tackle him!” she finally commanded. After shaking off the embers, Alerce charged and buried his head into Igni’s chest. The both flew towards Pinkie Pie, rolling and stumbling in the grass. As the fight went on, Fluttershy felt excited. She didn’t want to think it was May’s personality resurfacing, but it reminded her of the time she fought Brendan. No memories surfaced, which put her at ease. The endorphins that ran through her body was something she hadn’t felt since she saw Rainbow Dash pull off the fabled Sonic Rainboom. The gym fight couldn’t come fast enough; she shook with giddy anticipation. A few minutes later, her Pokédex’s alarm went off. “Alright, that’s enough,” she said, alerting Rainbow. Alerce bolted back to Fluttershy, rubbing the burn marks on his head and legs. “It’s 2:30. I need Alerce at full strength to fight this gym leader.” “So, are we just going to wait in front of the gym like last time?” Rainbow asked as she scooped Igni off of the grass. “Yeah. We might as well.” Fluttershy placed Alerce on her back and began making her way to the east side of the city as she looked down at her PokéNav. The map on this PokéNav is handy after all. Pinkie leaped from the grass and bounced along side Rainbow Dash. The gym stood next to two towering buildings, making it feel small and cramped. It was designed like any other building that wasn’t a glass behemoth: It was small and rectangular with a brown brick outside. A few windows were etched in the front just to the side of the sliding glass doors. A line of ponies extended from the entrance. Fluttershy couldn’t understand why there was a line if the fights were scheduled, but she took her place in the back to not stand out. “So why didn’t I get a call for a gym fight? I’m registered,” Rainbow complained as she approached the line. “Maybe it just hasn’t finished registering yet,” Fluttershy responded as the line shortened. “I wonder what this gym leader looks like! I bet they look like all those other ponies in suits,” Pinkie exclaimed. “Maybe one of these ponies in line know something!” She hopped out of line and began talking to a young stallion. Fluttershy couldn’t make out what he said, but his face became bright red as he talked, making Pinkie giggle. His eyes darted as he talked, then he looked down at the pavement. Giggling, Pinkie hopped back and stared at Fluttershy. “So, what did you find out? He seemed a little embarrassed,” Rainbow said. “Oh, he was going on about how pretty she was, and how refined and cultured, too. He was so red when he started talking! Apparently she has a really good fashion sense as well. I think Rarity might like her,” Pinkie snorted as she continued her giggling fit. “What about her pokémon? Did you find anything out about that?” Fluttershy asked. “Nope! All he did was stammer about the gym leader. It’ll be more fun if we find out when we get in; that way it’ll be a surprise!” As the clock ticked towards Fluttershy’s fight, her patience began to wear thin. Even after her existential crisis a day ago, she couldn’t help but be excited. She didn’t want to think that May’s personality was rubbing off on her, but she couldn’t come up with any other explanation. Rainbow and Pinkie broke that part of her, didn’t they? Her body shook as the line dwindled down to one pony. She checked the time, trying her hardest to keep her cool. It was 3:15, only fifteen minutes away from her second gym fight. She hoped that because there was such a long line that this was the first gym. Either that, or these were ponies who wanted to court her. All her trails of thought dissipated as the final pony entered the gym. “This is it...” Fluttershy said, trailing off. Self-defense, it’s just self-defense, she repeated to herself. “You’ll do fine. Norman was the fifth leader, maybe she’s the first,” Rainbow assured her, placing her hoof on Fluttershy’s back. “I hope so.” She felt a knot in her stomach form as she waited, her head pained and her vision blurred slightly. Her anxiety got the better of her, but she ignored it as she stared at her PokéNav. 3:29. The last pony to enter finally left with a disappointed face. He trotted past them slowly as the three made their way through the glass doors. The inside was much different than that of Norman’s; much more refined and cultured. Beautiful banners hung and sparkled with the midday sun. Elegant tapestry lined the gym floor, leaving a polished wood arena in the center. There were no bleachers and no seats for spectators as well. It was only the three and the gym leader alone in the building. At the other end of the gym stood the silhouette of a young mare unicorn with her head held up high. After the lights dimmed, the mare gracefully trotted her way to the center of the gym, allowing her purple and red dress to shine with the sun’s light that poured in from the ceiling. She was a white unicorn with a swirled purple mane with eyes of azure. On her shawl were three small blue diamonds. Fluttershy gasped as she stared. “R....R...Rarity?” Fluttershy gasped, her mouth hung agape. “What’s Rarity doing here? I thought she was back in Ponyville!” Rainbow whispered. Fluttershy didn’t understand. Her best friend stood right in front of her, but the air around her had changed. Why would she follow me here? I thought she’s with Twilight! “Welcome to the Rustboro Gym. My name is Roxanne,” the mare stated as she approached the three. Her voice was Rarity’s, but she acted as if nothing was wrong. Fluttershy couldn’t even look at her friends when she was conditioned without having pains of resurfacing memories. Maybe Rarity went with her friends without their knowledge and landed elsewhere. Maybe she had fully succumbed to those incessant voices. “Which one of you is my 3:30 appointment, hmm?” “I am,” Fluttershy said with a huff of confidence. “C-could I ask you something, miss?” The unicorn formed her mouth to a pout and placed her hoof under her chin. “I don’t see why not.” “Do you remember anything about yourself before two days ago?” Roxanne recoiled and stared blankly at Fluttershy. “W-what do you mean? Of course I do. What kind of silly question is that?” She turned away and strode to her side of the arena. “It’s been a pleasure, unknown pony, but I can assure you that this will be the only gym you will ever attend. “But, I’ve already been in another one,” Fluttershy retorted. “Yeah, the fifth one in fact. She’s not afraid of you,” Rainbow yelled out. “Norman’s? Hmm...” she scratched under her chin again. “It doesn’t matter. I won’t get into how that’s impossible, so I’ll simply get started.” Roxanne’s horn glowed, causing the perimeter lines of the arena to harshly glow in a blue light. “I am Roxanne, the first gym leader of Hoenn’s Pokémon League. I will show you the true nature of pokémon.” With her horn, she gracefully tossed a Poké Ball out onto the field, revealing a large rock with arms. It was polished, leaving Fluttershy unsurprised, but she hadn’t a clue on what to make of it. She whipped out her Pokédex and scanned the creature for information. “Weak to grass, huh?” Fluttershy muttered under her breath. Alerce didn’t have a grass attack yet, but maybe after taking a few attacks he can—” She stopped and stared down at Alerce who growled at the rock. After shutting her eyes, she placed one of her hooves on her forehead. This was the same Pokémon whom she cried over after the last fight, and yet at the moment she wanted to throw him back into the ring. W-what’s wrong with me? Am I really going to do this? “Fluttershy?” Rainbow approached her, hearing small sobs from the yellow pegasus. “Fluttershy, what’s wrong? You haven’t even sent out Alerce.” “I... I don’t know.” Fluttershy looked up at her friend. “Just a minute ago I knew why I had to fight, but I... was getting excited for this, and... I... ” Rainbow grabbed the pegasi’s head and made her stare straight into her eyes. “You’re the Element of Kindness, I know that. A pony was just mauled by a wolf sent by a trainer, and he’s part of a team of ponies who will do the same. There are probably many more ponies with even more powerful pokémon that could come for us. You aren’t fighting for sport, you’re doing it to survive.” She let go of Fluttershy’s head and looked over at the Rarity look alike. “Alerce is ready for this, and he knows this world better than you. Trust him.” Fluttershy gulped. Her friend was right. The whole world it seemed was based around fighting, and she knew it for days. For all she saw, she wasn’t ready to accept it alone. If the girl really was influencing her, maybe she could let it fight for her as she contemplated her stance. She concentrated on May’s personality and mannerisms, letting take her take over as she mentally went blank. It wouldn’t hurt to try, would it? Rainbow could only watch as Fluttershy opened her eyes, with a new found fire and intensity. Her timid demeanor seemed to melt away as she stood with her head held high. “Alerce, go out there and withdraw until you can use Absorb. Take as many hits as you can; I have potions ready.” Alerce nodded his head and calmly entered the field. “Oh, are we starting? Very well, you know what to do, Geodude.” The rock lunged forward, hitting Alerce in the shell. Its fist bounced off as a blue light enveloped his shell. “Keep at it!” Roxanne yelled, prompting Geodude to unleash a series of volleys at the turtwig. Fluttershy only stood, a small teeth-filled grin formed on her face, putting Rainbow on edge. Just a second ago she cried about even letting Alerce onto the field, then suddenly she smiled as he was pummeled into the earth. “What are you doing? You can’t win with pure defense,” Roxanne stated as she flipped her mane. “You’ll have to lower your defense at some point.” Fluttershy’s mischievous smile grew as he held up her Pokédex. “Alerce. Use Absorb, now!” She commanded in an authoritative tone. The Turtwig glowed in a green aura that enveloped him and the geodude. Suddenly a crack appeared on the rock, and green tendrils of energy coiled around Alerce. It absorbed into his skin, making all his bruises and cuts disappear. The geodude rocked back and lay on the ground, unmoving. “What was that?” Rainbow demanded. Fluttershy cocked her head towards the pewter blue pegasus and grinned. With her wings unfolded, Rainbow took a step back. “Y-you’re starting to creep me out.” “That was Absorb, a grass attack that steals a pokémon’s energy. Simple stuff, really.” “L... like a v-vampire!?” Pinkie jumped. “What’s going on with you!? One second you’re acting like the Element of Kindness, then you steal some animal’s energy like it’s some plaything? What happened to you!?” Fluttershy huffed. “I only did what you told me to do. You wanted me to fight, so I made the necessary steps to do it.” Her voice changed between every sentence, delving deeper and deeper into something unrecognizable to Rainbow. She turned back to Alerce who sat waiting patiently for Roxanne’s next Pokémon. “You’re smiling!” Rainbow snapped. “We aren’t doing this for fun!” “Maybe you aren’t,” Fluttershy stated coldly. Roxanne held her Poké Ball in the air and a red beam of light enveloped Geodude, turning it into a wisp of energy as it entered the sphere. “You know the type advantage, that’s good. You’re already better than 95 percent of trainers I have to face. Fillies these days never put in the research.” She took another Poké Ball from her dress and threw it to the field, revealing another Geodude. “I hope your Turtwig isn’t too exhausted.” “Alerce, finish it.” Fluttershy commanded, leaving Alerce to his work. His body glowed green as he released more energy absorbing coils. They struck the Geodude with terrible force, creating a gut-wrenching crack as energy flew through the air back to Alerce. Just as the Geodude came to battle, it fell where it stood. “I didn’t know gym leaders were going to be so easy,” she smiled. Rainbow could feel a knot forming in her throat. Her friend was gone, replaced by some pink-haired monster. “Hey! What have you done with Fluttershy?!” Rainbow screamed, catching Fluttershy’s attention. “No matter how much we need to defend ourselves, the Fluttershy I know would never take joy in this!” “While we’re here, why not have some fun?” Fluttershy approached Rainbow whose wings stood erect. Fluttershy’s pupils were half the size, giving her a violent look. “I couldn’t do it alone, so I let May take over as I thought over things.” “You... you let this happen!? You’re hiding behind this monster as you think about things?” Rainbow grabbed Fluttershy and stared into her eyes with fury. “Of course. It only seemed logical. Alerce was a strong, quick and loyal Pokémon. I guess the world knew better and changed him into something more fitting. A cowardly Pokémon for a cowardly pegasus. Maybe if I keep this up he’ll change back.” Rainbow couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Why Fluttershy would ever let this personality take over baffled her, but she had to take action. “Bring. Fluttershy. Back.” Rainbow commanded as she took her right hoof off her friend and reared it back. Fluttershy stared back at her, giving Rainbow horrible chills. As much as she tried, she couldn’t look away from her icy gaze. Fluttery’s pupils disappeared, leaving only her teal irises. Rainbow’s hooves were stuck in place as a wave of panic washed over her face. “If you would kindly step out of the way so I can finish this, that would be helpful. You always told me to be more assertive and confident.” Rainbow shook from rage as Fluttershy’s stare became more intense. She snapped her eyes shut and quickly mulled over her options. After one last shake, she gritted her teeth and smacked Fluttershy across the face. Fluttershy let out a small scream and fell over as her body went limp; her head bounced as it struck the ground. Both Roxanne and Pinkie gasped as Rainbow lurched over with tears in her eyes and her mouth hung open. She panted. She never wanted to hurt her friend, but Fluttershy left her no choice. “Dashie? Are you alright?” Pinkie asked, grabbing hold of the shaking pegasus. “Why did you do that?” “I had to. I pushed her too far...” Rainbow watched as Fluttershy grimaced, attempting to get up from the assault. She wiped the tears from her eyes and lent a hoof to the struggling pony. Fluttershy’s eyes jolted open, her eyes as large as normal. “W-what happened? Did I fall over?” Fluttershy asked, rubbing her cheek. “I’ll explain later. Are you doing alright, Fluttershy?” Rainbow pulled her friend off of the ground, letting her stand on her own hooves. “Yeah, I’ll be fine. A-are you... crying?” Rainbow wiped her eyes. “No, of course not.” She looked over to Roxanne who sent back her other Geodude. “Just finish this and let’s get out of here.” “You know, I’ve never had guests like this before,” Roxanne yelled over. “As much as I’d love for you to stay, I do have more appointments for today and I would hate to be late.” She tossed her final Poké Ball out onto the field, revealing a strange rock creature with a giant red nose. It stood with closed eyes and no emotion, shimmering in the sun light. “Alright Nosepass, be a dear and use Rock Tomb. That Turtwig rubs me the wrong way.” Fluttershy snapped to attention. As rocks floated in the air around Nosepass, she looked down at Alerce who appeared untouched. She shook her head, trying to alleviate herself from her dizziness. Her head was ringing and her cheek and the side of her head burned, but she had to focus. Everything between when the Geodude appeared and now was a giant blur, but she had to make a decision before Alerce was pummeled. “Use Withdraw. Hold it off.” Alerce nodded and waited out the barrage of rocks that struck his shell. She turned to Rainbow and Pinkie, “What happened? I don’t remember defeating that rock. All I remember is that it was weak to grass, and Alerce didn’t have a skill yet for that.” “He has Absorb now. You used it twice.” Rainbow stated. “He does? Well... alright.” After the flurry of rocks ceased, Alerce popped his head out from his shell and awaited an order. “Try Absorb. That should work.” Without hesitation Alerce performed the skill, cracking through the Nosepass’ body. Fluttershy recoiled in horror. “W-what?” The energy absorbed into Alerce’s shell, healing it to a polished shine. The Nosepass stumbled, trying to keep its footing. “Go for it again!” Roxanne yelled. Without Fluttershy’s command, Alerce used Absorb again, letting his opponent fall face first into the floor. As Fluttershy panted from the drop off of adrenaline, she heard Roxanne clopping on the floor. “That was marvelous! It’s been a while since anyone has been able to defeat me so thoroughly. Also that performance in the middle was simply divine and masterfully crafted.” She walked to her Nosepass and placed it back inside its capsule. “I wish more of my opponents were as much of a firebrand and entertainer as you were.” Fluttershy wanted to ask about the state of Roxanne’s Pokémon, but thought better of it. She repeated her mantra in her head as she made her way to the middle of the arena. Self-defense, it’s just self-defense. Roxanne scratched her chin, her eyes scanned over the pegasus. “You’re from Littleroot, aren’t you? The clothes look like their style.” “Yes,” she stated, as she wondered what Roxanne tried to imply. “You’re the second trainer from there to defeat me within the past two days.” She glanced down at Alerce. “You’re also the second to abandon your Hoenn starter for another region’s.” “I- I didn’t abandon my starter. One morning I woke up and he turned into this. He was a treecko before!” She stopped. “Wait, Brendan’s already gone through here?” “Yes he did. Quite feisty I might add. About your turtwig... Frankly, with all I’ve seen today, I’d believe anything.” Roxanne’s horn glowed, lifting a small golden thin badge from her dress. Two arrows pointed outwards away from each other, slightly off kilter from being lined up. Both were connected by gold bars that ran across the middle. “This is the Stone Badge. It proves you are worthy of starting your journey.” She placed the badge in Fluttershy’s hoof. “The next gym is in Dewford Town. Just south of the Petalburg Woods, there’s a ship that brings trainers to Dewford. If it’s full, there’s always Mr. Briney. He’s a salty old pony, but he’ll help if you know what to say.” “Thank you.” Fluttershy took the badge and placed it in her bag. “So, you don’t recognize me at all... and you remember things from your past?” She shuffled her forehoof. “I’m sorry for prying, but you look and sound exactly like one of my friends.” “Hmm, I’m sorry. I’m pretty sure I remember everything from my past quite vividly. You are such an odd bunch of ponies.” She turned around gracefully as her dress swayed back and forth. She walked back to her side of the arena and glanced back at the three “Thank you for such a wonderful battle. Good luck miss. You might want to get your head checked though. That impact looked like it hurt.” Fluttershy turned away and exited the gym, weaving her way through the new line of ponies that congregated outside. A cool breeze whisked through the buildings, clanging the wind chimes that hung on the buildings down the street. The light, somber tone calmed Fluttershy as she watched her friends keep their distance. Pinkie’s eyes simply wandered, trying desperately to avoid eye-contact as she walked. Walking and a straight face was never a good sign with Pinkie. Rainbow simply stared ahead as she followed Fluttershy south. She rubbed her face; her skin was still quite raw, so much so it was as if she didn’t simply fall over. After the pep talk from Rainbow Dash, she had no recollection of what happened until she woke up on the gym floor. “What happened to me in the gym?” she asked as she turned to her friends. “Why did I wake up on the floor with a bruise on my face?” A small twinge coursed through her cheek. She rubbed it as she waited for their response. “That was my fault,” Rainbow Dash spoke up. “You were acting so... mental. You said something about letting May take over. Did you really do that?” “I don’t remember doing that, but I must’ve forgotten. Why, what did I, or she, do?” “You were smiling! Not like a good smile, but like an evil, evil smile,” Pinkie blurted. “Then you used your stare against Rainbow Dash and she smacked you in the face and got teary-eyed.” Fluttershy’s pupils shrank. “I... I couldn’t have used the stare. I would never use it on my friends.” She looked down at the pavement, ashamed. She didn’t want to believe them, but they were her friends. Why would they lie to me? “I thought that she was only excited for fighting. I didn’t know she was so ruthless. I-I’m so sorry.” “You know what, let’s forget about it.” Rainbow said as she hovered above the ground. “Since Absorb took care of all of Alerce’s injuries, we should be good to go through the forest again. It’s good that you’re back, Fluttershy.” “Great idea! I would love to see what the boats look like here. Everything is so new and shiny here, so it must be amazing!” Pinkie hollered as she bounced around the group. Fluttershy nodded and continued down the road. “Do we have enough supplies for the trip? We haven’t really stopped to get anything lately.” “We just ate, so we should be fine. Once I do my flight training today I might run through all our food though,” Rainbow said, doing a somersault over the two. “By the way Pinkie, you still need a pokémon. We can’t have you running around without one of your own.” “Maybe I’ll find something on that boat! We haven’t seen any cool water ones yet, so maybe I’ll...” Fluttershy’s concentration moved elsewhere as she caught a glance of a pony out the corner of her eye. It stood near a park bench with an orange lizard with a flame on its tail. All she heard from her friends were mumbles as the pony caught her peeking. He motioned to his lizard and they both came straight at her. Fluttershy stopped and grabbed Alerce, setting him down on the pavement. She squinted, trying to get a better view of the pony. The silhouette of a flowing jacket and strange hat gave way to color and detail as he came closer. Brendan? “Hey!” the pony yelled, stopping in front of the three. “It’s been a while, girl.” “Who’s that, Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked, staring at the strange pony. “The name’s Brendan.” He gritted his teeth and locked eyes with Fluttershy. “So, what have you been up to? Laugh at anymore ponies lately?” “W-what?” Fluttershy asked. I don’t remember laughing at anypony. “I just got finished with a gym fight. “Oh, so you’ll fight gym leaders, but not me. It’s a good thing I get rid of that torchic, he couldn’t even beat Norman, let alone get any respect from you.” “Uh, about that.” Rainbow chimed in, grabbing Igni off from her back. “Is this yours?” “Y-yeah,” he stammered irritably. “Whatever, I’m challenging you here, filly.” He looked down at Alerce, who growled at the fire lizard. “What happened to my father’s treecko?” “Oh, well... he just...” “So you won’t even fight me with my father’s pokémon? I see how it is.” Brendan cut Fluttershy off. “It doesn’t matter, my charmander will burn that stupid turtle to crisp.” “I’ll fight you!” Rainbow flew in Brendan’s face, staring him down. “I’ll take your old torchic and take you out with him!” With that she moved away, giving Igni space to move. Igni jumped up and down with glee as he fluttered his wings. Brendan stepped back as the moving crowd formed a perimeter around the two fighters. Fluttershy stepped back near the crowd, hoping May’s personality didn’t rear its head. Thinking of May, Rarity came to her mind. Maybe Twilight knew if Rarity followed the two in. She wasn’t a unicorn, so she had no access to magic. Even though, she had to try. She closed her eyes and concentrated on Twilight. Her conversation with her last time was still clearly etched into her head. With her lower lip clenched in her teeth, she focused on Twilight, hoping that somehow they could talk. A few seconds later, she heard a small echo reverberating through her head. With all her mental anguish, she couldn’t tell if it was Twilight or just May’s memories trying to resurface. “H-hello? Twilight?” she said, as she fell into deep concentration “Hey Fluttershy! What are you doing in my head?” Pinkie’s voice echoed through Fluttershy’s mind. “Pinkie? How are you... I mean how are we doing this? Neither of us are unicorns.” “Pinkie? Fluttershy? Is that you?” Twilight asked with a somber tone. “Twilight! I’m so glad to finally hear from you! I’m so sorry about last time... Things were a little out of my control...” Fluttershy apologized. “Oh, it’s alright. Is Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie with you? I never got the chance to talk to you, and things are pretty hectic where I am,” Twilight asked, her voice lightening up. “Yeah! We found Fluttershy only a few hours after we landed. Things are crazy here! There are animal fights, and tall glass buildings, and crazy ponies, and—” “Wait, animal fighting?” Twilight interrupted Pinkie. “Like cockfighting? Everywhere we go seems to be completely different than Equestria.” “Everywhere? Like more than one place?” Fluttershy wondered. “Yes. The counter-spell that could bring you three back was stolen from the royal archives in Canterlot. Apparently the only other known location of the spell is in the country of Ventia. So far in the day we’ve been out, we’ve already been attacked by a pack of griffons.” “Packs of feral griffons? Is it really that dangerous out there? They eat ponies.” Fluttershy shuddered, remembering the assault from Rainbow’s old griffon friend, Gilda. “We are able to fend them off, but Rarity was injured. We have the necklaces we got at Luna’s old castle, and it gives us more power in times of crisis it seems. Rarity’s already set off once, and she’s lying in bed at the moment, recovering. I’m just watching her as Applejack gets supplies.” Fluttershy opened her eyes and saw Rainbow flying in the air, throwing gusts just above Igni’s head. The gale slammed into the charmander and Brendan, forcing them to turn and shield their eyes. “Stop that! You’re cheating!” “Who me? I’m just relaxing up here.” Rainbow closed her eyes and put her forehooves behind her head as her wings continued their assault. Fluttershy jumped back into the conversation, “Wait, Rarity is over with you? She didn’t come with Rainbow or Pinkie? We just saw a pony who looked and sounded exactly like her!” “She’s right here next to me. Only Rainbow and Pinkie went through.” “How can we all talk to each other like this? I mean, we aren’t unicorns. This is just strange!” Pinkie asked. “Maybe the spell wasn’t just a way to talk. We may all be linked subconsciously. This is great, now if anything happens you can talk to me at anytime.” She paused for a second. “Hold on, I hear somepony coming up the stairs. I’ll talk to you two later. I’m so relieved to hear from you two.” “Please be careful, Twilight,” Fluttershy said as her mind grew quiet. She opened her eyes and saw the charmander lying on the road unconscious. Rainbow flew down to the ground, swooped up and planted her hooves to the ground. She picked up Igni, whose only damage was some ruffled feathers. Brendan only scowled as he sent back his charmander. Without a word, he bolted past Rainbow and Fluttershy, rushing back into the city. “That was easy,” Rainbow remarked. “We contacted Twilight; Rarity is still with her,” Fluttershy said as the crowd closed in on the three. “You did? How? You aren’t unicorns.” “Apparently Pinkie, Twilight and I are linked somehow. I can’t really explain it, but we can talk to her any time now.” “That’s great!” Rainbow said as she folded her wings. “That pony was weird; why was he all in your face like that?” “I ran away from him last time I met him. He must’ve been really hurt by it.” Fluttershy said, looking north into the city. Rainbow lowered her head in thought, then looked up at Pinkie. “So, Rarity is still with Twilight, and wasn’t accidentally sent here?” “Yeah, that’s what I just said,” Fluttershy explained. She thought for a moment, “You know, this isn’t the first time I’ve seen a pony I recognized. It was a brown pony with spiked back brown mane and an hourglass cutie mark. I thought maybe it was my imagination.” “I know that pony!” Rainbow exclaimed. “He normally works with Applejack during Winter Wrap Up, right?” She paused and looked up in thought. “So, if there’s a pony running around that looks like Rarity, and another that looks like a citizen of Ponyville...” Rainbow pondered, looking back at the forest. “What about ponies that look and act like us?”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:28:27+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:03+00:00

With a flash, a white, slender alicorn appeared in front of the royal archive’s doors. She looked at the walls with disdain; the unpainted and unlit stone crumbled in disrepair. They showed their age quite visibly. The floor was still the dull grey stone she remembered from a thousand years ago. “I can’t believe she hasn’t finished this yet,” she muttered to herself. She channeled energy through her horn, and swung open the two doors with ease. The inside was nearly black with only a light glow emanating from the center of the room. With a yawn, she entered the room and lit every torch simultaneously, illuminating every inch of the library. She spread her wings and flew above the expansive maze of bookshelves. After scanning the room, she spotted a figure in the center, slumped over in slumber. “I knew she’d be here.” With a flutter, the alicorn landed in front of the desk, looking straight at the drooling princess. “Luna,” she called, springing the princess out of her sleep. “—wha? Who?” Luna stammered as her mind adjusted to the waking world. She looked up at the smaller alicorn as she shuffled all the books off the desk, “Oh, hey Celess.” “Down here again, huh?” Celestia started, glancing at the dusty rows of texts, “I thought you were going to start sitting on the throne and listening to your subjects. Not everypony is asleep during the night you know.” Luna huffed. “Did you come down here just to scold me?” “Of course not, I’m just looking out what’s best for you. It’s already been a year since you’ve come back, and you act as if nothing has changed.” Celestia put her hoof on her sister’s shoulder. “There are those who need your guidance at night.” “...just give me some time, alright? I still have a millennia of history to catch up on.” “I understand that. Now, I did come down here for a reason. My pupil gave me a letter three days ago requesting access to the archives. The walk from Ponyville to Canterlot is less than a day, and I haven’t heard from her since,” she took her hoof off and stood back on all fours. “Do you know if she came by?” Luna shuffled in her seat and slid her gaze from her interrogator. “Uh, yeah. She came down the day before looking for some book. Didn’t stay for long.” Celestia glared at her. Luna had never been good at playing large matters off, and it seemed that her banishment hadn’t helped that. “What did she get? Why was I not informed of this?” Luna looked down at her pile of books. Her sister watched as the young alicorn struggled to hide her guilt. Celestia’s curiosity was peaked, but a cloud of anxiety hung in the air. “She was trying to find a spell from Arcan... but there was a problem.” “A problem?” Celestia paced back and forth, glancing at Luna’s scattered texts. “Yes,” Luna took a deep breath. “Do you remember the book we received from him after the old castle was built?” “Of course. Why, what happened to it?” “Well, the preface and counter-spells were torn out of the book.” Her teal eyes burned through Celestia as she spoke. “Maybe the pages fell out. That is an old book after all.” Celestia suggested, staring back at her sister. “You’re smarter than that, sis,” Luna argued. “There are tear marks and remnants of the pages still in the spine. Even if the epoxy did fail, they would have been in the book. This happened while you were in charge; you didn’t touch this place while I was imprisoned, did you?” “Do not talk to your big sister like that,” Celestia scolded. “I just want to know what happened. Where is Twilight Sparkle?” “She...” Luna’s eyes darted to the side. “She’s on her way to Mistral City.” Celestia froze. “Why is she going there? Where did she get that idea?” She started pacing as the solar wind in her hair subsided. “Twilight told me that she performed a deviation that sent one of her friends to another realm of space-time. The only book we have that had the counter-spell had the pages ripped out, and I know that one complete version lies in Mistral.” Celestia closed her eyes and sharply inhaled. “You told her to go? Luna, you of all ponies should know what Mistral City is like. Now the Element of Magic is missing from Equestria, and my student is running head first into the dragons’ den.” Her pacing hastened. The clopping of her hooves echoed through the library, making the room feel hollow and lifeless. “She’s only a young mare! She’s completely unprepared for this kind of excursion!” A small pool of tears rested in the goddess’ eyes as her mind buzzed with fear. “Things could kill her out there! Why didn’t she come talk to me first!?” “I didn’t know what else to tell her! She was pulling her mane out because of this. I brought her and her friends their element necklaces, so they should be fine.” Her body shook as she spoke. “If they could defeat me when I was Nightmare Moon, then they should be able to wipe the floor with any of the low-life scum there.” “You misunderstand—” she stopped and looked inquisitively at her sister. “Her friends? You mean more than one element left Equestria without my knowledge?” She buried her face into her hoof. “Why was I not told this?” “You’ve been busy over the past few days, and I didn’t want to disturb you,” Luna said, her face flushing with shame. “That’s probably why Twilight didn’t talk to you the day they left.” “When did they leave?” Celestia placed her hooves on the desk and stared at her sister. She never liked pressing answers out of ponies, but Luna was stalling. “Twilight is more important to me than any business I could possibly have. When did she leave?” “T-two mornings ago.” Luna squeaked. “I’m so sorry, Celess. I haven’t had much practice dealing with other ponies in the last millennia... so... I must have misjudged the weight of this.” Celestia turned away from Luna and headed into the maze of bookshelves. “I have to raise the sun in less than an hour. When I do, you are to join me in the conference hall.” She turned to the distraught alicorn. “I need you to write a letter to Twilight’s assistant in Ponyville. If anyone knows the whole story, it will be him.” Celestia’s horn glowed with a brilliant white light. “If anything happens to Twilight or any of her friends, I will not hesitate to raise the banners.” With that, she left in a burst of light, leaving Luna alone in the dusty archive. Eww, what was I doing in somepony else’s bed!?” Rarity yelled, the noise knocking Twilight from her trance. The white unicorn jumped from the bed and backed away with panic in her face. She then lowered her head in embarrassment as Applejack turned over and grumbled in her sleep. “Oh, sorry about that. I didn’t know where I was for a moment.” “It’s alright, I’m just glad you’re awake,” Twilight yawned as she got to her hooves. Night had long since fallen as she kept an eye on Rarity. Applejack and Zipporah had gone to sleep hours ago as Twilight kept watch. She was exhausted, but she was too excited about Rarity’s waking to care. “Twilight, I’m so sorry about what happened today. I wish I was better at defending myself, but I just made things worse by passing out at such a pivotal moment.” Rarity checked her body for injuries and tried managing her ruffled coat. “You don’t remember what happened in the battle?” Twilight asked as she wiped her bloodshot eyes, forcing herself to keep them open. “Of course I do, I just told you. Really Twilight, you must listen more,” Rarity scoffed. “Tell me everything you remember,” Twilight said as she approached Rarity. She glanced at her friend’s body, circling her to check on her wounds. “Fine, if I must. I swung my weapon around gracefully as I left the store and backed into the phalanx of ponies. I thought I was fine, but after fending a few off one flew right into the group and struck me in the side, tossing me on the ground. My sword lay right in front of me, just out of reach, and a brutish griffon landed on top of it. Before I could react, I passed out, then woke up just a minute ago.” Rarity looked out the window at the coming dawn. “I wish I could have been a better help.” After making her round, Twilight looked up at Rarity’s eyes. “I know you don’t remember this, but you were the one who took down all the griffons.” Rarity looked dumbfounded, then began snickering. “Twilight, you don’t have to try making me feel better. I think I would remember such a powerful display if it happened.” Twilight lifted Rarity’s necklace from the floor and showed it to her. “When you were about to be struck by a griffon, your necklace activated. You took needles from your bag, thrust them into the base of their wings and immobilized them.” Rarity stared at Twilight with her mouth hung open. “Maybe you forgot because of stress.” Rarity paced, her legs hobbling lightly as she walked. “I really did that?” She stumbled into Twilight, wrapping her hooves around the purple unicorn. “I’m sorry, I was so frightened.” Twilight lay in Rarity’s embrace, baffled. She lightly pushed her away and held onto her shoulders. “It’s alright, you’re fine now.” She took her hooves off her friend and watched as Rarity folded the sheets on the bed with her magic. “I know. I’m sorry for that outburst,” Rarity said as she let go of Twilight. “I’m just not thinking straight at the moment.” A quiet lull filled the air as Rarity’s horn ceased to glow. The two unicorns glanced around, trying to come up with words after Rarity’s scene. Twilight’s eye-lids grew heavy again as the bed beckoned her. As she slowly approached the warm, soft, feather filled mattress, she heard murmurs from outside. Wanting to ignore them, she inched closer to the inviting bed, but the whispers only grew louder, prompting Twilight to turn her head towards the window. The sun still had not yet risen as she looked down at the ground in front of the store. Amidst the blue-gray haze, ponies stood in a crowd. Forty, no, fifty of them at minimum were huddled together. “Twilight? What are you looking at?” Twilight turned to Rarity with her eyes half-closed as Rarity placed the choker around her neck. “There are some ponies gathered outside. I’m going down to see what they want.” She broke eye-contact with Rarity and trotted silently down the stairs, hoping not to wake Zipporah who lay behind the store counter. With a flick of unicorn magic, she slowly opened the doors. Noise of the rabble filled the room as Twilight poked her head out the door; her eyes meeting with several ponies. “Um, hello? Could I help you with something?” The group fell dead silent as the last stragglers looked over at Twilight. She gulped and opened the door fully. “What are all of you doing in front of the store? Does Zipporah really open this early?” “Zipporah?” A grey-blue pegasus asked. “Never heard of her.” “Then why are you standing in front of her shop? Are you new in town?” For as small a town as Wheatown was, she never guessed that it garnered this much attention. She didn’t like what she saw. As she waited, several ponies hollered to her and continued their rambling. “No ma’am, we just heard a rumor that there are Equestrians here,” a dull yellow colored earth pony explained. Twilight huffed out a nervous laugh and stared at the crowd. They grew louder and more distracted as Twilight laughed, making them unaware of her creeping back inside the store. Once the door closed, she rushed up the spiral staircase. When she reached the top, she stomped on the floor, causing Rarity to glance over at full attention. Out of breath, Twilight began, “We have a problem. A huge problem.” “What is it, Twilight?” Rarity asked. “There’s a large group of ponies outside saying they heard rumors of Equestrians here! How did they find out about us so quickly?” Rarity stopped pacing. “So a couple ponies know about us, what’s the problem? Did you even ask them how they heard of us.” “Well... no, but don’t you remember what Zipporah said? She talked about two ‘unkillable demons’ and how ponies from Mistral City talk badly about Equestria. Ventia isn’t far from here, they might find us before we even reach the city.“ Twilight explained as she grabbed and unfurled her map. “How many could there be? We’re in a small town in the middle of nowhere.” “Forty, or fifty; I lost count.” Rarity stepped back, then looked out the window at the mass of ponies. “Well, that is more of a problem than I thought,” Rarity exclaimed. She rushed over to Applejack, shaking her to get her up, “Applejack, get up. We have a situation, and we need to leave.” With a grunt and several thrown expletives, Applejack got off from her blanket and rubbed her eyes. “What’s goin’ on?” She looked out the window with a puzzled look. “It’s only the crack of dawn, what’s the rush?” “What are we going to do? We can’t just waltz out the front door with our cutie marks showing.” Rarity asked as she looked out the window to the north. “Is there a back door?” “Will somepony please explain what’s happenin’?” Applejack demanded as she packed up her blanket. “There’s a huge crowd of ponies outside talking about rumors of Equestirans. We need to leave before they cause any problems,” Twilight explained before turning to Rarity. “We’ll have to ask Zipporah about the door. Applejack, did you pick up those supplies I asked for?” “Yep! I got some food, and blankets, and cloaks like you asked for. I figured anything else like fire starters would be better set up with magic. Lightens the load a bit.” She patted her saddle bags which bulged from the massive amount of supplies. “Good, take out the cloaks. I thought we could save them for the mountains, but we need them to stay hidden.” Twilight said as she grabbed her saddlebags. “Wait, mountains? Who told you about mountains?” Rarity asked. “The Drakiris Mountains. They appear on the map on the border of the outlands and Ventia. Those griffons we fought live there according to Zipporah, so we have to be careful.” “Anything else you want to tell us before we rush out there?” Applejack quipped. “I think she mentioned something about extended seasons as well. It’s been locked in winter for ages apparently.” Twilight placed her bags on her back and took a cloak that Applejack tossed on the floor. “It might have something to do with how time and space works there, but I’m not sure.” She paused and motioned to the stairs “We should probably get going before the crowd gets any bigger.” As the first rays of the sun cast through the windows, the crowd became louder and rambunctious. The three donned their russet, woven cloaks and swiftly made their way down the stairs. Along the back wall were crates covered in blankets and flasks of unknown liquids. Rarity and Applejack shuffled around the mess, reaching the back wall. “You two search for an exit, I’ll talk to Zipporah.” Twilight commanded, leaving the two ponies to their work as Twilight strode over to the still sleeping shopkeeper. “Zipporah, wake up. We need a way out of here through the back.” Twilight asked, pushing against Zipporah, attempting to wake her. The earth pony stirred in her sleep, then violently sat up with her eyes wide open. “What is it?” she asked, looking at Twilight, then over to the source of aggravating noises that pierced the shop walls. “There are ponies outside looking for us. Somehow they found out there were Equestrians here. We need a way out without being seen.” Twilight explained, looking over to her friends who continued their assault on the back wall. “Is that what that noise is? You ponies are nothin’ but trouble,” Zipporah complained as she hauled several crates away, clearing a path between two red, gold stitched banners. There was a black, iron door knob sticking out from the wall. “There’s a back door, but it’s been years since it’s been used. May need a bit of work get through.” When she reached the wall, she slammed her shoulder into the wall, causing a part to bow out. She held onto the doorknob and shook it, trying to force the door open. “Open you infernal door!” Zipporah cursed as she shook the door harder. “How could we have missed that?” Rarity quipped as Zipporah began slamming her shoulder into the door. With one final hit, the door cracked and swung open. Twilight looked outside, seeing only empty grassland. “The back of the store is clear, we have to go.” She stepped aside, allowing Rarity and Applejack through as she turned to Zipporah. “How did those ponies find out about us? Did you tell anyone?” “I didn’t say a word, but perhaps your ‘cutie marks’ gave you away. All you can do now is stay hidden and avoid Ventian eyes at all costs.” She shoved Twilight out the door and grabbed the knob. “Go, there’s nothing left here for you.” “Thank you for everything!” Twilight yelled as the door closed swiftly behind her. Her heart raced as she entered the grasslands, escaping the feverish horde. Rarity and Applejack lay ahead, waiting for her to catch up. While she ran, Twilight could still hear the distant cries of the crowd as she turned towards the Drakiris. The path ahead was shrouded in a deep fog, making it hard to see the main road. Twilight lowered the hood of her cloak, letting the open air muss her hair about. The rising sun dully lit the trail as they made their way through the dense fog. They walked alongside the trail, trying to keep away from prying eyes so close to town. Rarity retrieved a few apples from her bag and handed them to Twilight and Applejack. “Here, eat up. I have a feeling we won’t be going into towns any time soon,” Rarity said before biting into an apple herself. Twilight took a bite, trying to calm herself. She relished the apple’s sweet taste after her long night. As the three made their way through the tall grass, Twilight’s fatigue began creeping back up on her. Her eye-lids drooped, and her trot wobbled as she forced her attention ahead. Her body ached as she moved; the lack of sleep and energy made it hard for her to think straight. She looked over to Applejack who looked as if she was talking, but no words came from her mouth. Quickly, she glanced to Rarity who nodded and responded to Applejack in kind with silence. She couldn’t tell what was happening, but made a mental note of the loud buzzing sound that danced between her ears. After only a few more steps, she fell face first into the grass, digging up a chunk with her mouth. Applejack bent down to pick Twilight up, but her body resisted. The ground felt like a puffy cloud that called for her to lie on. Applejack hoisted Twilight up and looked at her with a concerned look. “Are ya’ alright?” Applejack asked. Twilight was happy that the earth pony’s voice was able to pierce the constant noise, and she had to answer in earnest. “Well, I didn’t get any sleep last night. I was up watching Rarity’s condition.” She blinked furiously, trying desperately to keep her eyes open. “I think I need some rest. The stress must be getting to me.” “If you don’t mind sleeping in the grass, we could always stop off the road.” Rarity swept her hoof, showcasing the lack of ponies and visible path. “It’s not ideal, but you need your rest. You look just awful right now.” “Thanks, I know.” Twilight responded as her two friends lifted her by her forelegs and carried her to a small patch of tall grass. The thicket was just tall enough for them to not be seen as Twilight dozed. They let her down easy and stood beside her. “We’ll stay here and watch for anypony, or anything coming. We won’t let anyone know we’re here,” Rarity said as she set down her saddlebags and took out a small blanket. “You might need this. This fog will make the air chilly if we stay here too long.” “Thanks...” Twilight yawned as the warm, fleece blanket draped over her. The grass was still wet with dew, but was soft and comfortable; perfect enough for her. With a tired smile, Twilight closed her eyes and let the smell of the dewy grass lull her to sleep. A warm breeze gently brushed passed Twilight as she lay upon the observatory. She surrounded herself with books for the evening, everything from The Egghead’s Guide to Astronomy to The Advanced, Illuminating Guide to Theoretical Space-Time Anomalies. After a long day of spending the day at Rarity’s, she was ready to snuggle into her blanket and absorb herself in books for the rest of the day. As words flew by, she heard some banter from below the balcony. She shook her head and continued her assault, but it grew louder and more grating. Although the sounds came from happy, exuberant ponies, Twilight preferred the sound of silence as she read. With one last yell boring through her ears, she slammed her book closed and leaned over the balcony. All five of her friends were standing below surrounding Rainbow Dash. They stopped talking and looked up at her. “Hey Twilight, come down here for a minute! I have something I want to show you girls,” Rainbow called out. “I’ll be right down,” Twilight yelled back. She stepped away from the balcony ledge and teleported down to the base of the tree. Rainbow stood there with her head held high, making Pinkie giggle. “So, what do you want to show us?” “I’d like to know as well. I was just in the middle of doing measurements for a client when you ripped me away from my work.” Rarity complained. “Now, there’s a good reason. I’ve just mastered an insanely tricky maneuver that I’m going to use for the Equestrian Flying Nationals in two weeks. I need to get you girls excited for when I perform.” Rainbow boasted as she lifted herself off from the ground. “Let’s see it! If it’s as spectacular as the Sonic Rainboom, you’re sure to win the competition! Ooo, ooo, I want to see it.” Pinkie exclaimed. Rainbow nodded. “Alright, here I go!” With that, Rainbow launched into the air with blinding speed. Twilight watched as Rainbow banked around a large, puffy cloud, ripping through the outside, turning it to a veil of mist. As she made another turn, she flew through the droplets of water that in turn followed the pewter blue pegasus through the open sky. Twilight was in awe of her friend’s flying ability, but something in the corner of her eye caught her attention. A brown mass tore through the sky, headed in Rainbow’s direction. She looked down at her friends, but none of them seemed to be reacting. With a pained look, she glanced back up just in time to see the brown object to strike Rainbow with terrible force, sending the pegasus plummeting. Twilight brought her hoof to her mouth in horror, “Rainbow Dash!” Twilight yelled. Rainbow fell to the earth as Twilight heard horrible screeching coming from the east. Twilight gasped as the creature swooped down in pursuit of the fallen pegasus. Reluctantly, she tore her eyes from the scene to see a mass of griffons flying through Ponyville. Fluttershy screamed and flew away while Applejack and Pinkie stood their ground. A griffon whizzed past Twilight and grabbed Fluttershy, attempting to lift her from the ground as she kicked and screamed. Without hesitation, she ran at a full gallop, charging a spell to save her friend, but she heard a terrible scream behind her. She froze, and turned around, seeing both Applejack and Pinkie on the ground with two griffons standing on their bodies. Shaking, she brought her hoof to her mouth, shrieking audible sobs as the griffons tore into their bodies. Before she could run, she caught the sight Rainbow crashing into the earth as a tawny griffon swooped in, dragging the pegasus away. She tore her eyes away as Rainbow’s lifeless body was left hanging in the griffon’s talons. Twilight slowly backed away, unsure of what to do. Rarity was gone, and as she turned back to Fluttershy who was nowhere to be found. Her lower lip quivered and her sobbing grew louder as she looked for a place to hide. Her mind went blank in blinding fear as she looked. Her ears drooped as she turned back, the sight of crimson blood pooling around her earth pony friends burned into her weeping eyes. She forced her eyes shut and ran, tears streaming down her face. She had to run. Keep herself safe. She opened her eyes and saw an open wooden shed. Frantically, she stormed through Ponyville, but before she could reach the shed, a loud screech pursued her. She turned her head in panic, and encompassing her vision was a pair terrible ink black wings and the piercing, ice-blue eyes of a large griffon. It screamed straight for her with its sharp claws about to seize her neck. Twilight screamed as she woke. Her breathing was heavy, labored and stuttered as her mind adjusted to consciousness. Her body flopped down from a short jump as she felt her body sway back and forth. She was arched belly down on something small and round. Her gaze drifted to the ground, and she noticed rocks and debris moving to her left as she swayed; she was moving. She quickly looked around, noticing the brown, stitched cloaks of her friends and a unicorn with long, purple locks of hair looking at her. “R-Rarity? Why are we moving?” “Twilight, you’re awake!” Applejack exclaimed as she turned off the road. “What was the scream all about? Had a bad dream?” “You could say that,” Twilight confirmed as she rolled off of Applejack’s back and stretched. “So, why did you start moving?” “Well, you were taking so long with your nap that Applejack just lifted you up and carried you on her back. I don’t know how you slept for so long with all that dreadful rocking,” Rarity said as she brushed off Twilight’s cloak. “How long would that be?” Twilight looked at the sun’s position, trying to figure it out before one of them had the chance to respond. The sun was still quite low in the sky, just reaching a low-lying line of clouds. “A day,” Applejack stated as Twilight’s steps stuttered in shock. “You must’ve been exhausted to have slept so soundly for that long. I didn’t see you move around at all. I just decided to carry you so we could get to Ventia quicker. We don’t have time to muck around.” “I see,” Twilight said as she fluffed her cloak. “Anything notice us while I was asleep?” “Well, somepony did ask us about our cloaks. I simply told them we were merely travelers,” Rarity said. “I want to keep our stories consistent for when we get into Mistral City. Other than that, nothing bothered us. I’m not sure how with these cloaks on and you on Applejack’s back, but we seem to be traveling at a good pace.” She lifted a few apples out from her bag and handed them to Twilight. “There are mountains just up ahead. We think it may be the Drakiris.” “Looks like it.” Twilight turned and looked over to the horizon, taking notice of the dagger shaped mountains shrouded in a blue veil. Snow smothered over half the mountains, almost confirming Zipporah’s claim of an extended winter. The outlands were baked in the heat of the summer sun while the mountains were chilled with a snap of cold winds. “I think we could reach the base before nightfall if we move quick enough.” Twilight yawned again, and motioned her friends forward. “Let’s get moving.” Twilight watched several motorized carts drive by. The three stayed silent as they went down the road, minding their words as they walked. Twilight’s thoughts drifted towards her short, but visceral nightmare. Everything in the dream felt real; normally her dreams felt abstract and fake. She went over it several times, trying to piece together every scene and detail. As she mulled it over, she let her eyes wander. The silence between the three was overbearing, and the sound of wind rustling grass acted simply as white noise. With no notice, the conversation she had with Pinkie and Fluttershy flashed through her mind. She never did tell Applejack nor Rarity about how their missing friends were. “Listen, I forgot to mention that I was contacted by Pinkie and Fluttershy the night before,” she said with glee. “Oh? Well, what did they say?” Rarity asked. “It would’ve been nice to know about this conversation sooner.” “I know, but it slipped my mind as things got hectic,” Twilight explained. “Pinkie said that she found Fluttershy within the day that they landed. Apparently they weren’t too far off from each other.” “Well that’s good. They aren’t in any danger, right?” Applejack asked. “I don’t believe so, but Pinkie mentioned something akin to animal fighting being a large event there. Fluttershy didn’t seem too worried about it, and that worries me.” “It’s not anythin’ too dangerous it sounds like,” Applejack said before she took a bite of an apple that she got out from her bag. “Yeah, I thought Fluttershy would be a little bit more—” Twilight stopped speaking as she looked up at the sky near the mountains’ peak. There, peaking out from the back of a grey cloud, was the moon in broad daylight, something never seen on Equestrian soil. She glanced over at the still rising sun and judged the angle of the sunlight, making sure what she was seeing wasn’t an illusion. “Uh, Twi? What’re you lookin’ at?” Applejack prodded, knocking Twilight’s train of thought off-track. “Look up at the mountains. Does anything look off to you?” Twilight pointed at the low hanging moon. Only the bottom half fully showed as the top obscured and faded into the morning sky. “Well, the peaks are a little uneven. They could use a little maintenance as well, maybe get rid of some of that snow,” Rarity suggested. “I don’t see anythin’ out of the ordinary, Twi. What should I be looking for?” “No, don’t look at the mountains, look above them. Look to the west; there’s something very wrong going on here.” Almost instantly, both Rarity and Applejack saw the issue. They looked at each other, then Applejack scratched her head. “What’s the moon still doin’ up at this time a day?” “I don’t know. Luna should’ve lowered it by now, but the sun is over taking it by itself. If Celestia can do that, how was Luna able to stop the sun from rising a thousand years ago?” Twilight lowered her head in thought. “Maybe it doesn’t work like that out here. We certainly don’t have griffons attacking us back home.” “This land is so confusing! Why was I able to find nothing about outside of Equestria in any of my books? You would think that there is something on the subject!” Twilight ranted as she whipped out the map. “Maybe if there’s a town large enough they may have a library. I want to do some research about the world; there’s so much I need to know.” Twilight scanned the map, noticing a cluster of small towns near the base of the Drakiris. She lowered the map and saw faint silhouettes of buildings in the distance. “We should stop at this section of towns over here.” The map flew in front of Rarity and Applejack, allowing Twilight to point out the towns. “If we get there by nightfall, we can spend the night and head into the mountains in the morning.” “Sounds good to me,” Applejack stated. Twilight rolled the map back up and put it away, continuing their hike. The further they traveled north, the more dense the road had become. Ponies in traveling gear, supply wagons, and possession-less wanderers roamed the new busy road. Twilight huddled closer to Applejack and Rarity, making sure she didn’t get separated from the group. As time went on, grasslands turned into fields, deciduous tree filled forests made way for a plethora of evergreens, the looming Drakiris reared itself higher into the heavens, and the amount of ponies thinned as they approached. Details of the mountains began to appear as they approached. The sun now pushed towards the horizon as the road ahead split four ways: three headed to towns on the outskirts of the road, one continued its path north. The largest city lay to the north; with buildings taller than three stories and a large gate showcasing the entrance. “So, which town should we head into?” Applejack asked as they approached the crossroad. “I’m thinking the one closest to the mountain base. Maybe we can get a feel for the weather in Ventia since it’s so close,” Twilight said. She looked around at the other towns, and saw no one outside. None. No pegasi in the sky, no earth ponies or unicorns in the field or streets. Nothing. “Why isn’t anypony outside? It’s still light out.” “We can only see a small part, don’t worry about it,” Rarity explained. “Besides, if there is no one out, there’s less of a chance for us to get caught.” “And that works how?” Applejack argued. As Rarity and Applejack argued about stealth tactics, Twilight saw a glimpse of ponies in the distance. A group ran across the road, yelling and hollering. Their silhouettes were faint, but they looked as if they ran with purpose, but scrambled. They were afraid. Twilight slowed her pace, stopping her friends in their tracks. “Hold on,” Twilight said and pointed at the stream of ponies. “What’s going on over there?” More ponies spilled in from the west, rushing through the arched gates. “Why are they running?” “It’s no use standing here, let’s find out,” Applejack stated, bolting towards the swarm. “Wait for us!” Twilight yelled, running beside Rarity. The air near the town stayed as warm as before with no hint of chill off the mountains. Beyond the gate was a city of iron; buildings of beige brick and iron towered above the roads, eclipsing the three as they approached. One pegasus looked over to them and banked away from the crowd, touching down in front them. “What are you doing out here, are you mad? They’re going to find you, now hurry!” He grabbed Applejack and tried bringing her towards the crowd. Without hesitation, Applejack stripped off the pegasus’s hoof and stomped the ground. “Now hold on, what’s goin’ on here. Who are you?” “There’s no time, just hurry.” He looked over Applejack and the two unicorns as they approached. “You definitely don’t look Ventian.” He paced further, examining the Equetrians’ cloaks. “Travelers, huh? Come now before they find you.” “Wait, hold on. Who are ‘they’?” Twilight demanded. “Ventian search parties are headed through the Drakiris as we speak. There are rumors of Equestrians in the outlands, and they’re trying to snuff them out.” Twilight’s eyes widened at the prospect. “I heard that rumor two days ago, how could they already know?” she asked. “News travels fast around here. Last I heard the parties are already almost through the mountains.” He turned and faced the frightened herd. “I don’t have time to explain things, grab your friends and let’s go!” He commanded, trying to shove them into the crowd. Twilight stumbled into the herd and was hit from behind, moving her with the frightened ponies through the city gates. She pushed her way through to Applejack and Rarity, huddling close as they funneled into the streets. The high-rise buildings were magnificent but life-less. No lights shone through the windows, and only the setting sun’s light illuminated the empty, paved roads. The group flowed into several buildings and stowed away. Twilight looked over to the mountains and saw small flickers of flames traveling down the pass. Without further hesitation, she ran down the road with the split crowd and ran into a building, letting Applejack and Rarity pass through before the pegasus closed and locked the door. A multitude of ponies sat on the floor, whispering and shaking: families huddled together, lone ponies and drifters, sharply dressed business ponies, and even ones dressed as guards. “You’ll be safe here as long as they don’t bother us,” the stallion stated as he trotted to and sat on the stairs. The three found a small place on the floor and sat there, wondering what to do next. “Why are they all hiding? Why aren’t the guards outside protecting the city” Twilight asked as she took another look around the room. “Maybe the Ventians are too strong for them. Ventia sure is a lot bigger on that map than the outlands, more potential troops,” Applejack suggested. “It wouldn’t hurt to ask.” Before Twilight could stand up, a small filly ran up to the three and looked at them inquisitively. She was a white filly with light blue hair, staring at them with her mouth hung open. “What are the capes for? They look so cool,” she asked with enthusiasm. “Well, we’re adventurers, dear.” Rarity started, shooing Twilight off to gather information. “We travel all over the world, hunting for vast treasures and riches...” Twilight stood up and weaved her way around the huddled ponies, approaching a stallion in makeshift armor. He simply stared the floor, with a defeated gaze. “Excuse me, why aren’t there any ponies outside defending this town? I-I’m new here, and I’m just curious,” Twilight asked, waiting for the stallion to respond. “We don’t have a protective force. Anypony that tries to protect us gets taken by the griffons during patrols. We haven’t had any real protection in years,” the stallion stated, his head and body unmoving. “All we can do is let things happen they way they happen. No pony is willing to fight anymore.” “But you’re wearing the armor of a guard! Why aren’t you fighting?” Twilight pleaded. “I’m wearing this for my own protection. I was in the guard before they disbanded it, but...” the stallion stood and unbuckled his chest plate, revealing a twisted blackened scar across his side. “I was attacked by a griffon and barely survived. I’m of no use now.” He sat back down in defeat, closing the chest piece. “I-I’m so sorry,” was all Twilight could muster at the stallion’s explanation. She trotted back to the group, noticing that Rarity was still speaking with the filly. “...then she kicked the dragon right in the snout, and it flew off, breathing flumes of smoke and fire all around us!” Rarity continued her tale. Before she could finish, the filly stood up and ran back to her mother, jumping up and down with glee. The mother closed the fillies mouth and shushed her. The clopping of hooves made themselves heard beyond the walls, choking Twilight with tension. No pony spoke a word as they marched. Twilight pressed her face against the window to see the coming battalion. Near the gate, a double file line of armored ponies in cloaks began their march down the street, opening doors and smashing windows to get inside the buildings. “Search everywhere, those Equestrians are to be found!” A pewter stallion in silver armor yelled. “I want them found, now!” Twilight sunk back from the window and hid herself. Applejack and Rarity crept close to her and huddled together. “What do we do? I haven’t even been able to find any information about this place. No pony is even willing to defend the town.” Twilight shook as the sound of broken glass came closer. “We can’t do much. If they find us with the townsfolk, we risk their safety. They might get tried for harborin’ us,” Applejack stated, grabbing Twilight’s shoulder to stop her shaking. “Can’t we do anything? They have no way to fight for themselves, but we do,” Twilight said, rearing her head back to look out the window again. Several ponies screamed and ran out the doors of several buildings, prompting the Ventians to seize them and throw them to the pavement, screaming. With another window smashed, Twilight turned back to Applejack who stared straight at her. “I’m going to be honest with you Twilight, there’s nothin’ we can do. We can’t risk being caught for Fluttershy’s sake. This is the outlanders’ war, not ours. If we don’t leave now, it’ll only get worse.” “So, what’s the plan?” Rarity asked, peaking her head between the two. “I’m sure we can’t use another back door.” Twilight tried to swallow the lump that formed in her throat. “I’m going to teleport us out of here. I’ve only transported two before, but I’m sure I can move three.” Twilight said as her horn began to shine with a purple light. Several ponies murmured as she charged the spell. One colt approached, but after a few moments, the three disappeared from the room in a flash of white light. They landed right near the city gates, just behind the battalion. Twilight shook her head and peered up, noticing the gaze of several Ventian ponies. She took a step back, preparing herself to gallop away. “RUN!” she yelled as several guards with bladed weapons in their mouths charged at the three. “Take them out! Don’t let them escape!” the commander yelled as the three exited through the gates. Twilight was still exhausted from the long hike and oversleeping, but she had to move quickly. Four of the armored ponies gave chase. One bolted into the sky and flew over head, landing in-front of the three. Rarity whipped out five needles and hurled them at the pegasus, who swiftly dodged two, but took three in his side. He fell and clutched his side as Twilight leaped over his body. As they ran down the road, the soldiers closed their distance, yelling at them to stop. Twilight turned around, her horn flaring with energy as a sudden wall of flame erupted before the hoard, cutting off their pursuit. They stopped and moved to avoid the fire while Twilight, Rarity and Applejack disappeared into the forest of evergreens that nestled at the bottom of the Drakiris. Twilight slowed her pace and leaned against a tree, panting and shaking. A large shock wave shook the ground, knocking snow off the trees. Twilight wiped the snow off her face and looked back, watching as a plume of smoke rose above the skyline and heard ponies screaming in anguish. Rarity and Applejack scoured the area for soldiers, laying low to avoid being seen. “D-Did we lose them?” Rarity asked. “We should keep moving. If we stay here, we’re sitting ducks,” Twilight suggested as she took her body weight off of the tree. She planted her hooves and began heading through the forest, trying to drown out the outlanders’ pleas for help. The three weaved their way through the thicket as the sun set on the ruined city. Crystalline snow gently floated down on the mountains’ peak, settling on a large pair of obsidian wings. With a ruffle of his wings, a creature watched as armored ponies with the red, Ventian flag marched through Kirsiks Pass. A sneer formed on his face as he stood silently above the marching sellswords. He looked up and turned away, peering over at the pack of griffons that made their home on the mountain’s surface. He stepped down from the rock and landed with his claws sinking into the snow. “Sigil! Sigil Blackwing!” a griffon yelled out as she approached. She was a ivory griffon with a scar running down from her ear. After bowing, she began, “I’m sorry to disturb you, but the Wheatown team returned from their hunt.” “Great. Inform the team from Northern Pass, make sure they’re aware,” Blackwing stated as he walked past the young griffon. “I’ll make sure there is food left for your service.” “I’m sorry Sigil, but they didn’t come back with any food,” she said worried. “They were attacked.” He snapped his head towards the girl. “They fled? It was a meager hunt of villein ponies, it should have been easy. I didn’t train cowards!” His face twisted in fury. “They were gravely injured by several ponies, but were released. They came back here for medical supplies.” Blackwing looked at her puzzled. “They were shown mercy? By outlander ponies? They would have beaten them to death!” He paced for a few steps, letting the falling snow cool his temper. “Where are they now?” “They are resting at the Apex, sir. The medical teams are patching them up as we speak.” “Thank you, Arya,” he said as he unfolded his wings. “Head back to the medical wing and await instruction. I don’t like what ensued.” With that he flew up and over the steep cliff face, arriving at the Apex. It was a large, flattened section of the mountain, surrounded by iron crossed gates and frozen thicket beds. Flames scattered through the Apex, warming the chilled griffons through the eternal winter. A group of griffons surrounded the injured team, mending their wings and extracting the needles from their tendons. Two of them winced, and one yelled as trickles of blood poured from their wounds. “What happened? I heard a rumor about mercy from ponies,” Blackwing asked as he landed beside the team. “Everything was transpiring as normal, Sigil, but there were three strange ponies who fought with them.” The griffon cringed as the last needle was pulled. “We almost took out one of them, but as I went in for the kill, she glowed with an intense light and took the five of us down with a shield of needles—” “‘Five of you’?” Blackwing interrupted. He looked over the rank, soon realizing the who missing hunter was. “What happened to Tawn?” “She was killed by a mace to the head, Sigil. One of the locals killed her before she had the chance to strike.” Blackwing lowered his head. “She had much potential.” After a moment of silence, he lifted his head back up. “What else happened?” He pointed to his back. “After she pierced the team’s wings, she used some strange cloth or something to slash my back open.” “Tell me what you know about the others.” He paced back and forth, watching the silent pack. The griffon sighed and stretched his wings. “All I can remember is that there were three of them. An orange mare with yellow hair and a strange hat, a purple mare with a dark blue mane, and the white and purple pony. They looked like outlanders, but they had strange marks on their flanks—” “Wait, marks? On both sides of their body?” Blackwing interrupted. “Yes, Sigil. The white one had a gold choker with her mark design as well,” he continued. “When we were being freed, I overheard that they were heading north. Maybe that’s why the Ventians hired the mercenaries?” Blackwing looked at the group, spread his wings and smiled. “Listen well, griffons of Drakiris. Those three ponies that Sarin described are of Equestrian blood. The mark they carry is the ‘demons’ brand’, and their appearance is a detriment to Ventia and Mistral City. I want patrol teams set up and scouring the mountains for any sign of these three. Any news of their appearance is to be reported straight to me.” The surrounding griffons roared with purpose, readying themselves for the hunt. “They are not to be killed, only captured. We’ll use them to take back our territory from Ventia’s grip!” He clenched his right claw tightly. “Now go!” The griffons roared and flew off as a group before splitting into smaller patrols. Blackwing watched as they flew off in all directions in search for the illusive herd. A young, tan griffon with medical supplies approached the sigil and looked at him with concern. “Are you sure we should be messing with the demons? You don’t know what they’re capable of.” Blackwing stared at the young medic with his icy blue eyes. “All we need to do is show them to that bastard in Mistral and we’ll have a bargaining chip into reclaiming our territory. After we get what we want, then we can have our fun with them.” “As you wish, Sigil Blackwing,” the griffon bowed as he stepped away to tend to the injured team. Blackwing turned his head away and looked over the mountains to the south, exhilarated by the news. He closed his eyes and smiled, voraciously licking his beak. “I’ve always wanted to taste Equestrian flesh,” he said to himself as he opened his eyes toward the horizon.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:28:43+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:12+00:00

The evening sun cast the trail in long, slender shadows as an open field and sea revealed themselves. As Fluttershy, Pinkie and Rainbow left Petalburg Woods, Fluttershy’s nose was assaulted by the sea’s briny air, but she was calmed by the sound of waves as they crashed on the beach and docks. “I am not being a picky Pinkie,” Pinkie protested, glaring at Rainbow. “Yes you are! We went through the entire forest twice already and you haven’t captured a single pokémon yet.” Rainbow hovered in front of Pinkie, flying backwards as they walked. “There were plenty of worms you could’ve caught.” “If I get a worm, Igni might gobble him up! Birds eat worms, you know.” “No he wouldn’t. Really Pinkie, we all need to have at least one if we’re going to be here long,” she stated, then landed and resumed walking along side Pinkie. As they turned down the path, Rainbow stopped walking and pointed south with a smile on her face. “Look, the cruiser is still docked. We made it in time!” In front of them, at the end of a long wooden dock, stood a large passenger ship with groups of ponies lined up at the entrance ramp. Stripes of white and blue streaked along the stories of glass windows above the matte, charcoal hull. Just off of the docks was a small wooden booth, a line of ponies waiting to purchase a ticket extending from it. “It’s a lot bigger than I imagined.” “Do you think that’s where Mr. Briney is? The one Rari—I mean Roxanne talked about?” Fluttershy asked. “I think he lives in there.” Rainbow pointed to a small wooden shack with a rust colored roof. Several small groups of ponies sat around its entrance, conversing with one another while others sparred with their pokémon. Another dock extended just past the gathered ponies, leading to a much smaller, more cramped looking boat. It was a quarter the size of the cruise liner and the hull was cased in iron. Remnants of red paint desperately clung to the sides, existing only as a testament to the ship exterior’s age and wear, the ship seeming to be in otherwise fine condition. “We should probably get some tickets before we end up stuck on that trashy boat.” The line that extended from the booth was short, but to Fluttershy it was still another line; the third in just a day’s time. She could feel herself falling into the routine she felt funneled through on her first day, the idea of it chewing at her psyche as she shifted in agitation.. Even with Rainbow and Pinkie at her side, the voice of the girl made its way to the forefront of her thoughts, telling her she was to go south, and only south. As she stood in the line, she could only think of heading in the opposite direction, hiding somewhere until Twilight brought them all back home. With a listless stare, she looked up at the ticket vendor, hoping that by the time she bought the tickets the passengers will have been let on the ship. “Three tickets to Dewford, please,” Fluttershy said, looking along the back of the stall. “That’ll be 1,500 bits,” he responded, looking over the three mares. “E-excuse me?” Fluttershy asked, refusing to believe the stallion’s words. “It’s 500 per ticket. Three tickets, 1,500 bits. Take it or leave it, we’re about to close and there are still a lot of ponies waiting to get tickets,” he stated, his hoof pushing into his cheek as he leaned on the counter. “Uh, yes, well, let me check my bag.” Fluttershy took Alerce off her back, stripped her bag off and dug through it. She pulled her satchel out and counted the gold bits that accumulated inside. After a few moments, she opened her mouth, but she couldn’t come up with anything to say. She sheepishly looked up at the vendor, then lowered her head and walked away from the line without a word. “Fluttershy, what happened?” Rainbow asked as she hovered in front of her friend. “Why’d you leave like that?” “We don’t have enough,” Fluttershy sighed, eying the old, rickety boat. “I have enough bits for one ticket. Seven-hundred and forty-eight bits, that’s all.” “Maybe you and I can fly there and Pinkie can go on the boat. It can’t be that far away, right?” Rainbow suggested before flying over to a laminated poster that hung on one of the booth’s posts. After a quick scan, she flew back as Fluttershy tied up the satchel and slipped it back in her bag. “To Dewford is a little over a four hour trip. Ninety miles,” Rainbow stated, looking south across the sea. “If I go fast enough I can fly there in about thirty minutes, but...” she yawned, covering her mouth as her face scrunched up. “You know what, never mind. Let’s just visit that ‘Briney’ pony. I’m too tired for that kind of stunt today.” Solemn-faced, Fluttershy began her march to the shack’s door, wading through the sea of ponies laying about in the grass. Before she could reach the front door, she heard Pinkie and Rainbow strike up a conversation with a pair of ponies. She sighed then turned around, trotting back to her friends. “...bribing him. I heard that works if you have the bits,” a filly unicorn said, petting what looked like a small blue mudskipper. “We gave him 300 bits on top of the ticket price. A lot of these ponies think they can just muscle their way through. It’s hilarious.” “So, bribe him with enough bits, huh?” Rainbow asked. “Sounds good to me, but what’s the downside?” “The boat is slower. A lot slower... and only a few groups can get on. He’s very selective.” “Thanks, we’ll keep it in mind,” Rainbow said, taking off for the front of the cottage. As the two ponies returned to their conversation, Fluttershy and Pinkie ran to catch up to Rainbow who stood near the front door. “Well, they seemed nice. I hope they get on,” Pinkie said. “Yeah, but only after us,” Rainbow said, pressing a hoof to the shack door. With a creak, the door swung open to reveal an old, tan-furred, white-maned stallion chasing a frantic seagull around the room. The walls were paneled with wooden planks, and only a small bed, table and stove stood inside. As Fluttershy took another look around the room, she found herself only able to stare at the seagull, seeing the injured hummingbird she had bargained her and her friends’ safety to help. Her eyes darted as the ephemeral, emerald bird flapped around the room, dipping often due to its damaged wing. As the three entered, Fluttershy’s breathing stuttered as she tried desperately to keep her composure. “Are you Mr. Briney?” Rainbow asked, causing the grizzled stallion to cease his pursuit. He dusted himself off and watched as the bird ran across the room, eating stray bread crumbs off the floor. “Haven’t you kids learned to knock before barging into an old sea pony’s home?” His gaze pierced Rainbow Dash, but she remained calm and stoic. “What do ya’ want? You can’t be here to give me those ship parts I ordered, that’s for sure.” “We heard that you give rides to trainers over to Dewford,” Rainbow said. “I see, so you’re just like the rest of those freeloaders outside. Let me see your credentials, Missy. Why should I let you on my vessel?” He walked up to her and leaned in, staring her right in the eyes. “I, uh, what do you want to see?” Rainbow stammered, trying to keep her cool. “Your badge. Rustboro City’s Stone Badge; let me see it.” “I don’t have it.” She pointed to Fluttershy. “My friend, uh... May does.” “Then what am I talkin’ to you for?” He broke his stare and trotted to Fluttershy, pacing back and forth in front of the pegasus, his eyes now locked onto hers. “So you’re the trainer that needs the vessel, eh?” “Y-yes,” Fluttershy answered, hoping the stallion would keep his distance. She took the badge from her bag and held it in her hoof, letting the sun’s light from the window reflect off its surface. “That’s the one. So, what’s your excuse? Did you spend all your winnings on that ridiculous garb?” He glanced at Fluttershy’s outfit and laughed. “That cruiser hasn’t left yet, so I know you didn’t miss it.” “‘Winnings?’ As in... money? I never got any from the gym.” Fluttershy explained, baffled by the captain’s words. “Roxanne never forgets to give money to winning trainers, she’s far too generous for that.” the captain stated, wheeling on the flustered pegasus. “Are you calling my friend a cheapskate?” he asked before he resumed pacing back and forth, quickening his steps. Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow, who mockingly twirled her hoof near her head and crossed her eyes, making her and Pinkie laugh. The staunch captain huffed and stopped, overlooking the three. “Now tell me, why should I let you on instead of all those ponies outside?” “Um, I...” Fluttershy started before glancing at Rainbow who motioned her and Pinkie over. The three quickly huddled, occasionally looking back at the old curmudgeon. “What are we going to do? He seems a lot worse than what Roxanne told us.” “Maybe pull some of that ‘gym leader’s daughter’ clout. That could work.” Rainbow suggested. “I don’t know. Don’t gym leaders make enough money that affording a ticket wouldn’t be a problem?” “You aren’t a gym leader though.” Rainbow rubbed her chin. “Well, we’re right by Petalburg, we could always ask that Norman guy for some cash.” “I... I’d rather not. Especially after the scene I made in the gym, he would never give us anything.” Fluttershy lowered her head. "What makes you so sure that he'd help?" “He gave me that chip to put in your Pokédex, so he can’t be too stingy.” “Well, this isn’t helping. By the time we get over to Petalburg, the ship will have already left!” Pinkie blurted, trying to keep the two pegasi on task. “Hmm... what about that letter we got from that Devon Corp. guy? That seemed pretty important.” “That’s perfect! If you pull out that and your tie to Norman, we’re sure to get on that boat,” Rainbow exclaimed as Briney tapped his hoof impatiently on the wooden floor. Fluttershy broke away from the huddle and stared at the tan stallion, her chest out and head high. She knew she had to perform this act perfectly. “So, what is it? I’m choosing in a half-hour, so you’d better hurry.” With a deep breath, Fluttershy began, “I am May Stannis, daughter of Norman of the Hoenn Pokémon League. I have been requested by Mr. Stone of the Devon Corporation to deliver a letter to the his daughter in Dewford, and I humbly request passage on your ship.” Silence fell as Fluttershy finished her speech. Mr. Briney stood wide-eyed, then closed his eyes and laughed, making her lower her head with a flushed face. “Hah-ha, you’re a gym leader’s daughter with no money, AND you’re a mail carrier? What, did you spend all daddy’s money on a designer saddle?” He laughed derisively. “I heard stories from him about his daughter, but I never expected her to be as pathetic as this!” “Hey! Leave my friend alone!” Rainbow yelled, pushing her face into his. “Dash, I can take care of myself,” Fluttershy stated, causing Rainbow to back off reluctantly. Fluttershy’s breathing grew heavy and her heart raced as she spoke. “I’m sorry that I can’t live up to your expectations, but can you please tell us what we need to know?” “Aha-ha, what are your names so I can call you if I let you on?” Briney asked, his laughter subsiding. “I’m Rainbow Dash, and she’s Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow explained, pointing at Pinkie who had put on a smile. “Do you have the 200 bits per ticket at least?” He asked before writing their names down on a scraggly piece of paper. “Fuel and food ain’t free, you know.” “Um, yes,” Fluttershy answered, moving to retrieve her bits. “Don’t take it out now, I haven’t picked you yet. You kids are so hasty.” He walked to the door and opened it, motioning them outside. “Wait out there with the others, I’ll have made my decision soon enough.” They quickly left the cottage, the door slamming behind them. As time passed, the cruiser raised its anchor and smoke rose from its funnels. It chugged off from the docks, leaving the poorer ponies behind to await Briney’s decision. Fluttershy kept quiet, watching Alerce and Igni play in the field while her Poochyena, Wovler, stood watch. The ponies that had gathered outside had become more and more impatient; their conversations growing louder and testier. Each minute felt like an hour as the sun descended past the horizon, making way for the soft glow of twilight. With a contented sigh, Fluttershy watched the purples and reds of the sunset dissipate into a blackened sea of stars. “Listen up, you freeloaders. I’ve made my decision!” Mr. Briney yelled, snapping Fluttershy out of her stargazing. Everypony ceased talking at once, chomping at the bit to hear the old sea pony’s decision. “It was a hard choice, but there are some who need this more than others. Let’s get to it then.” Alerce stopped playing and ran back to his owner, nestling in her lap. “The first group is Ethan and Lyra.” A pegasus with a gold and black jacket with his suspender-clad friend jumped up in joy, hastily grabbing their supplies and running to the dock. “The second group is May, Rainbow Dash, and Pinkie Pie.” Fluttershy’s mouth hung agape. Had her speech worked? Was it how, dare she say, pathetic she looked to him? The mix up at Rustboro Gym? She couldn’t figure out the reason, but before she knew it she had recalled Wolver and Alerce, and was on her hooves, rushing towards the dock. Rainbow and Pinkie jumped around with joy, Igni happily flapped his wings and chirped between them. After the last group was called, the rest of the crowed dispersed back to Petalburg Town. The final passenger was a lone mare who rushed to the end of the line with Mr. Briney close behind. As he passed, the line fell silent, patiently awaiting their instructions. With a quick tug, he pulled on a hanging string, pulling down a ramp that clung to the edge of the boat. “Now, before you all board, place the 200 bits for the ticket in this pan here and be on your way. I’ll give you more instructions after you're aboard,” Mr. Briney explained, setting a collection pan on the ground and watching as the line of ponies made their way up the ramp. Fluttershy counted out 600 bits and and placed them in the pan before motioning for her friends to follow her up to the deck. When the final passenger was aboard, Mr. Briney grabbed and pulled the ramp up before standing tall in front of the passengers. “Welcome to my vessel. Down on the lower deck are two rooms with some cots and a bunk-bed. That’s where you’ll be sleeping if you choose to. There are some rations in the small kitchen at the end of the hallway, but there aren’t many. The trip should only take about six hours depending on the choppiness of the sea. If you need me, I’ll be at the helm.” With that, the sea pony reeled up the anchor from the sea, letting it dangle off the side of the hull before disappearing into the wheelhouse. As the ship's engine roared to life and the ship began moving, Fluttershy, Rainbow and Pinkie made their way to the lower deck, followed by the last, white coated passenger. They went to scope out their temporary living conditions, the sway of the boat causing Fluttershy to stumble into the narrow walls of the deck as they went down. The room was a lot smaller than she had imagined: two cots were laid on the floor and one bunk bed stood in the corner. The walls were painted in a cream white, but was chipping off as badly as the paint was outside. It wasn’t ideal, but it was somewhere to sleep. Rainbow seemed to be content with roughing it, and without hesitation stripped off her jacket and shirt, leaving only her shorts. She flopped into the top bunk, mumbling incoherently as she drifted to sleep. “So, are you going to sleep too? I was thinking of going up to the deck for a bit. I’ve never been on a boat before. This is so exciting!” Pinkie stated, bounding back down the hall towards the stairwell. “Are you coming?” “I guess I could. You know, I’ve never been on a boat before either,” Fluttershy responded, flying up the stairwell and into the cool, maritime air. The darkness of night draped itself over the sea, with only a few stars and the moon shining down on the pegasus. She trotted to where Pinkie Pie stood and leaned against the railing. They watched as the silhouettes of distant islands and lands floated by. As the winds tugged at her mane, she smiled and shut her eyes. One moment of peace was all she needed, and the soothing rocking and cooling breeze provided just that. “You think we’ll ever get to visit those islands?” Pinkie asked, gazing out into the distance. “There’s so much out there, but we might not get the chance to see it all. Wouldn’t it be exciting?” “I think it would. Maybe after we get some more answers about what’s happening, we could afford to get a little sidetracked.” Fluttershy looked over to Pinkie. “How long do you think we’ll be here?” “I think he said six hours or something, but I could be way off—” “No, I mean here in Hoenn,” she interrupted. “As interesting as these new creatures are, I really miss home. My cottage, Ponyville, our friends, everything.” “I’m sure Twilight will find the spell and we’ll be back home in no time. Besides, I’ve always wanted to go on an adventure, so I don’t mind how long it takes,” Pinkie said with a smile. “I’m having fun so far.” With a yawn, Fluttershy took her hooves off the rail and trotted back to the stairwell. “I’m going to get to bed. It’s been a long day.” “Good idea! I’ll come too,” Pinkie said, trotting along side Fluttershy as they made their way back into the barracks. Only the white mare had since joined Rainbow and was now sleeping on one of the grounded cots. Before Fluttershy could move, Pinkie had hopped into the lower bunk with a giggle, draping herself with a single sheet before laying down to sleep. With a long sigh, Fluttershy gently lowered herself onto the remaining cot and closed her eyes, quickly falling to sleep. Fluttershy awoke with a scream, her breathing heavy and quick as sweat dripped from her brow. Her hooves shook as she clutched her neck, bloodshot eyes glancing about for any movement, but the room was still. With relief, she looked down at the floor and her blanket, letting the engine’s sound drown out her recollection of the nightmare. It was the second nightmare she’d had in this world, but the first had never been so visceral. She couldn’t even recall what the other dream was, but this dream... this nightmare hurt. It physically hurt. As she calmed down, she sat in the pitch black room, trying to stay awake until the ship docked in Dewford. As her breathing slowed, she heard the door creak open, sending her back to full alert. She looked up, noticing a blurry wisp of a pony slipping out of the room into the hallway. Fluttershy stripped off her covers and crept over to the steel door, peeking her head through the small opening. The shadowed pony stood at the end of the hall, just out of reach of the upper dock’s halogen light. Fluttershy gulped and opened the door further, allowing her to slip through the doorway. She knew that whoever was out there was simply a pony that was aboard the ship, but her frightened state clouded her judgment, her mind composing monsters from the shadows. Apprehensively, she crept out from the room and trotted down the hall. With a bound, the shadowed pony lept up the stairs, leaving Fluttershy alone in the hallway. She quickened her pace and charged up the stairs, frantically pursuing the wisp. Outside, the air was frigid, leaving her bristling from the cold. She took a deep breath and sidled towards the bow, scanning the deck for any signs of life. With each step, the wooden deck creaked, leaving Fluttershy even more timid than before. When she reached the edge of the cabin, she poked her head around the corner. There, leaning on the railing, was Pinkie Pie, her tail violently twitching. With a sigh of relief, Fluttershy trotted to the side of the pink pony, watching as Pinkie stared into the distance. “Pinkie? What are you doing awake?” she asked, drawing the pink pony's gaze. Pinkie's eyes were bloodshot and she had dark circles under her eyes, but she smiled as she saw Fluttershy. “Oh, I heard you scream just a few minutes ago. I just hopped out of the room to get some fresh air,” Pinkie explained. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Fluttershy apologized as she turned to face the open water. “It just felt so real. I remember it quite well unfortunately.” “Do you want to tell me about it? I had a bad dream too so that’s why I woke up. I think I screamed right when you did... maybe it’ll help both of us,” Pinkie stated. Fluttershy turned her head up, perplexed. “You had a nightmare too? That’s strange, but alright.” “Well, I was sitting in a meadow and it was bright, and sunny. I was surrounded by a flock of butterflies, and several bunnies and squirrels were playing in the grass. There wasn’t any fighting, just playing. It was so nice to just close my eyes and soak up all the sounds... to just let the wind run through my mane. “Before I knew it though, I opened my eyes and all the animals were gone. Dark clouds gathered over me, blocking out the sun. I stood up and frantically searched for my animal friends, but I couldn’t find them. I ran trying to find them, and the grass crumbled under my hooves. It had all died; the entire field was dead and brown. Even the trees were withered and bare. I stood there, scared to even move, and behind me there was this horrible, ear piercing screech. I turned around and saw a huge black griffin coming after me with large melting wings and extended talons. It was its eyes though; its cold, gelid blue eyes. They felt as if they were cutting straight through me.” She shuddered, sinking down and curling around herself from the thought. “I turned and tried to out run it... but moments later I felt its claws wrap around my neck, pulling me back towards it. I woke up screaming. I... I think I’m going to stay out here for the rest of the night.” “Hmm...” Pinkie muttered, rubbing her chin. “That monster sounds exactly like the one in my dream. The blue eyes and everything!” she exclaimed, prompting Fluttershy to jump back up to her hooves. “I was flying in my dream, then a huge, gigantic storm whooshed in and almost knocked me straight down into the ground. There were huge bolts of lightning, downpours and everything! Just when I straightened myself out, I heard a loud roar behind me. It was the same creature, and I woke up screaming as well! I don’t think I’ve ever had a dream like that before.” Fluttershy’s mind exploded with a million questions, but she kept her mouth shut. Nothing added up to her, but she was too tired to put much thought into it, chalking it up to pure coincidence. “So, do you want to just wait up here until we get to Dewford? I’m not too keen on going back down-” She was interrupted by a hoof to the mouth, Pinkie shushing her as she peered over the pegasus’ shoulder. “Do you hear that?” Pinkie perked and wiggled her ears. “It’s coming from the back of the ship. It sounds like claws scratching.” With her ears perked and Pinkie’s hoof now extracted from her muzzle, Fluttershy listened closely, tuning out the sound of the motor and flowing water. Just at the edge of her hearing, she heard a slight tapping at the other end of the boat. Her heart raced once again as she slowly made her way over, following Pinkie’s lead. As they moved, Fluttershy hugged up against the wall, trying her best to be not caught off guard. On the deck lay a small blue alligator, smaller than Fluttershy had ever seen. It walked in its hind legs, searching the boat with crimson eyes. After a while, it yawned, showcasing its sharp teeth, and plopped down onto the deck. Fluttershy approached in a side step, halting Pinkie from getting any closer. Alligators were nothing new to her, having taken care of Pinkie’s pet, Gummy. Like Gummy, this was a baby and was alone, but it could either be friendly, or extremely volatile. She begged that it was the former. As she drew within a few steps away, the alligator swiveled its head and stared at her. Fluttershy reached for her bag to see what it was, but her hoof met nothing but air. With her backpack back downstairs, she had to fall back on her own animal knowledge. She had become so used to the machine’s guidance, that it felt awkward, but refreshing to rely on her old skills. “Hey there, little guy. Are you lost?” Fluttershy cooed, extending a hoof towards the gator. Before she reached it, however, the alligator stood, staring past her for a moment before taking off, shooting through the yellow pegasus’ legs over towards Pinkie. It hovered around the pink pony, looking at her with curiosity and sniffing at her legs. “Hehe, stop it! That tickles!” Pinkie giggled as the alligator’s snout brushed up against her leg. As Fluttershy looked away, a faded strip of orange rose above the horizon, signifying the coming dawn. She glanced back down at Pinkie, who had laid down and was now playing with the gator as if it were her own from back home. It hopped up, mirroring Pinkie did as the pair chased one another around the bow. She caught up to it, hugged it mid-jump, and rolled around on the deck, each of them laughing. “Pinkie,” Fluttershy called out, hoping she wouldn’t ruin their fun. Pinkie was flat on her back, holding the squirming alligator in her hooves. “What is it?” “Maybe you should try catching it. Rainbow has been bugging you about it so much lately,” Fluttershy stated, watching as the ribbons of light grew higher and brighter. “That sounds like a good idea!” Pinkie exclaimed as she dug through her suspenders’ pockets. She whipped out a Poké Ball and enlarged it, holding it in her hoof in front of the alligator. “Boop~!” Pinkie said playfully, bumping the button on the gator’s snout. The alligator was enveloped in a white light before disappearing into the Poké Ball. It dropped to the floor and wiggled, leaving Pinkie in heated anticipation. With one final shake, it ceased moving, leaving Pinkie with her very first pokémon. She loudly gasped, then scooped up the ball. With a smile, she placed it in her pocket just as the first rays of sunlight pierced the horizon. “Ooo, should we wake up Rainbow Dash? She’ll be so excited to hear the news!” “Maybe when we get to the island,” Fluttershy stated, looking over the railing at the approaching dock. Dewford resided on an island at the end of a small island chain, its being the largest. On the west side of the island was a large cave, with the eastern path leading to the small town. As the ships made its final approach, the bell on the ship’s tower loudly tolled and echoed off the nearby cliff faces. Both Pinkie and Fluttershy trotted to the stairwell entrance, waiting for Rainbow Dash to make her way up. “What are you going to name it!?” Fluttershy yelled, trying to make her voice heard over the ringing bell. “I think I might name her Lady Gummy II!” Pinkie yelled back. “Her? How do you know that its female!?” “I don’t know!” The bell ceased its ringing as the boat slowed down to dock. Up the stairs came yawning ponies, followed closely by Rainbow Dash with Fluttershy’s bag and Igni on her back. She let out a large yawn and stretched out her wings as she reached the upper deck. “Hey, Pinkie Pie. Hey Fluttershy. What’s up?” Rainbow asked as she fluffed her jacket. “Oh yeah, you forgot this in the room,” Rainbow said, tossing the bag to Fluttershy. “Hey, Dashie! I caught a pokémon, and we’re almost to shore!” Pinkie exclaimed, whipping out Lady Gummy II’s Poké Ball. “You did? Finally.” Rainbow breathed a sigh of relief. “So, what were you two doing up so early?” “Nothing. Just watching to see when we would get to Dewford,” Fluttershy lied, hoping Dash wouldn’t pry any further. “Oh, alright. Man, that bunk really beat that thin bedroll from the other night. Slept just like a foal.” The boat slipped along side the wooden dock, and with a small sputter from the engine, it stopped and simply bobbed in the water. The clanking of chains filled the air as the anchor sank into the water and made its home on the sea floor. When the sound stopped, Mr. Briney stepped out from the wheelhouse looking as if he hadn’t needed a wink of sleep. The conversing ponies ceased talking and looked over at the captain who stood and surveyed his passengers. “Listen up, we’ll be docked here for two days. That should be long enough for the trainers among you to get your badge. After that we head to Slatleport, and that’s where we’ll part. I’ll be around town if ya need me, so I leave you to your duties.” The passengers sprinted eagerly off the boat as the captain finished his instructions, leaving Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie to casually make their way down the ramp. As Fluttershy’s hooves hit dry land, she waited for the familiar ring of her Pokédex. She assumed as she hit land, she would be notified of her gym fight. When it failed to ring, she took it out and flipped it open, staring at the illuminated display. Nothing. With a sigh, she put it away. Perhaps it might be broken. She brought Wolver and Alerce out of their Poké Balls and turned west down the path, headed for the opening of the cave. Its mouth was lined with stalagmites, each hung like pointed daggers. Its maw was wide and ragged, swallowing the eastward cliff face. Rainbow and Pinkie trotted to the edge, each surveying the inside of the cavern. “See anything?” Fluttershy asked. The sun filled the entrance of the cave with a brilliant orange light, reaching far into the cavern’s depths. She only hoped that they wouldn’t have to venture far to find Mr. Stone’s daughter. “Nope, just a bunch of rocks!” Rainbow called out, allowing Igni back up onto her back. “It looks very homey though, maybe a bear lives in it.” She giggled, prompting Fluttershy to follow suit. Pinkie stared at them in dismay, knowing she was the butt of their joke. “Hey!” Pinkie yelled, huffing as she let Lady out from her Poké Ball. “Don’t think I forgot about that.” “We did throw you a birthday party that day. Relax a little, it’ll make going through the caves a little easier,” Rainbow stated, making Pinkie grumble. With the two ponies’ tiff over, Fluttershy made her way through the mouth of the cavern, peering at the smooth cave walls. The inside was even larger than she had anticipated, considering what she had seen as they sailed into port. It extended far past the sun’s reach, the path disappearing into a void of blackness just beyond. She gulped, wondering how far the path may take her and her friends. Rainbow and Pinkie looked around the cave as Fluttershy dug through her bag, searching for anything useful. A small plastic tube with a tiny bulb and power box lay between her medical supplies and Pokédex. She took it out and placed it around her neck, the plastic harness easily sitting in the groove of her vertebrae. Fluttershy clicked a tiny button making the bulb flare to life, lighting the cavern walls. “There we go,” she said, beginning her trek down the path. “Where’d you get that?” Rainbow asked, peering at the small flashlight, “I didn’t see you buy anything in Rustboro.” “Oh, it was just in my bag from the beginning. I guess May’s mother thought I needed it.” The sound of dripping water and scratching filled the cave as they delved deeper, putting Fluttershy on edge. Rainbow hovered; To avoid stepping on a rogue stalagmite or falling down an unlit hole, Fluttershy guessed. The yellow light filled only a portion of the trail, leaving a clear path only big enough for two ponies. Pinkie smiled as they went deeper, playfully bouncing over elevated rocks and small cracks, Lady clamped down on Pinkie’s fluff of a tail. The sound of scratching grew louder as their trek continued. Fluttershy averted her gaze from the path and shined the light on the walls, revealing creatures covered in steel clinging to the smooth surface. She wanted to check what they were, but she was afraid that the Pokédex’s loud beeping would stir them. She estimated that thirty or forty clung on the walls in view. They rested, unmoving. Fluttershy only hoped they stayed that way in case they were dangerous. Rainbow gazed along with her, their eyes darting back and forth between the creatures as Pinkie hopped along, ignorant to their situation. “Is that a light ahead?” Rainbow asked, pointing to a small sparkle of azure deep within. “Maybe it’s another way out.” Without another word, she blazed ahead, leaving Fluttershy and Pinkie to catch up. “We’re in the middle of the sea, that can’t be an exit,” Fluttershy hesitantly called out. With no other options, Fluttershy sent her pokémon back into their Poké Balls and galloped after Rainbow Dash. Her eyes darted between the ground and the path ahead, trying to keep tabs on everything. Her legs grew sore as she ran; the lack of sleep made it hard for her to maintain her gallop, but she continued unabated. Fluttershy saw that Rainbow had landed just up ahead, waiting for them to catch up. With one final push, Fluttershy caught up to the speedier pegasus, halting to investigate the source of the light. Fluttershy tilted her head up and looked at the large expanse that lay before her. The cave ceiling rose to twice its normal height with a small stream of rushing water hugging the outer wall. No pokémon could be seen in the ghostly blue light that filled the cavern. As Fluttershy looked about she found the source to be a lantern that sat alongside what looked to be a purple-furred pony. She looked to be a unicorn, surrounded by a wall of thick books and research materials. Fluttershy could hear a simple tune coming from the purple mare, the unicorn humming softly as she flipped through the pages of a book. “E-excuse me?” Fluttershy called out, hearing her voice echo softly off the cavern walls. “Are you Stephanie?” she asked as she began her approach. The mare shut her book and stood, looking over the shoulder at the three as they entered the clearing. “I am, yes.” Her voice sounded so familiar, but Fluttershy couldn’t quite place it. “I’m assuming you have a letter for me?” Fluttershy stopped in her tracks. “H-how did you know? Your father said he had no way to contact you!” As the bookish mare approached, details began to reveal themselves. She was a unicorn in a black dress with silver cuff links on her forelegs. Her hair was silver with magenta and purple stripes coursing down her mane and she stared with piercing purple eyes. “T-Twilight?” Fluttershy murmured. Stephanie looked so close to her friend, yet just a little off. Stephanie chuckled. “I’m not sure how I knew. I was expecting you to come... just not like," the unicorn paused a moment, gesturing at the three with a hoof, “This...” “What do you mean you were ‘expecting’ us?” Rainbow cried out. “I don’t know. It’s the strangest thing; just the other day, I started getting visions, and one of them involved a trainer such as yourself coming, yellow one... Except I was only expecting one. Every other trainer came alone.” “I’m sorry we aren’t what you were expecting.” Fluttershy stated, trying to avoid asking the strange unicorn any more questions. She sounded just like Twilight, but her mannerisms seemed just a bit different. She was less confident about her information, making their conversation frustrating. Fluttershy dug through her bag and retrieved the letter, letting Stephanie take it from her hoof. “Thank you,” Stephanie said as she magically tore the letter in two. All three were taken aback as the letter gently landed in pieces on the cavern floor. “I won’t be needing it, though. I already know what it says.” “Uh... er... wha—” Fluttershy stammered. “We came all the way down here just so you could rip up that letter? What’s wrong with you?” Rainbow yelled, stomping her hoof down in anger. Stephanie closed her eyes and wore a cocky grin. “As I said, I already know what the letter says. The blueprints for ‘Project 746’ were stolen from an employee and you were able to retrieve it. It was then stolen again, and you took it back in Rusturf Tunnel and delivered it to my father.” Fluttershy looked nervously at Rainbow and Pinkie as the yellow pegasus shuffled her forehoof. “Uh, we never did any of that. We found a stallion lying on the ground with a bite wound in his shoulder in Petalburg Woods, but that’s it,” Rainbow explained. “What are you even talking about?” “What do you mean you didn’t-” Stephanie snapped her jaw shut, staring at the three wide-eyed. “T-that’s impossible. If you didn’t stop Team Aqua from getting those blueprints, then-” She quickly raised the letter from the ground and a purple light ran up the tear, mending it back together. After scanning it, the unicorn lowered the paper, her mouth hung agape. “This is just a financial document for Devon Corp. I’ve read this letter a thousand times, how can it be different!?” The tension in the air built as the unicorn paced around the room. Nothing she was saying made any sense to Fluttershy, but somehow Stephanie knew about the attack in Petalburg Woods. She had to know what she was talking about. “You said something about us not being what you expected. What were you expecting?” Stephanie halted and turned to Fluttershy. “Well, from what I recall, the one who normally wears those clothes is a unicorn, at least if it’s a pony. And, well... you’re a pegasus.” She resumed her pacing, glancing at Rainbow and Pinkie. “Also, they were always alone, and you’re traveling with two others.” “Why a unicorn?” Fluttershy asked. A split-second later, the reality of what Stephanie said smacked her in the face. “Wait, the one who normally wears these clothes? What do you mean?” Stephanie sat down, looking over to the mouth of the expanse. “Two days ago I started having a weird sense of déjà vu about everything I did. When I looked to the front of the cave, I saw the faces of a thousand different beings: ponies, griffins, dragons, humans, almost any creature you could imagine. Each of them held the same letter and wore the same clothes. Each a ‘May, or a ‘Brendan’.” She stopped and scratched the back of her head. “What’s your name?” “It’s... uh... May Stan—” “No no, not the name this world gave you. Your real name! The one your parents gave you in Cloudsdale.” “How—what?” Fluttershy stammered. She couldn’t wrap her head around the unicorn’s words. “How did you know where I was born? What are you even saying?” “I don’t know how I knew, it just sounded right to me. Please, just give me your name, I need to know.” “It’s Fluttershy,” she answered, hoping the mare would start making sense with this new information. “Fluttershy... that name somehow sounds familiar. No one that I can recall has ever remembered their real name...I think. The details are still foggy on my end.” She looked over at Pinkie and Rainbow. “What are your names?” “I’m Rainbow Dash, and she’s Pinkie Pie,” Rainbow answered with her head held high. “I see. You two look and sound very familiar as well.” She took a book from her pile and flipped through it. “Now where was.... A- ha!” Stephanie exclaimed, planting her hoof into the book. “That’s what I was looking for. Analogue; a facsimile, or other worldly counterpart. You two fit the bill quite nicely,” she explained, pointing at Rainbow and Pinkie. “You look so familiar, but not quite what I remember.” “You mean like Roxanne, and you?” Fluttershy asked. “Wait, me?” She ran over to the flowing water and looked into it, inspecting her features. “So that’s why I’m a female now...” she droned. “I was wondering why my blazer had turned into a dress.” She turned her head back. “What’s the name of your world’s counterpart for me?” “Um... our world? We live in the same world you know, just... far away,” Fluttershy explained, trotting over to the unicorn mare. “Uh, Fluttershy? Twilight said something about ‘transporting through space time’ as the deviation for that spell. I don’t think we’re in the same world as we used to be,” Rainbow said, taking the butter pegasus aback. Her body shook, sick from nerves as she made every attempt to keep herself calm. “Her name is Twilight Sparkle. She’s the pony that sent me here.” “Sent you here, huh? Well that’s a first. Also, Twilight was it? You know I like that better than my silly gender bent name... but that would be so confusing for you.” “Why... how do you know all this? Why are these ‘analogues’ popping up? Just... who are you?” “I’m sorry, let me first introduce myself better. My name is, well, was Steven Stone, former champion of Hoenn’s Pokémon League. I seem to recall being human originally, or at least that’s what my memory seems to be telling me. With so many sessions, it’s been hard to keep track.” “Um, human? What’s a ‘human’?” Fluttershy asked. “You said it before, but... what is it?” Stephanie chuckled. “I guess you don’t have any in your world, huh? Well, they look similar to hairless apes, with exposed flesh and hair mostly on the top of their skulls. They are bipedal as well, having hands instead of hooves. Pretty basic homo sapien,” she explained. Fluttershy remembered seeing them before, appearing in her short memory flashes. The sensation of moving fingers when she woke from her earlier nightmare coming back to her. She had the memory of a human girl. “Let me get this all straight,” Fluttershy started, closing her eyes in thought. “You’re an ‘analogue’, a human, there are these... ‘sessions’, you’re originally a male, and I should be a unicorn. Am I missing anything?” “You know, now that you say back to me, it does sound a little ridiculous,” Stephanie laughed. “I can’t think about that right now. My mind has been running non-stop for two days, and speaking to you three isn’t helping. How about this-” From near her research supplies floated a computer chip. With magic, she stripped open Fluttershy’s PokéNav and placed it inside. “This is a telephone modification for your PokéNav. If you need to contact anyone, this is the application for it. I only have one since I only expected one of you, but that should be fine. My number is already programmed in, so if you find out anything, just call me. It would really be quite handy.” She looked up in thought. “...or is would it be ‘hoofy’? I never know with your culture’s inane equine euphemisms.” “Um... thanks,” Fluttershy said, switching between her watch’s applications. The only name on the list read ‘Steven’. “I’ll call you if I find anything.” “Great! I’ll be heading back to Rustboro to order some research materials.” She jumped up and down with glee. “I can’t believe this! I never expected you to be such an outlier, and you aren’t even insane!” “Wait, what?” Fluttershy asked bewildered. “Um... we should probably head out. Gym battle and all,” Rainbow said, rolling her eyes to the cavern entrance. “Oh right, you’re trainers. How about this, I’ll teleport you out of here so you can go about your business. This cave is way too dark to be traveling in.” Stephanie planted her legs and her horn began to glow in a purple light. “You’re powerful enough to do that?” Pinkie asked. “Of course I can, I’m the most powerful psychic in my family’s lineage. Why do you think I was the champion?” As the unicorn finished, Fluttershy felt her body relax as a white light engulfed her. Before she knew it she floated in the air just as she had when she came to Hoenn. She wanted to scream, but she stopped herself in an attempt to steel her bravery. Her breathing quickened as she closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. Before she knew it, the light dissipated, leaving the three in front of the cave entrance. She hit the ground with a light thump, then ran to the hillside, panting as she leaned on it. “Never... again...” Fluttershy panted as she stared at the ground, continuing to shake. “It wasn’t so bad. At least we got to stay conscious this time.” Rainbow said reassuringly. She shook out her legs and wings before checking her pockets for her supplies. “Woo! That was fun,” Pinkie hollered. “Think we’ll get to do it again?” “If I have my way, we won’t.” Rainbow turned to Fluttershy, waiting for her to remove herself from the hillside. “Come on, we need to get scheduled for the gym fight,” Rainbow said. Fluttershy nodded and made her way to her friends. With a cloud of tension in the air, they trotted towards Dewford. The town of Dewford was smaller than Rustboro City. Much smaller. A Pokémon Center and market hugged the coast while the gym stood in the center of town. Besides the three main structures, there were just five other buildings, the number of docks on the island easily dwarfing that number. It was quiet, with only a few voices that could be heard over the sound of the waves striking the docks in the distance. Fluttershy walked down the road towards the gym as her friends discussed Pinkie’s new pokémon. Amidst the relative silence, Fluttershy’s Pokédex joined it, failing to tell her of her coming gym challenge. She stripped the Pokédex out from her bag and opened it, seeing only the same flickering lights as when they stepped off the boat. Why aren’t you working? she thought, banging the sides of it in an attempt to make it work. Despite her assault, the Pokédex remained silent. She sighed before looking up at the gym, instantly realizing why she never got the call. “Uhh, Rainbow Dash? Pinkie?” she called out, grabbing the two ponies’ attention. “You might want to see this.” Rainbow and Pinkie galloped over, confused. “What did you want us to...” Rainbow stopped and looked at the gym. It was completely boarded up on each side, the windows appeared smashed and shattered behind the boards. Upon closer inspection, Fluttershy found a hanging white sign that read: ‘Building Condemned: By the authority of Casein Sea Building Inspection’ in bold, red letters. “This is the gym? I thought trainers came here for the second badge!” Rainbow yelled. “Calm down. I’m sure there’s a reason for this,” Fluttershy said, looking around for any pony outside. “I... ugh....” Rainbow groaned in frustration. “First that weird Twilight... Steven pony, now the gym is shut down. What’s with this place?” “Maybe Stephanie had a point. She might be right if you think about it,” Pinkie stated. “She knew about Cloudslade, and that we found that Devon Crop employee. Maybe things aren’t happening the way they’re supposed to.” “You can’t just say something crazy like that. I just...” Rainbow sighed, trailing off into a dejected silence. The conversation with Stephanie had taken its toll on all three, but Fluttershy feared more so for Pinkie and herself than the cyan pegasus. The nightmare they had shared and lack of sleep, along with the unicorn’s insane ramblings, were doing neither pony any favors. With all that had happened, she had failed to pay attention to her now dry throat and rumbling belly. It’d been almost a day since they had eaten. “We’re stuck here for two days before the ship sails again, right?” Fluttershy asked, breaking Rainbow out of her slump. “Yeah, why?” Rainbow wondered. “I think we should get some food and just relax. We don’t have a gym to worry about, and we haven’t eaten in almost a day. Maybe we can get all of this sorted out in the mean time.” Pinkie smiled and trotted past Fluttershy. “Oooo, I’ll go see if I can find us some place to eat. Maybe they have kelp or seaweed; I’ve always wanted to try that.” She giggled and hopped down the road. Fluttershy trusted her with food arrangements, so she let her hop off with no qualms. “So, why were you and Pinkie up early last night?” Rainbow asked. Fluttershy turned to see Rainbow staring at her. “You look like you haven’t slept at all. Everything alright?” “I’m... fine.” Fluttershy tried her hardest to stand tall in front of her friend. Her heart raced as Rainbow kept up her stare. “I just woke up early, that’s all.” “I know things have been rough today, but I just want to know. Don’t you trust me?” As those words hit home, Fluttershy slumped to the ground and looked up at her friend. “It’s just, what happened was so strange. Pinkie and I had the same nightmare. Well, not exactly the same, but they were very similar. We both woke up screaming at the same time, and it hurt. It really hurt.” She looked away, feeling a knot form in her stomach as she spoke. “My neck and chest felt as if they were being stabbed and crushed, and I’m sure Pinkie felt the same way and... I just didn’t want to worry you.” “Oh...” Rainbow said in a somber tone. She dropped her stare and looked for Pinkie who was still hopping around town. “I shouldn’t be complaining. You came here alone and scared with your memories messed with, you thought your pokémon died, you’ve been getting taken over by some girl named May, you’re getting nightmares,” she lowered her head with a sigh of contrition. “...and I’m just here for the ride.” She lifted the sitting pegasus to her hooves and embraced her. “I’m sorry.” She rested her head on Fluttershy’s shoulder for only a moment, then let go and stood back up. “It’s alright.” Fluttershy said before walking up over to examine the boards. “So, what do you think happened? Do you think that maybe we never had to come here in the first place?” She paused for a moment, running a hoof across the boards. “These look new.” “If we ask somepony about it, we should do it tomorrow. I’m sick of answers today,” Rainbow responded as she circled around the building. “You’re right, though, these don’t look weathered at all.” “Hey, girls! I found us a restaurant!” Pinkie yelled out as she trotted back to the gym. “It’s really cheap too, and from the ponies I talked to it sounds delicious!” “Great, I’m starving,” Rainbow said as she and Fluttershy followed Pinkie to the restaurant. “I really should’ve gotten something on the ship.” The restaurant looked more like a stand to Fluttershy; there were no tables on the outside, only ponies sitting on the sand covered ground. A menu scrawled into wooden planks hung above the counter behind which a lone mare stood. After ordering, they sat next to two of the ponies that sailed with them. “Hey! Do you know what happened to the gym?” Pinkie asked, looking over the two’s plates of food. “Not sure. There was nothing on the news about it, so it must’ve happened pretty recently. I thought my Pokédex broke when I came into town!” the gold hatted pony laughed. “Same...” Fluttershy yawned, rubbing her eyes. Her eye-lids drooped as they sat, and she squirmed uncomfortably. She tried paying attention to what the ponies were talking about, but she only stared at the booth, waiting for her food to come. She licked her lips and shifted as she waited, trying to make herself comfortable. “Fluttershy?” Rainbow asked. “Hey, are you alright?” “Oh,” Fluttershy mumbled, looking over to Rainbow. She couldn’t stay awake anymore, her body screaming at her for some rest. “I’m just really tired. I think I’ll go lay down after this.” “Okay. How about this: leave Alerce and Wolver with us, then we’ll get some training in while you get some sleep,” Rainbow suggested, extending her hoof. Fluttershy took out her pokémon and handed their Poké Balls to Rainbow who then pocketed them in her jacket. “I’ll put them right back in your bag when we’re done.” “That’s sounds nice,” Fluttershy said, yawning again. Before she knew it, her plate of food was in front of her on a small mat. It was a simple daffodil sandwich which she dug into right away, wolfing it down before she had the chance to even taste it. With a swig of her water, she finished her meal just as the other four were taking their first bites. As she set her cup down, she looked up at the Pokémon Center, hoping it was still open. “I’m going to sleep. I’ll see you all when I wake up,” she yawned, standing up. “Alright, sleep well,” Rainbow stated, watching as Fluttershy slowly trotted into the Pokémon Center, hobbling from side to side. The inside of the building was laid out the exact same way as the one in Petalburg, making it easy for her to find her way around. It was empty except for a nurse who stood behind the counter. She looked around, trying to find a comfortable spot to lay down. There, in the corner of the room, she spotted a small cushioned bench. It called sweetly to her, the cushions looking like soft, fluffy clouds beckoning her to lay on them. As she approached, the looked over to the nurse, who was busy with paperwork. “I-is it alright if I get some sleep here?” Fluttershy asked, her voice just squeaking out. “That’s fine. Have a good rest.” The nurse closed her eyes and smiled. “Thank you,” Fluttershy said before dragging herself over and plopping onto the bench. She took out her blanket and draped it over herself, shifted into a comfortable position, and let herself drift off. “Fluttershy! Pinkie! Wake up!” Rainbow yelled, shaking Fluttershy awake. She sat up, looking around the room with her eyes still half closed. It was night, leaving the Pokémon Center shrouded in darkness. “What... what is it?” Fluttershy mumbled, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. “Come outside, you have to see this,” Rainbow exclaimed as she bolted out the door with Pinkie close behind. As Fluttershy shook her grogginess off, she made her way to the door and stepped outside. “Rainbow, where are you—” she stopped after she turned to the east. A sickening orange and red glow cast itself over the horizon as a thick billow of smoke rose into the air. “What is that?” “It looks like something is... burning. I was getting ready to go to sleep after some flight practice, and I saw a flash of light came from over there. Isn’t that where we’re supposed to go next? Slateport, I think?” Rainbow said, hovering above the Pokémon Center in an attempt to get a better view. “I hope not, not if it’s burning at least,” Pinkie stated. The way the orange and red light pulsated disturbed Fluttershy. She had seen fires before, but never as large nor as bright as this, nor with as red of hue. As the smoke gathered in the air, it reflected the flames’ light, making the sky appear to be burning. “What do we do?” “We find out what’s going on,” Rainbow said as she stared out at the inferno. “It can’t be any worse than anything that’s happened today. Hey, maybe it’ll even be exciting.” With a quick swoop, she landed, looking back towards the docked passenger boat. “We should wake up Mr. Briney.”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-01-19T17:28:59+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:20+00:00

The air was still as the night had long settled on the small town. Dewford was all but asleep, except for three young mares who galloped and flew quietly through the back streets. Every building lay silent and dark, leaving the three illuminated only by moonlight and the faint red glow of the sky as an inferno raged to the east. Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie followed Rainbow Dash towards the docks, hoping to find Mr. Briney still aboard his ship. “Mr. Briney! Mr. Briney!” Rainbow yelled as they galloped up to the weather-beaten boat. It bobbed up and down gently, floating silently over the cresting waves. A yellow light flickered on in the boat’s wheelhouse before a silhouette inside moved around. “I knew he’d be here.” “Didn’t he say he was staying in town?” Fluttershy asked as she watched the cabin door swing open. “Why is he back over here?” “There wasn’t any place to stay for the night except for the Pokémon Center. He wasn’t there the last time I checked.” “What do ya’ want?” the old sea pony asked, leaning onto the railing as he looked down on the three. His seagull was asleep, laying on his back as Mr. Briney grimaced. “The sun set a while ago, why aren’t you fillies in bed yet?” “Look east, there’s something on fire!” Fluttershy yelled, pointing to the burning sky. Its intensity had faded, yet it still gave her a sickening pain in her stomach. The smoke extended over the sea, engulfing the horizon in burning cinders. “Huh, so it is,” Mr. Briney stated, rubbing his gray stubble. “So, what do you want me to do about it?” Rainbow flew up to the deck and hovered in front of the sea pony. “We want to go check it out, and we were hoping you would sail us over there. We have to go to Slateport anyway, right?” She flew over the railing and landed on the deck. “Yes, in two days,” he explained, glaring at Rainbow. “Also, you three want to go towards a wildfire? You’re supposed to run away, you stupid fillies.” He began pacing back and forth, switching his gaze between Rainbow and the other two. “Tell me, why should I risk my vessel to bring three greenhorns to a set of burning land? Fuel is expensive and I’m too old for fillies’ games.” Fluttershy looked down in thought. Mr. Briney had been harsh before, making the three have to beg to board his ship the first time. The fire in the east gave her chills unlike any other fire she had seen before. It was the same feeling she’d had when she had fought with Norman; it felt as if the fire wasn’t supposed to happen. She didn’t realize why she had begun banging on her Pokédex for not responding until she saw the blaze in front of her; something felt terribly wrong, and it seemed that deviations were becoming worse. “I know you don’t like us, and you think I’m... pathetic, but we have to go. Ponies could be injured,” Fluttershy argued. “We have to do something about it.” “There are firefighters and police who can take care of things like this, what makes you think you’re needed over there?” Mr. Briney removed himself off from the railing and walked to the raised ramp. “One good reason, what is it?” He asked, eyeing Fluttershy. Fluttershy locked eyes with him, watching his movements closely. He said there was a reason he let us on the first time... but why? she thought. If she couldn’t come up with why Mr. Briney let them on his boat in the first place, she didn’t know how to convince him to bring them back to the mainland. She looked back at the blaze, feeling the knot tighten in her stomach, then looked back up at the sea pony. “I... well...” “Hmm? What was that?” Mr. Briney asked condescendingly. “Please? I know you don’t trust us, and it’s an odd request, but we have to go. Seeing it there...” Fluttershy shuddered as she looked back. “I... just...” she murmured, clutching at her chest. “Please!” Mr. Briney looked down at her and Pinkie Pie and laughed. “May, the daughter of Norman, is reduced to begging in front of an old captain.” He looked away from the ponies and up to the horizon, taking out a small, brass telescope and looking through it. Rainbow flew down from the deck and landed in front of her friends. “Ugh, well that was pointless,” she groaned, then yawned as she trotted down the dock. “I’m going back to the Pokémon Center to get some shut-eye.” Fluttershy yawned and nodded her head, following Rainbow back onto the island. “I don’t know why we thought that would work. We barely got onto the-” Fluttershy jumped at the sound of a loud clang behind her. She quickly turned around, noticing the ramp onto the ship was lowered onto the end of the dock. After a few quick, silent glances between them, the mares approached the ramp and looked up at Briney who stood just off to the side of the ramp. “So, are you fillies coming aboard or not?” Mr. Briney yelled out, placing a white, black-billed hat on his head. He had donned a blue blazer with brass buttons running down its front with white trim. Fluttershy stood confused, watching as the grizzled pony tapped his forehoof impatiently on the ramp. “I thought you weren’t going to—” “Don’t question your captain, sailor!” Briney interrupted her, stepping off the ramp. “You want to get to Slateport so badly, you’re going to work for it. I’m your captain now, and you take orders from me. Now come aboard before I ship off without you sorry lot!” Without another word, Fluttershy trotted up the ramp, followed by Rainbow and Pinkie, keeping her eye on the now authoritative stallion. He drew a line with his eyes towards the backside of the cabin, forcing the three to line up with their haunches to the stairwell wall. The rocking of the boat was much rougher than she remembered as she saw Pinkie stumble into the wall from her tired movements. After Rainbow brought Pinkie back to her hooves and with the three firmly lined up, Mr. Briney casually made his way to the middle before scanning the three of them. Fluttershy gulped, anxiously awaiting the sea pony’s next action. “So you want to be adventurers, huh?” He began to pace in front of them, casually glancing towards the east every few seconds. “If you’re going to use my ship, you’re going to be my crew, is that understood?” Fluttershy nodded as Rainbow and Pinkie looked at each other, making short gestures with their hooves. “I can’t hear you, greenhorns!” He yelled, snapping the three to attention. “Uh...yes,” Fluttershy said softly. Rainbow and Pinkie followed suit, slightly mumbling their responses. “That’s ‘Yes, Captain.’ to you lot!” He snapped, grimacing at his lowly crew. “You want to be on my ship and act as my crew, then act like it! Do you understand me?” “Yes, Captain!” The three yelled in unison, putting a smile on the seasoned captain’s face. “Good, now let’s put you to work. Rainbow was it? Sound the bell above the wheelhouse as we depart. When we get close enough to the flames, fly ahead to see what’s happening. Pinkie, I need you to man the spotlight on top of the cabin; make sure we don’t run into anything in the open water.” “Okie-dokie, Captain!” Pinkie said with a salute. “May, before I give you your instructions, I need to speak with you in the cabin. There’s something I need to clear up with you,” Mr. Briney said to Fluttershy before turning his back to the other two mares. “Sound the bell! We’re shoving off!” Rainbow flew to the bell and yanked on its string, causing the bell to toll and echo off the cliff face. Mr. Briney entered the wheelhouse, sitting on his wooden chair, pulling several levers and turning the ignition key. With the clang of chains, the anchor slowly rose from the water as the engines roared to life. With a sudden jerk, the boat began moving back from the dock, bowing out to face the blaze. Fluttershy and Pinkie grasped the railing as the boat turned, trying not to bowl each other over. As the boat crawled to a stop, it sailed forward with incredible speed. “Pinkie! Man the second light, there’s no lighthouse where we’re headed!” the captain yelled out, spurring the pink pony into action. She quickly bounded around the outside of the cabin, galloping up a ramp to the top. She clicked on a switch, giving life the to bulb and swiveled it to shine its light on the dark water below. Pinkie giggled as she turned to light to and fro, blurring the light across the sea and obscuring the wheelhouse light. “Slow it down, lass. I can’t see a thing!” the captain yelled. “Oops, sorry,” Pinkie laughed in embarrassment before concentrating the light on a single point on the waves. With the boat now at cruising speed, Fluttershy closed her eyes and took a nervous deep breath. She couldn’t figure out why Mr. Briney wanted to speak to her, and she was hoping it wasn’t just a private berating. Step by step she slowly approached the cabin doors, her breath quickening as she came closer. Apprehensively, she pushed the door open, causing the stern earth pony to look back at her. Without a word she closed the door behind her and kept her distance. “Y...you wanted to see me, Captain?” she squeaked out, watching the seagull hop down off of the control panel as she avoided the captain’s gaze. “Yes I did,” he said in a soft tone. She had never heard him with such a lack of bite to his words. With another deep breath, she trotted to his side and looked out at the open sea. “Do you know why I called you in here?” “N-no, Captain,” Fluttershy answered, watching small islands whizz by. “You don’t need to call me that, I was just having a bit of fun with you three,” he laughed. “This is about the other day and just before you boarded tonight. Do you have any idea why I called you pathetic in my cabin when you first came?” Fluttershy lowered her head, peeking up at the captain. “Um... to make fun of me?” “Of course not, that would be cruel. I just wanted to get a rise out of you,” he explained, confusing Fluttershy. “Your father told me all about you when he first came to Petalburg. Oh the stories he would tell. The girl with fire in her eyes he would say; she’d never back down from a fight and send her opponents packing.” With a sudden movement, he spun the wheel, banking around a stray, empty wooden boat. “That was close... that Pinkie is a good spotter when she isn’t playing around, ain’t she?” Fluttershy responded in silence. “Anyway, I was excited to see this firebrand of a Pokémon trainer for the first time. When you came into my cabin I thought nothing of you, but when you told be your name I was shocked, let me tell you. “You were nothing like the stories, so I tried to force it out of you. I thought you were playing games with me, so I let you on my boat to see if I was right. When I saw you come up to see your friend, I expected to see that side of you come out, but I heard you talk about your nightmare.” Fluttershy looked up at him in surprise. “You heard that?” Her face fell, flush with embarrassment. “Yes, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of I can assure you,” he said, patting Fluttershy on the back. “At that point I needed more confirmation of this ‘change’ you went though. I kept watching and saw you with that stowaway totodile. Any other trainer would’ve fought it, but you approached it like it was a small foal. I can’t say I wasn’t surprised when I saw that. I tried one last time right before I let you on to rile you up, but you stayed as calm as you are now. I didn’t know your father exaggerated so much.” “Y-yeah, he does that a lot,” Fluttershy lied, trying to keep up with his story. “Your friends, did they come with you to Hoenn? Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie?” he asked, tapping on of the gauges with a hoof as he steered with the other. “Yes. They’re my best friends,” she explained. “Hmm... that’s what I thought.” He paused for a moment, rubbing his stubble with his hoof. “May isn’t your real name, is it?” Fluttershy took a step back, her eyes darting back and forth in thought. How could he know my name? I’ve only told it to one other pony, she thought, her mind scrambling to come up with an answer. “No, no it’s not,” Fluttershy answered. “I knew it! Call it an ol’ sailor’s intuition. May seems more of a Hoenn name than a Johto name. I was wondering why your name was so conservative compared to your friends.” Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief. “So, what’s your real name?” “It’s Fluttershy,” she answered with a calm breath. “That sounds better. I think it suits you better too,” he said before turning his attention to the sky. “What do you think it is? ...the fire, I mean,” Fluttershy asked. “Well, it can’t be a wildfire. The humidity is too high and we get consistent rainfall throughout Hoenn. A place like Blackthorn where you come from, sure, but not here; especially not a port town.” He grabbed a radio receiver from the dashboard. “Rainbow, can you hear me?” They waited for a moment before they heard a muffled, “Yeah... I mean yes, Captain,” from outside the wheelhouse. “We’re getting close to the docks on this strait. I need you to fly ahead and make sure I’m not headed towards a burning dock. See if you can make out what’s going on as well, I don’t like the look of this,” Briney commanded, watching the cyan pegasus salute then bolt through the air, blazing off from the boat. Fluttershy watched as Rainbow disappeared through the smoke, leaving a small rainbow trail behind her. Fluttershy crept out of the wheelhouse and leaned on the boat’s railing, watching for any sign of Rainbow’s return. She could see the shadow of a dock coming into view over the horizon, absent of the crimson light that consumed the land north of it. A trickle of smoke seeped its way down her windpipe, making her close her eyes and cough violently. Leaving her eyes half way open, she continued monitoring the flames. She stripped off her bandanna and dipped it in her water, covering her mouth trying her hardest to keep from breathing the smoke . In no time, Rainbow emerged from the smoke, landing gracefully on the ship’s deck. Fluttershy took herself off from the railing and rushed to her friend, awaiting her scouting report. A hum made its way through the speakers as the captain slowed the boat to half its speed. “What’d you find?” he asked before Fluttershy could speak. Rainbow fluffed her jacket and desperately tried to wipe the soot off from her jacket. “The dock isn’t on fire, I can say that much.” “What’s happening over there?” Fluttershy asked with concern. The red glow of the blaze made its way onto the boat as they inched ever closer, enveloping them in its light. “The entire town is on fire,” the rainbow-maned pegasus cried. “I couldn’t get a good look at it, but I couldn’t see anypony left in town.” She began to pace. “I don’t know what we’re going to do. I would just grab a rain cloud and make it rain, but I can’t seem to touch them. Alerce is probably useless since he’s weak to fire. Wolver is still pretty weak. Pinkie’s alligator is nowhere near powerful enough to put out the fire. Lorica is weak to fire—” “Lorica?” Fluttershy asked in confusion. “You remember those creatures in the cave? The ones with the metal backs and all? I caught one of those while you were asleep.” Rainbow explained, releasing the creature onto the boat. It yawned, then looked up at Fluttershy. The crimson from the blaze glinted off its armor, flickering and pulsating in contrast to its bright, azure eyes. “He didn’t stand much of a chance against Igni, so I figure he’s not strong against it.” “Pinkie, kill the lights!” Mr. Briney yelled over the speakers, prompting Pinkie to switch off the lantern. The boat was on its final approach to the dock, slowing its speed to a mere crawl. With a choke, the engines severely slowed and the lights on the boat flickered off. “Prepare to dock!” He called out through the wheelhouse glass. Rainbow called back Lorica and stuffed his Poké Ball back in her jacket before Pinkie hopped down from the cabin. The grizzled sea pony turned the wheel a final time and dropped anchor perpendicular to the dock, stopping the boat completely. As the ship rocked on the waves, Mr. Briney came out from the wheelhouse and lowered the ramp onto the dock, letting the three mares onto dry land. “Do you three know what you’re doing? Will you be alright?” he asked, watching the three descend the ramp. Fluttershy could hear the concern in his tone, like a father looking after his daughters. She looked back at him, meeting him with a smile. “We’re just seeing what we can do. I’m sure there are ponies that need our help,” the pink maned pegasus explained. “I’ll be here if you need anything. If you need to head back to Dewford, let me know. I’ll be heading back in the morning to get ready for the group still over there,” their captain said before making his way back into the wheelhouse. Fluttershy sighed and turned around, her view now encompassed by the blaze. The dock was connected to a large sprawling beach filled with umbrellas and fold-up chairs. Several beach balls lay scattered on the sand, while others bobbed in the tide. The three mares trotted down the dock, Pinkie galloping out ahead of them. As their hooves hit sand, Fluttershy felt the sands’ warmth flowing though her legs. It was... tepid, but unusually so. As she drew closer, the heat of the flames rushed to Fluttershy’s face. Fluttershy coughed more as they trudged along the beach and onto the stone roads of the burning town. Slateport was in ruins; the nautical museum had fallen apart and was left in shambles, a building that held a large boat and submarine was ablaze, the steel inside glowed bright orange as the iron-cast beams emitted the crimson light they saw from Dewford. Not a single building stood unscathed in wake of the fire, each of them crumbled onto themselves in ruin. Fluttershy raised a hoof to shield her eyes, coughing from the lingering smoke and fumes. The sign welcoming them into Slateport lay on the ground, covered in embers and burning with a harsh, orange glow. “Let’s start looking, there have to be some survivors,” Rainbow said before breaking off from the group and beginning to search through some of the wreckage, heaving off several heavy chunks of roofing and timber. Fluttershy flew off in the other direction, trying to fan off some of the embers with gusts from her wings. After a few moments, all that remained of the flames on the wreckage in front of her were smoldering ashes, so she got to digging her way through. Each piece felt heavier for the pegasus as she continued coughing. She covered her mouth again with her rag, trying to filter the air between each removed piece. After straining to roll an iron girder off from the collapsed building, she felt the hair on the back of her neck stick up. She felt as if... somepony or something was watching her. Slowly, she turned around and squinted, trying to focus on a small, standing figure in the distance. The figure was mostly in shadow, with the light of the flames licking at its body. It reflected the light, as though it were covered in a shined metal. Turning her body fully to face the figure, she studied it as it remained still, not moving as the flames inched closer to it. It was bulky and still, and she felt sick looking at it, feeling as if it stared straight through her. Her breathing stuttered as she trotted towards Rainbow Dash, making sure she never broke eye contact with the figure. Before she made it to her friend, it twitched its head to the right, then back up again almost instantaneously. She let out a tiny scream and rushed over to Rainbow who was still chipping away at the wreckage. “R...Rainb...bow?” Fluttershy stuttered, tapping the cyan pegasus on the shoulder. “What is it Fluttershy? Did you find something?” Rainbow asked, turning towards her friend. “L..look over there...” Fluttershy pointed to the figure as it continued its stare unabated. As Rainbow came closer, a flash of light came from behind it, completely silhouetting the pony. Coiling up from behind him was a monstrous serpent, its body segmented with spheres and was covered in multiple fins with a great, gaping maw hanging open. It towered over the figure, its body reaching high above the flames as Fluttershy saw saliva drip from its mouth, sizzling as it hit the ground. She shuddered, quickly ducking behind her friend. Rainbow called out quietly to Pinkie, letting the pink pony hop over to her side as Fluttershy shook behind them. “It’s probably nothing, Fluttershy,” Rainbow assured her, making her way towards the shadowed figure. Pinkie quickly followed suit. “Rainbow... I.. no!” Fluttershy squeaked before running behind the wrecked buildings. She snuck her way through the back streets, avoiding eye contact with the shadowed pony. To her right was a hollowed out building with the front still intact. It wasn’t on fire, so she made her way inside, peeking out from a broken glass window to watch her two friends approach the pony. The light of the fire made its body visible, revealing a horn on the pony, its body clad in azure armor. A scabbard with a straight-sword hung on its side, clanging against its side plate as it moved closer to her friends. The beast remained behind it, floating above the ground. She ducked her head, and closed her eyes, hoping her friends didn’t engage it. “Hey, you!” Rainbow yelled, catching the armor-clad pony’s attention. “Could you help us find survivors? There’s a lot of rubble to sift through.” Fluttershy poked her head back up, seeing the unicorn only a few feet away from Pinkie and Rainbow. The blue-scaled monster had set down behind the unicorn, its head laying against its master's side. “There are still ponies here?” It asked in a grizzled voice. “I think so, there might be some trapped under the rubble,” Rainbow said before turning around, frantically looking for Fluttershy. “Why should I help them? They were given the chance to leave,” the stallion said, his tone sending a shiver down Fluttershy’s spine. Rainbow quickly turned back, getting into the stallions face. “What do you mean ‘a chance to leave?’ Did you do this?!” she demanded, pushing her face into the stallion’s tempered steel helmet. Fluttershy held her hooves to her mouth, trying to shake off her nerves. She wanted to grab her friends and run, but she was paralyzed in place. “You two... you look so familiar...” he droned, tilting his head to glance at Pinkie. “It’s almost as if...” he trailed off as Rainbow backed away, motioning Pinkie to her side. He tilted his head up and stepped closer to them. “Your clothes... your colors... your naivety... you two must be the Spark!” “The what?” Pinkie asked, huddling closer to the pegasus. He laughed. “All thanks to you I can remember everything,” he explained before his head twitched again. “If you’re the spark, then... Your friend... she turned me into this! This... horse!” He exclaimed, stomping on the ground making Rainbow and Pinkie step back. “I have no idea what you’re talking about!” Rainbow yelled, Fluttershy hearing a small crack in her voice. “Did you do this, yes or no?!” “I knew the Blueprint would come when it saw this...” he said, gesturing to the smoldering ruins as Rainbow spread her wings in defense. “The last time a Spark came to Hoenn, the blueprint was with them.” He took a step forward, followed by his serpent. Rainbow’s face showcased her fury as he shoved his face into hers. “Where is the Blueprint?” “Blueprint? I don’t know what you’re talking about, but if you don’t step off,” Rainbow growled, butting her head against his. She gritted her teeth as she stared him down. “I’ll take you down right here!” “With what, your weak Pokémon?” He laughed, pushing Rainbow back. “No, with this!” Rainbow yelled, as she turned and bucked the armored stallion in the helmet. He crashed to the ground, tumbling back until he was stopped by the serpent’s bulky coils. “Tell me!” he yelled, getting back onto this hooves. Scuff marks now defaced the once pristine armor as she could hear the muffled, heavy breathing of the unicorn. “Where... is... Fluttershy?!” Fluttershy quickly ducked her head down, body trembled. The fact that stallion knew her name scared her. Steven knowing of Cloudsdale seemed innocent enough in hindsight, but even he hadn’t know her name. She sat down with her back to the wall, staring at her shaking hooves. After taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and searched through May’s memories for an answer to who the stallion was, but the armor was complicating her search. His voice was her only clue, but it wasn’t predominant in the girl’s memory. She was afraid to look back at the scene going on behind her so she delved into the only memory she could find, "I came to see what was taking so long to snatch some parts, and you simps are held up by a mere child?” Fluttershy’s eyes sprang open. The girl’s memories had only surfaced in reference to Fluttershy’s present... meaning the girl had met this stallion here. With the town destroyed and the stallion obscured, she couldn’t find a vivid memory. He didn’t sound like anyone she knew, but the voice seemed resonated with the girl. At the sound of a loud clang, Fluttershy jumped in shock and peered out the window. The stallion was flat on his back with Rainbow being restrained by Pinkie. “I said we won’t let you touch her! This is your last warning!” Rainbow yelled, struggling to free herself of the pink pony’s grasp. “Let go, Pinkie!” she screamed. A blood-curdling roar bellowed from the serpent, making Fluttershy cover her ears. It rose from the ground and flew, circling around Pinkie and Rainbow. With one last shove, Rainbow escaped from Pinkie and bolted straight into the air. With pin-point accuracy, she hit the creature under the jaw, sending it back through the air. It landed, swiftly turning itself to strike. With frightening speed, it flew through the air and rushed towards the cyan pony. Pinkie ran to a pile of rubble as the unicorn got back on his hooves and shook himself off. “Kill her,” he commanded, watching Rainbow blaze up into the lingering sea of smoke. The serpent followed suit, trying desperately to keep up. As Rainbow emerged from the top of the plume, she dived back down at frightening speed, striking and slamming the creature into one of the smoldering buildings. Her breathing was labored as she hovered directly below the ceiling of smoke, noticing the serpent trapped under the rubble. Pinkie looked over a ruined home, taking notice of the small chunks of metal and charred wood available to her. She smiled as she began hoarding them into a pile. With one quick look over her shoulder, she started dragging her pile back towards the unicorn with a sly smile on her face. With a flash, a large, column of fire shot out from the rubble, lighting the sky as it flew towards Rainbow Dash. She quickly noticed the blast and flew down towards the ground, narrowly escaping the encroaching flame. Just as she flew towards the serpent, it broke through the rubble and struck its tail into the pegasus’ back, slamming her into the ground before disappearing. She rolled a few feet before struggling back to her hooves. With a flap of her wings, she carried herself back into the air. She searched the area, awaiting the serpent’s next attack, but it was nowhere to be found. As she looked, she felt something drip on her forehead. Rain. A downpour rained down from the sky, soaking the entire down in a torrent of water. Fluttershy shivered as she placed her bag over her head, trying to keep herself dry. The ground hissed as the flames were doused and the crimson sky returned back to its original, dark blue hue. Rainbow put her hoof over the face as she flew around, looking for the serpent. With the serpent seemingly gone, she dived and dashed towards the now unprotected stallion who stood silently in the rain. Just before she could strike the unicorn, a thunderous roar filled the sky. Rainbow turned her head up, seeing the creature coiled inside a cloud as a giant flash of white cracked through it. With a thunderous clap, a bolt of lightning arced straight Rainbow’s body, making her scream in pain before crashing and tumbling into the ground. She lay there, scorched and unmoving as the monster landed beside her. Tears flowed down Fluttershy’s cheeks as she recoiled back from the window and held her shaking forehooves to her mouth. “Rainbow!” Fluttershy yelled before clasping her mouth shut with her hooves. Just as she screamed, the unicorn cocked his head towards her. “She’s over there; grab her!” the unicorn yelled, motioning for the monster ensnare her. Fluttershy tried forcing her wings open as the growls of the serpent came closer. She broke out into a gallop, frantically looking back to see how much time she had left but the serpent broke through the wall and circled around the frightened pegasus. She closed her eyes and shuddered, sobbing as she clenched her teeth and waited. Against her better judgment, she opened her eyes and watched the serpent circle one last time before closing in on her. For a fraction of a second, she felt its wet, yellow-scaled underbelly brush up against her fur before she felt a small shock where it had touched. With a massive roar, the serpent recoiled back, electricity surging through its body. It writhed on the ground, squirming in agony as the pain coursed through it. Fluttershy scrambled against a standing piece of rubble, her eyes darting as they followed the flopping monster. After a few seconds, it stopped and lay motionless. “Take that!” Pinkie yelled as she hurled rubble at the unicorn. Each piece hit and bounced off, knocking the unicorn back before his horn glowed through the armor. A blue light enveloped the debris pile and it was tossed across the town, leaving Pinkie with no ammunition. “You useless beast, you can’t even handle a puny unicorn?!” he hollered, bringing the creature to attention. “Bind the earth pony, she’s of no use to us. I will take care of the unicorn myself.” With that, the serpent flew through the air once more and descended upon Pinkie. She scrambled down the road, trying to escape, but the tail of the serpent found its way under her belly and scooped her off the ground. It fully ensnared Pinkie and brought her to the ground, forcing her into submission. She squirmed, but the serpent tightened its grip, causing her to yelp out in pain. Fluttershy’s pupils shrunk as she watched her two friends struggling to survive. She felt a tightness in her chest, causing her to grasp it and slump to the ash-covered ground. She peered to her left, watching the unicorn advance towards her. In desperation, she tried again to force her wings open to fly away, to save her friends and run. A crackling roar threw off her concentration as three walls of fire surrounded her, seeming unaffected by the continuing downpour. Fluttershy turned back to the unicorn who stood only a few feet away. “There you are, unicor—” he stopped, peering around Fluttershy. “You-you’re a pegasus?! But... you’re wearing the hat and everything! Don’t tell me you’re Fluttershy!” he yelled, stamping his hooves in frustration. “W-what do you want...?” Fluttershy gulped, her breathing quickening as the tried to steel her courage. “You must be the Blueprint; you have the green bandanna and orange vest.” He came closer, backing Fluttershy towards the walls of flame. “What is a pegasus doing as the Blueprint? It doesn’t make any sense.” With the unicorn in a calmer state, Fluttershy looked with worry over to her injured friends, her anger rising towards the armored pony, her fear turning into focus. As her breathing quickened, she rose and flew into the stallion’s face, staring furiously through the eye slits of his helmet. Her pupils disappeared, leaving only her irises and whites of her eyes. ‘How dare you hurt my friends!” She screamed, pushing her face into his as it contorted in anger. “I don’t care what you want from me, but I won’t let you have it!” She heard a small chuckle from the stallion as he casually broke away from Fluttershy’s piercing stare. “So you are Fluttershy... hollow-boned, cowardly Fluttershy,” he said condescendingly before slipping his sword from its scabbard, holding the point threateningly before the pegasus’ face. She fell back and scrambled away, her eyes returning to normal as the stallion regained his composure. “Help me, and everyone will be saved,” he stated. “Why couldn’t you just ask?! Why did you have to do this?” Fluttershy cried, her eyes darting between the stallion and the sword. “What about my friends?!” “Even if I did ask, you’d never help me. Why would you? You’re the Blueprint. Everything in this world is crafted to fit your standards. Every person in Hoenn was turned into one of you horse-beasts, giving you everything you could ever want. I’ve seen it happen thousands of times. Your friends did help me a little at least,” he chuckled lightly. “The Spark allowed me to remember every session, how they began and how they ended. How your starter became a coward to suit your pathetic nature.” Fluttershy’s mouth hung agape. She couldn’t formulate a single thought as the stallion continued. “I know what has to be done, and what my job is as the callen.” “W...what is it?” Fluttershy squeaked, piling up ash behind her to toss. “I am to break the time loop... and all I need is you,” he said before approaching Fluttershy, twitching once more. She scrambled back as far as she could without touching the flames, scraping up and keeping a pile of ash close to her. “I-I won’t go with you!” she yelled, throwing the ash at the stallion before trying to slip by him. After a quick wave of his hoof across his helmet, the unicorn stomped on the ground, causing Fluttershy to retreat back. In the distance, she could hear the faint wailing of sirens above the crackle of the flames. “I’m not asking you to,” he stated, inching closer, “I’m forcing you to.” With a swift movement, the stallion grabbed at Fluttershy with one of his hooves. As he touched her, she felt the same small shock as before, watching as the unicorn jumped back. The armor on his foreleg shredded into pieces as shrapnel, scattering across the ash. With part of his armor destroyed, he lunged in to grab her again with both of his hooves. A large jolt of electricity shot through him as he seized her, throwing him to the ground and making him to scream in pain. The flames dissipated around Fluttershy as the unicorn writhed on the ground, violently squirming and crying, his body arching back from shock. Quickly, Fluttershy grabbed one of the scraps of armor and shoved it in her bag. With the unicorn incapacitated, she ran through the alleyway to get back to Rainbow Dash before he could get back up. She glanced back, watching as the unicorn attempted to climb back onto his hooves, only to fall back down. “Gyarados! Get over here!” he screamed, the serpent releasing the pink pony and at its master’s call and slithering towards the unicorn. She couldn’t hear him anymore, but watched as the Gyarados hoisted the unicorn onto its back and flew off to the east over the sea. Fluttershy closed her eyes and let the rain wash away her anxiety. Her breathing slowed and her adrenaline began to fade, allowing her to focus. With the sirens growing louder, the pegasus flew immediately to the still motionless Rainbow Dash. Fluttershy shook her, trying to wake the rainbow-maned pegasus. She bent down to listen to Rainbow’s vital signs, noticing a tear in the cyan pegasus’ shorts, revealing her cutie mark. She rolled Rainbow onto her back, watching as the cyan pegasus’ chest slowly rose and fell. Fluttershy breathed a sigh of relief before Rainbow coughed and hacked, hastily opening her eyes. “Rainbow, I’m so glad you’re awake,” Fluttershy said as the cyan pegasus looked around frantically. “W-Where’s the monster... and that unicorn?!” Rainbow yelled as she rose to her hooves, spreading her wings instinctively before arching back in pain. “What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, carefully examining Rainbow’s wings. “It’s a small crick, don’t worry about it. It should be fine in a few days,” Rainbow assured her, slowly and carefully folding her wings back to her side. “What happened to those jerks?” “I-I’m not really sure... that creature—I think he called it a gyarados—tried to grab me... but a bolt of lighting knocked it away... the same thing happened to the unicorn when he tried to grab me,” Fluttershy explained. With Rainbow awake and on her hooves, she galloped over to Pinkie as she struggled to her hooves. “So you chased them off? I knew you had it in you Fluttershy,” Rainbow laughed, trotting up to her friend. “Are you alright, Pinkie?” Fluttershy asked, helping the pink pony up to her hooves. “Yep, I’m fine,” Pinkie stated. “Feel a little like a jelly doughnut without its filling, but I’m alright.” She brushed herself off, trying to shake some of the rain from her coat. The blaring sirens grew louder as red and blue lights flashed to the north, coming closer to the ruined city. Above them, the rain quieted, slowing to a sprinkle, then disappearing completely. The large billows of smoke from before had vanished, leaving the city in a lifeless lull save the three mares. “So, what do we do now? Do we keep looking for survivors?” Rainbow asked, stretching her wing. “By the way, where did that stallion go anyway?” “The monster took him east. I don’t think we have to worry about him for a while,” Fluttershy explained, noticing several vehicles emerging on the northern road. “Why was he after you anyway? Did you do something to him?” Pinkie asked, sitting down on the soaked earth. “He said something about me being the ‘blueprint’ or something. He’s trying to break some kind of time loop... and he needs me to do it.” Fluttershy stripped off her hat and wrung it out. “He knew about Alerce too. Something about you guys turning him into a coward. I’m not really sure.” “Alerce, a coward? He went up against that terrible monkey in Norman’s gym, no problem,” Pinkie said. “He was probably just trying to get under your skin. Though... you did say something similar when that girl took you over,” Rainbow said, piquing Fluttershy’s curiosity. “What did she say?” “I think it was something about the world changing Alerce into something cowardly... I don’t know. She was talking nonsense,” Rainbow said. Several large vehicles charged down the road, not being carried by ponies. Several large white trucks with red crosses, small vehicles with flashing red and blue lights and massive red vehicle with a ladder on its roof charged down the road and stopped near the three mares. “I wouldn’t worry about it, they were just trying to rile you up.” “I guess...” Fluttershy responded glumly. She had no idea why the consciousness of a girl would taunt her for her docile nature. Maybe she knew something Fluttershy didn’t. She shook her head in rejection and watched several uniformed ponies step out from the vehicles and rush over to them. “Hey! Are you three alright?” a stallion in a navy blue uniform yelled, galloping alongside several paramedics. Two of them branched off and went to examine Rainbow and Pinkie, carefully inspecting their injuries. “Y-yeah. We’re fine, just a little shaken,” Fluttershy said, watching Rainbow fidget as the paramedic taped up her wing. “That’s good,” the officer sighed. “There were several obstructions blocked the road here... made it nearly it impossible. Glad none of you were hurt. What was with the light show? For a second there, It looked like... like there were a lot of white flashes.” “Oh, well...” Fluttershy started. She had no idea how to explain a stallion wearing armor with a flying serpent without sounding insane, so she decided to do the next best thing. “I don’t know, we only just got here.” “That’s alright then. You missed a stallion in armor with a massive gyarados, at least according to the townsfolk when we were coming over,” he explained, causing Fluttershy to look down at the ground to avoid eye contact. From the ambulance, several white coated ponies brought out a large white tent with a bold red cross and set it up just off the road. With Rainbow and Pinkie bandaged up, the paramedics escorted them to the tent, Fluttershy presuming to let them rest. She looked back up to the officer who was speaking over his radio to a fellow officer. “So, the townsfolk escaped?” Fluttershy asked, prompting the stallion to put away his radio. “Oh yeah, droves of ponies going straight up to Mauville. I’d suggest you do the same.” He looked around the city, taking note of the utter destruction. “There’s really nothing here for you now.” “Thanks. Could I go see my friends?” she asked, not knowing the procedure of breaking off conversations with law enforcement here. That last thing she wanted was to be arrested after that whole experience. “Of course. You know, your friends look pretty familiar. Are they from around here?” “Rainbow and Pinkie? No, they came with me from... Johto,” she responded, taking a couple steps towards the tent. “What are their last names if you don’t mind me asking?” he asked with an inquisitive look. “Um, they’re Dash and Pie,” Fluttershy stated, questioning the police stallion’s intent. “Oh, I didn’t know the gym leaders had any relatives out in Johto. I was wondering why they looked so familiar. That news must’ve been devastating to hear when you’re a whole country away,” he said, shaking his head. “Happened so close to each other too, I was surprised.” “Wait, what are you talking about?” she asked, halting her departure. “What news?” “Just tell them that I’m sorry for their losses,” he said before picking his radio back up and resumed his conversation. With a glum look, Fluttershy turned back to the tent and made her way over. Just as she arrived, the two paramedics exited the tent, talking to each other and letting Fluttershy pass through. With a small push, the tent flap opened, revealing her newly bandaged friends. They were lying on small white cots surrounded by discarded bandage wrappings and gauze trimmings. Rainbow scratched at her bandages, trying to alleviate some kind of itch. “Hey, Fluttershy! Why do you look so bummed?” Pinkie asked, back to her exuberant self. “Just something that police stallion just told me. It doesn’t make too much sense.” Fluttershy took a deep breath. “He says, ‘Sorry for your losses.’” “What’s that supposed to mean?” Rainbow asked, wincing at the tightness of the bandages. “Nothing in this place has made any sense so far. You know what, let’s forget about that. What do we do now?” “Well...” Fluttershy dug through her bag and brought out a shard of the light blue armor. The edges were shredded and not clean cut, the electric shock viscerally tore the armor apart. “The police stallion said that the ponies that left went north to Mauville. Maybe if we’re fast enough, we can catch up to them and see if anypony can give us any information.” “Sounds great, let’s go!” Pinkie yelled, hopping up before Rainbow pushed her back to the cot. “Are you sure you want to do this now? Are you alright?” Rainbow asked, giving Fluttershy a concerned look. “Oh, I’m fine,” Fluttershy lied, trying to pass off any worry until she had some hold of the situation. “I’d rather find out information now while the unicorn is injured than stay here and do nothing while he recuperates. I had enough sleep from the day before, so I’m ready to go if you two are.” Rainbow rose to her hooves, stretching her limbs as Pinkie followed. “I guess that settles it. Let’s go to Mauville,” she said, walking out from the tent. Just as Pinkie and Fluttershy left, they came muzzle to muzzle with a very stern-faced Rainbow Dash. “You realize what this all means, don’t you Fluttershy?” “What are you mean, Rainbow?” Fluttershy asked, watching the sky turn to a lighter shade of blue as dawn approached. “You’re going to have to fight, and fight hard, Fluttershy.” Rainbow stated. “You can’t think of these creatures as animals anymore. They have to be our protectors and monsters to our enemies if we want to survive. Pinkie and I can’t do all the fighting, you have to push yourself. Understand?” Fluttershy gulped. She’d known she had to fight before, but the armored stallion made it all the more obvious. “I... I know. I told you before, I’m not afraid to fight.” “Good... let’s get going then,” Rainbow said before turning up the road and leading them towards Mauville. Fluttershy lowered her head as she walked, her mind now focused enough to go over everything the unicorn said to her. She let her mind slowly process the information as she marched steadily up the road. Without thinking, Fluttershy let Alerce out from his Poké Ball and let him lay on her head, comforting her as the three made their way north.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2013-01-01T18:59:28+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:27+00:00

It had been two days since Twilight had left for Canterlot as Spike arched over and leaned onto his knees, tired but proud. Along with the three young fillies that comprised the Cutie Mark Crusaders and a veritable mountain of animal care books from Fluttershy’s collection, the dragon had finally created order out of the chaos inside of Fluttershy’s cottage. All but a few of the animals were nestled in their beds asleep while the girls were outside, chasing down the final renegade chicken. With a long sigh, he fell back onto his behind and smiled as he relaxed for the first time since the pegasus’ disappearance. The entirety of Ponyville was its calmest since the incident. With Twilight Sparkle leading the charge to find their fellow villager, life had almost returned to normal. Only a few ponies showed any signs of worry as they went along in their daily business. Both Rarity’s and Applejack’s younger sisters showed their concern as they worked alongside Spike, but seemed as happy and energetic as ever as they helped put the animals in line. All that remained for the dragon to do was to await Twilight’s return. “Spike! Spike!” a yellow, red licorice maned filly yelled as she burst through the front door. “Be quiet, Apple Bloom,” Spike shushed her, looking around cautiously to make sure the animals continued sleeping. “We don’t want to wake the animals up again and have to do another two days of work.” “Oops. Sorry, Spike,” Apple Bloom said, lowering her voice to a near whisper. “I just wanted to say that we caught the last chicken. We’re all done.” She jumped up in joy as her two friends joined her in the doorway. “Great. Now, I need to get back over to the library and clean up a bit. I still haven’t gotten all those books cleaned up from when I went looking for animal care books the other day,” he said, weaving through the fillies to make his way to the library. “We’ll go with you,” the orange furred pegasus filly stated. “It’ll just get boring over here with the animals asleep.” “Yeah, and we won’t get our cutie marks staying here either,” the white, pink swirl maned unicorn filly argued. “I already checked to see if I got my ‘house-cleaning’ cutie mark, but I got nothing.” The girls pouted as they looked at their still blank flanks. All three had been trying for months to force their special talents to come to light, but had failed in every venture. Spike was just glad he would never have to worry about that. With a nod of his head, Spike walked out of the cottage. “C’mon, I want to get over and back before anything bad happens,” the dragon stated, letting the girls out before closing the cottage door. Ponyville bustled with activity as the sun lingered high in the azure sky, leaving the town balmy. The fillies behind him yammered on about their cutie mark crusades, wondering whether having a house cleaning mark would be worth it or not. As they approached their destination, a gray pegasus mare in a blue mail-cap flew down to the front of the library, leaving a scroll in the mailbox. Noticing this, Spike sprinted to the mailbox, getting there just as the mail mare was preparing to leave. “Excuse me, do you live here? You can’t go around stealing others’ mail you know,” the mare asked, looking at him with her golden eyes, obscured by the frames of a pair of thick, black rimmed glasses. “I live here with Twilight Sparkle... you see me almost everyday...” He paused for a moment, “Only dragon in Ponyville?” Spike exclaimed, pulling the scroll from the box. “Wait, aren’t those new glasses?” he asked, looking inquisitively at the mare’s spectacles. The mail-pony was a well-known public servant of Ponyville, and her appearance was quite well-known. Why she had it changed, he had no idea. “Oh, these?” She removed the glasses, showing them off to Spike and the girls. “Yeah, I just got these this morning. They’re supposed to keep my eyes from going wall-eyed. Apparently they’ve been enchanted to eventually fix that,” the mare explained as one of her eyes began to drift slowly upwards. She quickly set them back on her muzzle, letting her eyes return to normal, then giving the four a salute. “Well, the mail has been delivered. I’m off,” she blurted out before taking off for the next house. “Maybe ponies will call her Bright Eyes again instead of Derpy all the time,” the orange filly wondered. “Scootaloo!” Apple Bloom interrupted. “It ain’t nice to say that name!” “That’s what every pony calls her! I thought it was her nickname!” Scootaloo argued, prompting the white filly to join in the argument. With the fillies now in a heated argument regarding naming conventions, Spike rolled his eyes and decided to crack the seal on the letter, digging his claw into the binding and letting the letter unfurl in his claws. Before he read the first word, he felt a lump form in his gullet, trying to force its way out. He had experienced this many times before, and knew precisely what this was. He let it go freely, expelling the energy out from his mouth with a cacophonous belch, catching the fighting fillies’ attention. The energy swirled in the air and materialized into a letter with a dark blue band binding it. He took a look at the insignia, noticing a white crescent moon where he was used to seeing a bright, yellow and orange sun. “Is this from Princess Luna?” Spike wondered aloud, dropping the recently opened letter to pick up the royal scroll. With a swift slash, he tore about the paper band and opened the letter, taking note of the regal, curved letters of ink compared to her sister’s more casual penmanship. His curiosity piqued, he began to read aloud out of habit, “Dear Twilight Sparkle’s dragon assistant, Wait, she didn’t even try to guess my name?” he clamored, making the girls roll their eyes. “Thou hast been summoned to Canterlot by thine Princesses in regard to the Element of Magic’s excursion outside of Equestria’s borders. We have sent thee a chariot to transport thou to our castle to report on what thou knows regarding the disappearance of the Element of Kindness, and are required to escort the remaining elements to discuss these matters in the Royal Hall. “Thine chariot shall arrive in two hours, which thou must take by royal decree. We await thy arrival with astute patience. “The Sovereign of the Night; Princess Luna of Castle Canterlot, Equestria” “Wait, Twilight left Equestria?!” Spike exclaimed in a panic. “Why does the princess want to talk to me about this? Maybe that’s what this letter is?” Spike picked up the first letter, letting it hang from his claw. He scanned the parchment, instantly recognizing the penmanship. As he read through the lengthy letter, his mouth hung open to the fillies’ curiosity. “Who’s it from?” the white filly asked. “It’s from Twilight, saying she left Equestria,” the worried dragon stated. “Wait, if Twilight left, does that mean Applejack and Rarity went as well?” Apple Bloom wondered. “I don’t know, but maybe we’ll find out when we get to Canterlot,” he said, rolling up the letter. “So, what do they mean I need to ‘bring the elements?’ Luna calls Twilight an Element, but then tells me to bring them to the castle. All of the ponies who beat Nightmare Moon are gone; how are we supposed to bring them there?” “What about those necklace things they wore when they came back from beating Nightmare Moon? I saw Rainbow Dash parade it around for a few weeks after that... maybe she meant those,” Scootaloo hypothesized. “We’ll can help you find them, and then come with you! I’ve always wanted to see Canterlot.” “Me too!” Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom exclaimed at once. “Alright, it wouldn’t hurt, I guess. I’ll try to get Mrs. Cake to look after the cottage again; I’m sure she’ll be okay with it.” “I’m going to Dash’s house first!” Scootaloo exclaimed, galloping off towards the east side of town. “How are you gonna get up there, you can’t even fly!” Apple Bloom yelled, running to catch up to the enthusiastic filly. “We’ll meet you back here when we find them, Spike!” Sweetie yelled as she left towards Rarity’s boutique to find her sister’s element. With a nervous chuckle, Spike barged through the front door of the library, tearing it apart for Twilight’s ornate crown. He first scoured the main room, skimming through each book to see if she had hollowed out space for it there. With every crown sized book searched through, he bolted up the stairs, tearing apart the unicorn’s room and study. He spared no shelf nor nook nor cranny in his pursuit, but wound up with nothing; the crown was gone. Frantically, he searched out on the observatory deck, then rushed back down the stairs and out of the library. With time of the essence, he decided to get things squared away with Mrs. Cake and search for Pinkie’s Element. Kill two birds with one stone. Spike ran down the road and approached the cake themed Sugarcube Corner. The bakery was the only in town and was where Pinkie Pie made her residence. Mr and Mrs. Cake had graciously rented out a room for her when she came to town from the rock farms of Stone Valley. As he opened the door, he spotted a bulky, blue earth pony mare standing behind the counter, surrounded by various treats and confections. “Mrs. Cake, could you do me a huge favor? It has to do with Fluttershy’s cottage again,” Spike panted, running up to the counter. “Oh sure, what is it?” the mare asked with a smile. “I was summoned by Princess Luna to Canterlot, and I need to bring the Elements of Harmony, including Pinkie’s. I can’t leave Fluttershy’s unattended, so could you go and look after it for a little while while I’m gone?” Mrs. Cake pulled out a sheet of paper from under the counter and looked it over, nodding and muttering softly to herself. “Well, it looks like I’ll have some time open, so I can do it. If it’s royal business, I’m sure it must be important.” “Great!” Spike exclaimed. “So... could I go up to Pinkie’s to look for her necklace?” “Of course, dear, just don’t make it messier than it already is,” Mrs. Cake smiled, watching as Spike hurried up the stairs. On the top floor, lay two doors: one was closed, and the other was open with the smell of saccharine air flowing from it. With a keen knowledge of Pinkie’s love of sweets, he ran through the open door and found the beige colored room covered in baking supplies, costumes and prank devices. He waded through the mess, overturning every item to check for the elusive necklace, it taking him far longer to check every part of the floor than he had anticipated. He then hurriedly looked under the bed, noticing something with a glint of light lying on the dusty carpet. He reached in and grabbed hold of it, feeling the cool metal in his claws before pulling it out to examine it. It was a gold necklace with a aquamarine balloon in the center, reflecting the sun’s rays throughout the room. He had one. With the Element of Laughter in tow, he rushed down the stairs and out the door, sprinting as fast as he could back to the library. As he approached the massive oak, he noticed the Cutie Mark Crusaders waiting there with two of the Elements laid down on the grass. He ran as fast as his small legs would take him and joined the three, placing Pinkie’s Element on the grass along with Rainbow Dash’s and Fluttershy’s. “This is it? That’s only half!” Spike exclaimed in a worried tone. “Well, I couldn’t find my sister’s, but Sweetie found Fluttershy’s in one of her drawers upstairs,” Apple Bloom stated, picking up the butterfly shaped necklace. “I couldn’t find Rarity’s, and she’s normally so organized,” Sweetie said, then looked over to Scootaloo. “Hey, Scootaloo, how did you get up to Rainbow Dash’s house? You can’t fly.” “It’s a long story, and involves a large wooden catapult,” the filly laughed, looking longingly at the red, lightning-bolt-shaped ruby in Rainbow’s necklace. “Rainbow’s house is awesome! There are so many Wonderbolt posters and headbands there,” she explained before donning a white, cloth headband. “Did you take one of Rainbow’s headbands?” Apple Bloom accused. “Of course not!” Scootaloo snapped, her stern face breaking into a smile as she touched the band. Spike lamented over their small haul, but tried to stay optimistic. Surely the princess didn’t need all the Elements, he thought as the sound of pegasi cutting through the afternoon air diverted his attentions. In the sky, speeding down towards Ponyville were Luna’s royal guards, donned in the black and navy armor of the night guard, pulling a low, aerodynamic chariot behind them. Spike quickly ran into the library, grabbed a cloth bag off a shelf and picked up the three necklaces. As he stuffed them into the bag, he watched as the chariot landed only a few feet from them. “Are you Spike; assistant to her Royal Majesty of the Sun’s personal student, Twilight Sparkle?” one of the guards asked in a gravely voice. “Yes, sir,” Spike replied nervously, the spikes on the guard’s armor sending shivers down his spines. The three fillies quickly hopped onto the speeder along with Spike and braced themselves for the chariot ride. “We’re ready to leave, sirs,” he said, prompting the pegasi to spread their wings. “Are those fillies with you?” one of the guards asked. “Yes, sir,” Spike repeated, giving the pegasi clearance to begin their take off before climbing into the air. Spike swallowed anxiously as they sped through the sky, watching as they soared over the Everfree Forest. With blinding speed, Canterlot and the castle came closer as well as his meeting with the royal sisters. Ponyville, the forest and the whole of the northern plains looked like specks as they continued their ascent, leaving all of them but Scootaloo frightened from the immense height. The majestic waterfalls came into clear view as they weaved through them then arched over the cliff face, landing in the royal courtyard. The young dragon had never been so nervous before in his short life. Not only had he been summoned to the castle, he had no idea what was happening to all of his friends. He hopped off the chariot and approached the large, crimson doors of the castle. A guard was posted on each side, watching Spike and the fillies walk towards them with a small, canvas bag. “Halt! Who goes there?” a guard bellowed as the four arrived, causing Spike to flinch. “I-I was summoned by the princess for an important meeting,” Spike explained, taking out Luna’s message and holding it up to the two unicorns. The two scanned the parchment, checking every inch and side. With a nod, the unicorns opened the castle doors, allowing Spike and the Cutie Mark Crusaders into the castle halls. “The Royal Hall is up the main staircase and at the end of the hall to your right.” “Thanks,” Spike said, shaking with nervousness as he stepped into the lavender colored halls of Canterlot Castle.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-05-31T00:13:40+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:46+00:00

The frigid winds of the Drakris cut through Twilight’s manteau, chilling her to the bone and causing her to shudder. Snow and ice covered most of the path and cliffs as flurries pelted the mares from the sea of dark gray clouds above, making it hard for Twilight to see ahead of her. She put her hoof up to keep the snow out from her eyes, but she knew she had to keep moving; those soldiers could still be following them. With the snows and the coming night dropping the visibility to all but null, they followed the still fresh hoof tracks of where the Ventian soldiers marched to make their way through the mountain pass. “They followin’ us?” Applejack asked, looking over her shoulder and back down the mountain pass. Twilight turned and peered down the path, seeing only the faint red glow of the town below. “It doesn’t look like it. We should keep moving though; I don’t want to take any chances.” “Applejack, please tell me you bought boots from Zipporah. My hooves are freezing, not to mention all the muck,” Rarity complained, shaking her hooves dejectedly each time she stepped. “I’m mighty sorry, Rarity. We only had room for food, the cloaks and not much else. I didn’t even think about boots at all,” Applejack apologized, peering down at her own hooves, taking notice of the ice crystals that threatened to encase them. “Ain’t as though mine are lookin’ much better.” As they hiked up the mountain, Twilight tried to keep her hopes up but the thought of the burning town made her shudder. She kept envisioning the looks of the scared townsfolk, each recoiling at each crunch of shattered glass and burst of fire, mothers holding tightly to their children, and grizzled veterans hanging their heads in shame and cowardice as the Ventians marched. “We should’ve helped them,” Twilight said, perking the ears of her two companions. “Those soldiers were chasing after us; those townsfolk didn’t have to be involved.” “You ran just as fast as we did, Twilight,” Rarity stated as she looked to the purple unicorn. Twilight sighed, trying desperately to alleviate the burden of the town’s fate from her conscience. She hadn’t slept since she had woken up on Applejack’s back, and her exhaustion was wearing on her to the point where every step pained her. “I mean, I just....” she trailed off, hanging her head as she looked down at the hoof marks ahead. Rarity opened her mouth to speak, but no words came as she realized her error and quickly backpedaled. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think we would have to do that either. Yes, they were after us, but what were we to do? It was three ponies against an entire army, not a bunch of straggling griffons. Besides, the only reason we survived in Wheatown was because of that accident with my element,” the white unicorn finally said, leaving the three to trudge along in silence. The trail wound around the mountain side and grew rockier and slicker as they traveled, forcing the trio to step carefully as the jagged peaks of the Drakiris loomed overhead. The snowfall softened into a gentle flurry as time wore on, but the tracks ahead had already begun to disappear with the fresh accumulation. They had been traveling for several hours, the sky clearing to reveal the full majesty of the mountains. Even wrapped tightly in her cloak, Twilight shivered relentlessly, her fur bristling as her breath came out in increasingly dense wisps. With Equestria and the Outlands baking in the summer sun, none of the three ponies were prepared for cold, let alone the frigid mountain blizzards. The Drakiris extended along the Ventian border, creating a natural wall around the country that left no alternative ways of entering the country save for the winding path on which Twilight, Applejack and Rarity now traveled. Jagged rises and cliffs towered over the ponies while, far ahead, the trail widened, dipping into a small basin before reaching a large expanse surrounded by evergreen forests. “What do y’all think Mistral City is like?” Applejack asked, breaking the harrowing silence. “From the sound of it, it does not seem to be a very nice place in the least,” Rarity answered. “Do you remember what the princess called it? The ‘city of the damned?’ I know that I, for one, would never enter such a dreadfully sounding place of my own accord.” “I don’t know, Rarity. Luna said that Mistral is where ‘space and time converge’, there could be an infinite amount of cultures and societies that have traveled from far beyond Equestria merging into one city!” Twilight clamored, trying to imagine Mistral’s visage. She pictured a massive city, filled to the brim with ponies, griffons, dragons, and other various creatures sharing ideas and knowledge from lands long passed and far in the future. It warped her mind when she attempted to think of how it would be possible, but she continued her imaginary sojourn with a giddy smile. The streets were lined with shops and homes, each decorated with its county’s own fixtures. It was a truly a sight the scholar wished to see, but as reality quickly sunk back in, the smile on Twilight’s face was wiped away. Knowledge of the ‘demons’ and the burning town below seeped its way to the forefront of her thoughts. “I... I’m sure it’s not so bad,” Twilight stated weakly. “If you say so,” Applejack muttered as she shoved her hat into her bag to keep it from flying away in the wind. “Hey! You told us there was no room for boots in the bags,” Rarity protested, huffing as she checked the contents of her saddlebags. “Boots wouldn’t have fit in here anyhow, an’ I don’t think any of us felt like trudgin through them plains back there with boots on,” Applejack explained, ignoring the white unicorn’s dismissive roll of her eyes. “What good that does us now, my legs are still freezing. What part of ‘eternal winter’ did you miss?” Rarity huffed. “Wait, what’s over there?” Applejack asked, pointing out a jutting chunk of metal in the distance. It was buried halfway in snow, allowing only a curved, reflective segment to be seen. “Hey, you can’t just—” “Is that armor?” Twilight wondered, cutting off Rarity as she rushed ahead, curious as to the nature of the metal. It was a curved, shined armor piece, dented and splashed with splotches of blood that slowly oozed down as Twilight held it upright with her magic, giving Twilight the feeling that these wounds were fresh. Looking around, she could see that other stained armor pieces surrounded it, leaving the purple unicorn sick with unease. “This is bad... What happened here?” she asked, looking at her friends with a worried gaze. “What is it, Twilight?” Rarity asked, slowly approaching the scene. “Look at this.” Twilight lifted the largest piece out from the drift and hovered it in front of her friends, showcasing the golden tint of the shoulder guard. “The colors are the same as those soldiers we fought, and this blood is fresh.” Rarity and Applejack both recoiled back from the sight, their faces contorting in disgust as a drop of blood dripped into the white snow. “What could’ve done this?” Applejack asked, peeking around and taking notice of the shredded pieces that still lay on the road. “I don’t know, and I don’t like it. Maybe it was—” Twilight stopped herself, pondering the ridiculousness of her statement. “No, a griffon couldn’t do something like that to a fully armored soldier... could they?” “What are we gonna do? We’re completely out in the open here,” Applejack stated, looking around at the unobstructed sky and straight, but uneven path. Twilight looked around, desperately seeking anyway progress without drawing any attention. She had yet to see another sign of life save her and her friends, but the bloody armor set her on edge. The cliffs were bare and straight, leaving them no crevices in which to hide. Up ahead laying far past the tail was nothing but flat, open land. Snow drifts and howling winds made it hard for her to see anything, which put her mind a little at ease. “They have to be here somewhere. Find them!” Twilight snapped to attention, hearing the voice of an officer she recalled from before faintly from somewhere behind them. Panicked, she turned to see a trail of orange light wrapping around the jagged pass walls. Applejack and Rarity turned to look as the lights grew larger and brighter. “Run!” Twilight yelled as the three bolted down the path, bounding over jagged rocks and pools of ice. From the sky, several pegasus soldiers dove and swooped past the three, causing them to stagger and slow their frantic pace. The large orange glow glinted off the snow below the three’s hooves, shadows crawling out in front of them as the army made their final approach. With the glow of Twilight’s horn, the air around the mountain swirled and sheared the snow off the cliffs, whipping it at the poised guard. Applejack ran ahead and intercepted a diving pegasus guard, knocking it down with a well-timed buck. The guard rolled down the path, smashing into the cliff side and passing out. Rarity quickly joined her friend, releasing sewing needles into the air and striking their wings with pin-point accuracy. After escaping the wind tunnel, two guards rushed down and slashed their swords at Twilight, making her jump back before she forced them back with white pulses of energy. As more pegasi descended upon them and formed a ring around the mares, forcing them to huddle together, poising to strike. Out from the ranks, a lone, heavily armored earth pony stallion appeared, raising his hoof. The soldiers stopped their approach, backing away from the three as he moved closer. He stood, covered head to hoof in plate armor with red and gold sashes hanging off his sides. A gold dragon insignia sat prominently upon his chest, surrounded by red flames. “You’re cornered; you have nowhere to run,” he said in a cold voice. Slowly, he made his way down the path, drawing a blade from its scabbard with his mouth and glaring at the trio. “What do you want? We haven’t done anything to you!” Twilight yelled, darting her eyes between the soldiers to watch their movements. “Lord Rissen has sent us to take care of the Equestrian threat, meaning you three.” the captain explained. “You can either come quietly and alive, or attack us and we shall kill you and bring the lord your corpses instead. Your choice.” “How do you know we’re Equestrian?” Applejack yelled, nostrils flaring. “We’re just passin’ through.” The stallion chuckled. “I don’t need to know, we’re only looking for three mares. Whether or not you’re the Equestrians doesn’t concern us; you’re coming with us either way.” The surrounding soldiers brandished their weaponry and bolted at the three. Twilight backed into her friends, horn glowing brightly as Rarity magically stripped the needles from the downed pegasi’s wings and pointed them at the opposing force. Their leader charged ahead, quickly closing the gap between them with sword in mouth. With a spell in mind, Twilight charged her attack as a piercing screech sounded above her. Before she could look up, a tawny griffon dove and slammed into the stallion, dragging it through the snow and rocks as it tore through him with its claws. The soldiers ceased their charge as more griffons dropped from the sky and mercilessly struck at them, sending wails of pain echoing through the pass. Without a moment’s hesitation, Twilight pushed her two friends up the path, fleeing as the soldiers were distracted fighting off the sudden assault. Above them, a pair of pegasi fought against a lone griffon, whizzing past it and striking it with incredible speed. After several attacks, the griffon grabbed one of the ponies and thew it to the ground, directly in ahead of the frantically running mares. The pegasus’ wings and two of its legs had been shattered, leaving it to cry out as Twilight and her friends barreled past. Open field and pinewood forest lay before the mares as they continued down the pass. The sound of the griffons’ attack fell quieter, leaving Twilight feeling relived. She looked back, watching as the griffons continued their assault on the soldiers. She was almost thankful to the griffons for having distracted the Ventians. The three slowed to a trot as they entered the basin proper, panting and nervously laughing at their lucky escape. They stopped for a moment, then Twilight slipped her canteen out of her bag and took a drink, smiling as the water sloshed around in her parched mouth. She passed it to the others, giving them time to rest before they made their way through the forest. “Where did they come from?” Rarity asked, watching the griffons in the distance. “Don’t you remember, those griffons we fought back in Wheatown came from here. I’m just shocked they didn’t attack us—” Twilight cut herself off as she spotted something fast approaching in the distance. Several other silhouettes joined it, making Twilight step back and point at the figures. “Wh- what are those?” “I don’t know, but run!” Applejack yelled, jamming the canteen into her bag as they sprinted into the field, rushing for the forest’s edge. A loud, harrowing screech came from behind Twilight, causing her to turn her head. Her eyes widened as a griffon soared towards her, staring her down with its ice blue eyes. It flew over Applejack and Rarity, extending its claw and grasping Twilight’s neck, slamming her into the frozen tundra. She winced and screamed as her side scraped across the snow, and gasped for air as the griffon’s claw pushed at her neck. Weakly, she lifted her head up, watching the griffon’s large, pewter wings fold back onto its body. She struggled and flailed her body, trying to break free, causing the griffon to press into her neck. Twilight gasped for air as she struggled to breathe, nearly causing her to black out. Several griffons landed beside Applejack and Rarity, restraining them and forcing them into the ground. After letting the pressure off Twilight’s neck, the blue-eyed griffon opened its beak, expelling various incomprehensible chirps and screeches, staring into the purple unicorn’s eyes. The griffon fell silent, waiting as if expecting a reply. Noting her silence the griffon coughed, ears twitching as it looked over to her two friends “My apologies, I forget sometimes that I must use the Equine tongue when speaking to horses. It has been a while.” “Y-you can talk?” Twilight asked, her curiosity overriding her survival instinct “Of course I can. Just because my tribe and I live in the mountains does not mean we are degenerates. Learn some respect, horse,” it said in a gruff voice before pressing its talon a bit harder into Twilight’s throat. “W-What do you want from us?” Twilight choked out, tears beginning to well in her eyes. “We are after the same thing those sellswords were after: three Equestrian mares who are headed for Mistral City.” “Sellswords? They were just mercenaries?” Twilight pondered, wincing from the claw’s pressure. “Why do you think we’re Equestrians? We’re just explorers making our way to Mistral City.” “Oh, really?” the griffon asked, slipping the manteau up Twilight’s flank, revealing her cutie mark. “What do you call that then?” “Hey, leave her alone!” Applejack yelled, prompting the griffons holding her to tighten their hold. “You can’t just expose my flank like that!” Twilight argued. “Silence!” the pewter-winged griffon snapped. “You are in no position to make any such demands.” He turned his head back down to Twilight, looking over her body. “So, you are Equestrian... The scouts were right.” “Scouts... the griffons that attacked us?!” Twilight snapped, glaring at her captor. “They were scouts for you? We saved those griffons when the Wheatown locals were about to kill them. You should be thanking us!” “Oh yes, I heard about this. I honestly never would have believed that the demons’ heirs could be so naive.” “What was that?” Applejack growled. “It’s natural selection; ponies kill and fight off griffons, and griffons eat ponies. If you would have killed my scouts like good ponies should then I never would have known about you and passed through these mountains with ease. They told me everything: your demons’ brands, colors, voices, what bags you possessed, everything.” “Let go!” Rarity screamed, thrashing about with her horn glowing a light blue hue. Before she could cast a spell, the griffon the held her pushed the side of her face into the snow, drawing out a yelp of pain as her neck was cruelly twisted. “Don’t try any magic, unicorns. We know how it works; trying to bluff us with your hooves unable to move was pointless and moronic.” He hoisted up Twilight by the neck, letting her legs flail helplessly as he held them just off the ground and motioned to the other grffins. “We’re heading out. Make sure that white one is bound; don’t worry about the mud pony, she’s not a threat..” “Where are you taking us!? What do you want!?” Twilight yelled, tears streaming down her face. “It’s simple. We’re taking you to the bastard Rissen to bargain for part of our homeland back. We will then take you three and handsomely reward you for your assistance.” As he spoke, another tied up Twilight’s front and rear hooves together before placing her onto the ebony griffon’s back. Rarity was treated much the same way as Twilight, violently thrashing as they bound her and tossed her atop another griffon. Applejack, on the other hoof, was simply lifted and pushed, staggering, into the middle of the two pony-carrying griffons, but given the opportunity to walk on her own legs. She brushed off some clinging snow and slunk quietly in the middle, looking over her two friends as the griffons began marching into the field. “What are we going to do?” Twilight whispered, looking over to make sure the griffon didn’t react. “I-I’m scared.” She knew whatever “reward” the griffons had planned couldn’t be good, and didn’t want to know what that may be. “Try talkin’ to him. Maybe Rarity and I can think of somethin’ while you distract ‘im,” Applejack suggested, then turned her attention to Rarity. Twilight had never spoke to a griffon on her own terms before, and wished that it wasn’t in this kind of environment. Nervously, she swallowed the lump in her throat and slowly turned to the massive griffon. “Uh, hey. I’m just curious... uh, what’s your name?” She asked, plastering a fake smile across her face. “Why?” the stern griffon asked, turning his gaze to Twilight and staring her in the eyes. The way he looked at her nearly petrified her with fear; it was as if she were reliving her nightmare. “If you’re going to exploit us, you could at least have the decency to give us your name,” Twilight stated, trying to match his authoritative tone. “It’s Blackwing. Sigil Astrias Blackwing. I’m guessing the next thing you’re going to ask is about my griffons, is it not?” “Uh... no. Why us? We don’t pose any threat to anypony... or anyone. We’re just trying to bring our friend home, that’s all.” “While your efforts may be valiant, I will not let a horse’s ambition trump my own. I have not braved this eternal winter my entire life for a pony to—” “Hey, you. My rope is too tight, I’m getting rope burn on my delicate coat!” Rarity complained, kicking at the griffon in the side. “Is this any way to treat a lady? Not where I come from you don— My bag fell off and is lying in the snow and you don’t even have the decency to pick it up for me? How dare you!” Twilight watched the spectacle unfold as several other griffons came to the courier's aide, trying in vain to calm the crazed fashionista. With the griffons focusing on Rarity, Twilight’s mind raced to think of an escape plan, silently thanking Rarity for the diversion. “Stop thrashing! You’re just making it worse!” a brown griffon yelled, hitting Rarity square on the cheek. “If you complain one more time, we’ll rip your throat out and bring the Ventians your corpse instead!” another griffon screamed, being wary of Rarity’s waving horn. As Blackwing moved to join them to settle things himself, Twilight noticing that the griffons’ attentions lay fully on the now wailing unicorn. I hope this works, Twilight thought, channeling magic to her horn. Wind from the west swept through the field, magically picking up intensity. The griffons began to shiver and look towards the fierce gusts, being pushed back as Applejack ducked down into the snow, the farm mare slinking off towards Twilight. Twilight slipped off the griffons back and onto the snow, face first. She lifted her head and spat out some snow “What’s going on?” Blackwing hollered, unaware that Twilight had slid off his back. “Why is there a draft coming off the mountain this far down?” Twilight focused all the energy she could into the windstorm, lifting packed snow from the ground and whipping it at the bewildered pack as they scrambled to keep tabs on their captives. Amidst the confusion, Rarity was bucked off the griffon’s back, landing face first into the snow. With a final surge, the wind blasted and batted away the tall-standing griffons, leaving Twilight able to see Applejack and Rarity without obstruction. The fierce glow of Twilight’s horn stopped, her focus shifting to another spell. A sudden, unnatural jolt of energy ran through the mare as she charged the spell, almost breaking her focus. Blackwing shielded his eyes with his talon, watching as Twilight’s horn began to intensely glow white. Ducking his head, he pushed against the barreling winds, folding his ears down. “Stop!” he yelled, watching as the three Equestrians disappeared in a blinding flash of white light, leaving the dying wind to take their places. Damn it!” Blackwing shouted as he slammed his talon into the snow. The winds from the Equestrian’s spell had died down, leaving the griffons alone in the wintery wastes. The sigil grimiced and groaned as he searched for any sign of magic around them. “I can’t believe that horse distracted me. We had them!” “We have prepared the scouting teams to find them, Sigil,” a pewter griffon said, politely bowing his head. “We are sorry for our folly; we’ll make sure it never happens again.” “Wait,” Blackwing commanded, putting his claw to his beak in thought. “Maybe we can play this to our advantage still.” “Sir?” “Take the scouting team back to the pass and carry the mercenary corpses back up to the Apex and make sure the sick, the fledglings and any who will stay behind make use of them as we prepare to leave. I want the pass completely clear to get rid of any evidence of our involvement. If we leave in a small group to Mistral in a day, we can make it seem as though we never encountered the demons, pushing all the blame to Rissen.” “Yes, Sigil!” the scout leader said with a bow. The griffon took the rest of the griffons and flew south to the pass, leaving Blackwing to stew amidst his thoughts. How did she perform magic without a drawing a rune first? If she can perform powerful magic like that on a whim, that purple mare could be useful still. Blackwing thought, standing up and spreading his wings. Rissen’s men would have no chance against that sort of magic. Getting him to side with me would be only a matter of time. He took off, heading back to the Drakiris as a cloud of snow rose from the still earth. Mistral City will implode with the Equestrians present. A small smile crept its way across the sigil’s beak as the Apex came into view, littered with griffons gathering supplies for their hunt. This should be fun to watch. Twilight hit the ground with a thud, her mouth filled with snow and frozen dirt. She spat it out, squirming as she tried to free herself of her bindings. Somewhere in the distance, she heard the faint cries of the griffons before the sound drowned by the wind rustling through the forest. She looked around, seeing Rarity and Applejack still shaking off the effects of the teleportation spell. The trees that surrounded the mares were massive, with lush green pine needles obscuring their view through the trees. It looked as though they were a ways into the forest, almost completely boxed in by the mass of trees. Twilight felt safer around a mass of trees than in the open for the griffons to follow. “Oh, my head,” Rarity moaned, rubbing her head with her still bound hooves. “Where are we?” “I don’t know, but as long as we’re away from those monsters, it’s a better place,” Twilight stated, panting and watching her breath evaporate into the air. Applejack firmly planted her hooves and checked to see if her saddlebags were still intact. “Applejack, hurry and untie us. I don’t know how far away we are from the griffons and I’m too tired to teleport us again if they find us.” “You got it!” Applejack said before tearing through Twilight’s bindings with her teeth, ripping them off with relative ease. Twilight shook her hooves, trying to ignore the rope burn on her ankles as she stood. A large bruise throbbed on her side and she could still feel the pressure of Blackwing’s talon pressing on her neck. The long day and night seemed to have not fazed the farmer as she quickly went to Rarity’s aid, tearing off the leg bindings. “Glad ya’ picked up on that diversion, Twilight. Rarity and I were hopin’ you’d come up with somethin’ if we gave you some time,” Applejack complimented, helping Rarity up to her hooves. “Y-yeah, it was nothing...” Twilight said, trailing off as she looked at Rarity’s condition. Her face was badly bruised as well as her side was completely raw. Applejack looked completely unfazed, let alone a small amount of snow and dirt on her belly. With a step, Twilight forced herself to move and stumbled over herself, landing face first again into the snow as a wave of exhaustion flooded over the unicorn. Applejack ran over and lifted her up to her hooves before reassuringly patting her on the back. “You alright?” Applejack asked, watching Twilight hobble and wince as her bruises flared painfully. “We can stop here for a while if we have to.” “No, we have to keep moving... Have to... Get.. away...” the purple unicorn mumbled before falling again, her body refusing to move from exhaustion. She lay there, watching the snow fall down through the evergreens as it began to lull her to sleep. “Twilight?” Applejack asked, leaning down to look Twilight in her tired eyes. “You don’t look good at all. Come on, we need to find somewhere warm to rest.” “I... can’t, I just...” Tears welled up in the unicorn’s eyes once more as her voice started to crack. “I never should’ve brought you two along.” “What are you talking about?” Rarity asked. “I thought you were over this when we helped you defeat Nightmare Moon!” “It’s just... Fluttershy’s disappearance is my fault, Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie are gone now, we were nearly killed by griffons, and some Ventian lord is after us now... I shouldn’t have made you risk your lives to help fix my mistakes...” Twilight trailed off, staring dejectedly at the ground. “Fluttershy is our friend too. We’ll do anythin’ to help get her back home, sugarcube. Who knows what would’ve happened to you if you came out here on your own,” Applejack protested, hoisting Twilight back up to her hooves. “Those griffons could be anywhere by now, we gotta keep movin’ like you said.” “Right,” Twilight agreed, wiping her eyes and forcing herself to keep pace with her friends with a small wind in her sail. As they walked through the dull, snow-covered evergreens, Twilight looked around, noticing a lack of a direction marker; the brush was so dense that she nor her friends could see outside of the forest. Each way she looked appeared exactly the same: trees blanketed by snow surrounded by a carpet of white. Wary, she caught up to friends, stopping them from advancing. “Do we know what direction we’re going in? Are you sure this is north?” Twilight asked. “I reckon it is, but I’m not too sure,” Applejack said, scratching her head. “Right now, as long as we stay out of sight of those griffons, we’ll be fine. We’ll just poke our heads through the trees to make sure they aren’t there when we find a way out,” Rarity suggested, continuing to hobble forward through the trees. “Fine, as long as we can find somewhere warm to stay,” the purple unicorn yawned, once again dropping back to follow behind as she wrapped her scarf tight around her neck. “If we stay out here much longer, we could catch hypothermia. I think I need some sleep, so let’s find somewhere quickly.” As the three mares walked, the sky above began to clear, revealing the rising sun. The light burrowed through the forest, illuminating their path ahead and warming the trio’s spirits. “Well, we know where we’re headed now,” Twilight stated with a smile on her face as they continued their north-bound trek. The days prior had been a roller coaster of events, most of them tragic and highly disturbing, but the scholar felt a strange sense of calm. She didn’t know what it was, but even when she had been pinned to the ground by Blackwing, she and her friends had remained highly calm and collective. She didn’t know if it was her drive to bring back Fluttershy that had pushed back her distress, but she took anything she could get. With a small, curious smile on her face, she took a sip from her canteen before Rarity stopped in her tracks. “Girls, look up ahead.” Rarity pointed through the trees, noticing a small clearing ahead with what looked like small, jagged structures that were obscured by the dense brush. “What do you think it is; a town or a camp?” “I don’t know, but we’re going. As long as there isn’t anything that wants to eat us or exploit us for personal gain, I’m all for it,” Twilight said, continuing slowly and wary as the clearing grew closer. The trees ahead thinned out until the three made their way into the expansive grounds. “It’s... it’s...” “Ruined,” Applejack interrupted, taking notice of the snow covered ruins. Half-broken down wooden structures littered the clearing, most of their materials either caved into the broken down walls or came off and scattered around its base. Remnants of wooden carts and what looked to be old merchants’ booths were buried by snow and pine needles. Twilight walked in further, sighing in disappointment. “Ah, horse apples. I thought this could’a been somethin’.” “Hold on,” Twilight said before walking up to a ruined shack. She climbed over one of the breaks in the wall, digging through the snow and debris. After throwing out half the pile into the field, lying on the pile was a leather-bound book. With a twinkle in her eye, she hastily threw the remainder of the lumber off the book and lifted it in the air, showing her friends her find. Eager to open the text, she climbed out of the house and opened the book, allowing Applejack and Rarity to take a look. “What’s that?” Applejack asked, trotting out the back to see the book’s cover. “It’s a book, but I’ve never seen one so weirdly worded before,” Twilight said before flipping through the parchment pages. The ink and parchment were both mostly dry, seeming to confirm Zipporah’s claim of an eternal winter... at least one that never goes above freezing temperatures. The writing itself was still readable, but the grammar, structure and dialect made difficult for her to understand. It appeared to Twilight to be some kind of novel . “What does it say?” Rarity asked, struggling to make heads or tails of the archaic text. “It’s a story about... something. I’m not really sure,” Twilight explained before shutting the book. “The diction is weird; I can’t make any sense of this. Maybe when we get someplace warmer I can concentrate.” “That’d be great once we get outta here,” Applejack yelled from the middle of the town, motioning them over to her. Twilight shoved the book into her bag and trotted over, watching Applejack put her hat back on her head. “How long until we set up camp? We can’t keep goin’ like this.” “Later, we need to find someplace warm first,” Twilight explained, scanning the ruins again. The town looked the same all around with not a single building still standing. “What happened to this place? It’s fairly old by the looks of it.” She jumped inside another building, taking notice of standing wooden shelves filled with filled flasks. Taking a flask, she popped the cork and took a whiff, immediately pulling herself away. It was strong and pungent, burning Twilight’s nostrils. With her eyes tightly shut from the pain, she motioned Applejack over and gave her the flask. “Do you have any idea what this is?” With a sniff, Applejack swished the flask around before taking a sip, her face contorting from the taste. She swallowed the foul liquid before violently shaking. “Yep, that’s whiskey alright. Old stuff too, never tasted whiskey so strong before.” “Liquor? That’s it?” Twilight sighed. “I was hoping it was an old potion or something.” She took her leave from the building then trotted up to Applejack. “Let’s go, there’s nothing here.” “Hey, over here!” Rarity yelled from the tree line, her head peeking out from the brush. “There’s a way out of the forest over here!” Twilight and Applejack sprinted towards Rarity, watching her run through the trees ahead of them. Ahead, Twilight could see a faint line of blue sky near the horizon as the trees thinned out into a large expanse: a large, empty expanse. “Where are all the towns?” Twilight wondered, quickly turning her head to search. The mountains in the north were now too far away to be seen, leaving only the emptiness of the snow’s white blanket. Up to the horizon, nothing but trees rose above the ground; No towns or city lay in sight. She sighed and turned her head right, seeing a large spindle jutting up into some of the remaining clouds. With her eyes transfixed, she bolted towards the tower, barreling through the heavier snow as Rarity and Applejack followed. The path ahead turned into a steep incline, but Twilight wasn’t fazed. A chance that somewhere habitable was just ahead made her ignore the pressing exhaustion. As she trudged on, the hill became steeper before dropping off suddenly in a cliff. At the apex, Twilight stopped and gazed over the horizon, her eyes widening at the sight. “I think I sent us farther than I thought.” An enormous ocean butted up against the peninsula, expanding beyond the horizon. On land, lay an enormous walled city, hazed in smoke and its entrance barred by massive iron gates. A nigh uncountable number of buildings filled the inside of the walls, surrounding the sky-piercing tower the made its home at the center of the city. Above the buildings at the city’s center, lay a flat spread of land with a mass of variously sized buildings that loomed over sections of the city. One small, hair-size path snaked its way to the gates as the crumbling ruins of other towns lay beside it, rejected and dwarfed by the outer walls of the city alone. “Is that it?” Rarity asked, looking over to Twilight. “The most northern city in the land,” Twilight said, re-telling Luna’s directions. “Mistral City.”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-03-16T04:33:05+00:00

2013-01-01T18:59:54+00:00

The midday sun shone upon the three mares as they made their way up the quiet pathway. The trail wound around a quiet sea as a large path lay above them, supported by large concrete beams in the water. Only a few birds flew overhead, leaving the trail feeling desolate. Fluttershy tried her best to keep the armored stallion out of her thoughts, but the silence between her and her friends made it difficult. She looked down to the ground in nervous ticks, wondering what to do. Rainbow trotted ahead with her head confidently forward while Pinkie trudged alongside Fluttershy. “What makes that officer so sure that those ponies will want to talk to us about this?” Rainbow Dash asked, breaking Fluttershy out of her nervous fit. “Their whole city was just burned down, and even we haven’t talked for the past few hours.” “Maybe they won’t,” Fluttershy spoke up. A siren blared ahead of them as another vehicle barreled past them on the road above towards the once standing Slateport City. “We should probably focus on staying away from that stallion until Twilight brings us home.” “I guess,” Rainbow said dejectedly as the three trotted around the final bend. The sight of buildings rose over the horizon as the trail straightened, giving Fluttershy a straight line of sight to Mauville City. Not another pony nor Pokémon was on the road, worrying her that the refugees had already arrived and dispersed throughout the city. Fluttershy dug through her bag, searching for any food she had left, but ended up empty hoofed. She sighed, placing the bag away before continuing up the road. Before they could clearly see the city, Fluttershy’s Pokédex began to beep, alerting the three and wiping the bored expressions off their faces. “Quick, open it!” Pinkie hollered. “I wonder what the next gym leader will be like...” “Didn’t we skip the second gym?” Fluttershy asked, confused as she pulled out the metallic noise maker. “I know that the gym in that town was boarded up, but I thought we needed the second gym badge to advance.” “You were called into the fifth gym right away, remember? I don’t think this thing is following any real pattern here,” Rainbow stated. Without further interruptions, Fluttershy opened the Pokédex and listened to the pre-recorded message that blared from the device. Once again, the message glitched when saying her name, but continued as normal. With a beep, the message ended and the turquoise screen faded to black. “9:00 pm tomorrow.” “Great, that gives us time to train and rest up,” Rainbow said, increasing her speed down the path. “Do you think maybe we should talk to Stephanie before we do anything? That stallion is probably still looking for me and I don’t want to make a scene without knowing how to approach this,” Fluttershy asked in a cautious tone. “I don’t see why not,” Pinkie stated. “Ooo, maybe he... er, she knows about the next gym. Also where to find someplace to eat, I’m starving.” “Hopefully, I won’t interrupt anything.” “Just call him so we can focus on the gym fight sooner,” Rainbow said, annoyed. Fluttershy stopped and lifted her forehoof, cycling through several screens before finding the phone application. She clicked a button on the device’s side as Stephanie’s name showed on screen. The screen went dark, then brought up a strange rotating circle as a long tone ran through the speakers. Before long, Stephanie’s face appeared on the screen. It looked like she was in a library with tall shelves of books lining the walls. “Hello, who is this?” Stephanie asked before looking at Fluttershy. “Oh, it’s you, Fluttershy. How are you doing- Wait, what happened to you? You don’t look too well.” “Uh, I’m fine,” Fluttershy responded, puzzled as to how she could see the Twilight analogue through the PokéNav. “About... this,” she waved her hoof around her face, showcasing her drooping eye-lids, “I need to talk to you about it.” “Shoot. I’m sure I can help with what’s going on, I mean I have been a female for the past 28 years or so so I know how that kind of stuff works.” Flush, Fluttershy stammered then spoke up, “No, not about... that... but about what happened to me and my friends.” “Ah, that makes more sense. Was the gym that rough over in Dewford? I didn’t think Brawly had it in him. Oh, did you hear the news this morning? There was a fire over in Slateport. You might want to be careful when you head over there.” Stephanie began taking books of the shelves and flipping through them as she spoke. “We... already went to Slateport. That’s what I want to talk to you about.” “You did? What happened?” She asked, looking up to the screen again. “It’s a long story, but there was a stallion in weird blue armor that burnt the city down. He was looking for me, and said he knew everything about the session. I don’t know what to do...” “Hmm...” Stephanie picked up a blue bound book and opened it, scanning her hoof over the words as she read. She reminded Fluttershy of Twilight so much; it was hard for her to separate the two as long as she didn’t pay attention to how she spoke. “That’s strange; there are a bunch of scribbles in this book, and they look like my handwriting... er, hoofwriting. Yeah, I think that’s a good replacement.” “What does it say?” Fluttershy asked curiously. “Well, it says something about a Spark, a Blueprint, a Callen and sessions. It doesn’t seem to go farther than their definitions though.” “That’s what he talked to me about! He said I was the Slueprint, he was the Callen, and my friends were Sparks. I have no idea what he was talking about though.” “Maybe this will help. It says that the Blueprint is the one who first enters here while the Sparks occur when another from their point of origin enters the same session. It must be a glitch in the system, so maybe that’s why everything is acting so weirdly.” “What’s the Callen?” “Well, it doesn’t really say. I’m not sure how accurate these definitions are since there are no places to cross-reference them. Judging by what I know about languages, ‘callen’ seems to be an old version of the word ‘called’, so maybe a chosen person or pony is what he was talking about. These definitions had to have been written during other sessions when Sparks occurred, but I still need more information. I’ll have to put in more research and get back to you on it.” “Do you by any chance know about the stallion?” “Who, the one in the armor?” “Yes.” “Do you have any description of him other than ‘he was a stallion’?” “Oh, I do.” Fluttershy dug through her bag and pulled out the shrapnel that broke off the stallion’s armor then held in front of the camera. In the sunlight the armor shone with a brilliant azure hue. “This broke off his armor when he tried to touch me.” There was a slight pause as the scholar thought with one eyebrow raised. “It came off when he touched you? Interesting. To be honest, I really don’t know much about armor, but I do know someone at Mauville University who should know about this piece. His name is Dr. Maxwell; he’s a professor in archaeology and ancient cultures. You should go talk to him about it.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said with a slight smile. “I’ll call you again if anything happens.” “I’ll talk to you then.” The screen went black as Stephanie hung up the phone. Fluttershy placed her hoof on the ground and looked over to her two friends. Pinkie began to hop down the road, leaving Fluttershy and Rainbow to catch up with the bouncing pony. “Why didn’t you ask him about the gym? Or what to do about the stallion?” Rainbow demanded, causing Fluttershy to lower her head in shame. “I... I don’t know. I don’t want to call him again so soon... it would probably be rude.” “That’s fine, I’m sure we can figure out what to do ourselves!” Pinkie chimed in, “It can’t be that hard to keep a low profile in a city of thousands of ponies.” “How do you know there are thousands?” “Look at the buildings, silly. No city with this many tall buildings has a small amount of ponies in it.” “I guess,” Fluttershy stated as Mauville City came into full view. Buildings and ponies were strewn across the city as far as the eye could see and buildings towered over any that Fluttershy had ever seen. Various assortments of Pokémon followed traveling ponies as they went down the sidewalks, some stopping at various stands and buildings. The three made left the path and kept going straight, losing themselves in the sea of concrete and ponies that littered the walkways. Fluttershy lightly coughed as particles of dust and smog entered her windpipe. “This place is huge!” Rainbow said excitedly. “Wait, how are we going to find those ponies from Slateport?” “Let’s ask around,” Pinkie suggested, hopping over to a group of suited ponies. Fluttershy couldn’t help feeling that something was wrong with the city. She couldn’t place her hoof as to why, maybe May’s memories were permeating her thoughts and the city was somehow different than what the memory suggested, but trying to focus on that when it felt like everypony was staring at her made her drop that particular train of thought. As Pinkie continued to pester the business ponies, they looked at her and their noses scrunched as a grimaced look washed over their faces. “Hey, have you seen anypony from Slateport around here?” “Have you bathed lately? I can smell you from here!” one of the ponies stated, then proceeded to escape their rancid question up until they turned at an intersection just up ahead. “Huh, well that’s not very nice,” Pinkie said, putting her hoof up to her chin in thought. “To be fair, we haven’t exactly taken care of ourselves since we got here,” Rainbow said, smelling her clothes and forcing her head away as she took a sniff. “Yeah, my jacket smells fishy.” “Tonight we should clean our stuff at the Pokémon Center. Maybe they have soap or something to put on this,” Fluttershy suggested, taking Alerce and her bandanna off her head. The bandanna was still wet from the gyarados’ conjured storm, making Fluttershy question the state of the rest of her attire. She had never had to wash any clothing since Rarity always cleaned her dresses after parties. “We should keep looking.” With one unsuccessful questioning, the mares kept up their pace, making sure to keep their distance as they asked other ponies. As the three searched, they merged into a sea of bodies, each going every which way. No pony wished to speak to them they went further into Mauville City. “Excuse me, please...” Fluttershy pleaded to the passerbys. “It will only take a second of your time.” No pony paid the yellow pegasus any attention. “This isn’t getting us anywhere,’ Rainbow exclaimed. “We should just focus on the gym fight and improving our pokémon so we can smash that stallion’s armored face in the next time he shows up.” “I still want to find out what happened. We really should try to find out more about what we’re dealing with.” “Fine,” Rainbow protested, continuing her search. At the corner of an intersection Rainbow spotted a young mare, standing with bags under her eyes. Her eyes darted back and forth before she bolted down the road, toppling over several ponies in the process. “Let’s ask her.” “Okie dokie, Dashie!” Pinkie said as she burst from the sidewalk out and ran across the street with the mare in sight. “A-are you sure?” Fluttershy asked, noticing both Rainbow and Pinkie were already gone. “Wait for me!” Fluttershy yelled as she followed behind Pinkie, watching as the frazzled mare sped down the road. The frantic mare looked back for a split second before turning down an alleyway. Fluttershy watched as her friends turned down the alley, following close behind as they kept their eyes out for their target. The alley was dark, covered with grime and discarded trash. Fluttershy tentatively trotted down the alley, hearing a soft wail in the distance. As they went further down, they spotted the mare blocked by a concrete wall. She shrunk down and shook as they approached, whimpering as the three halted. Fluttershy didn’t want to get closer, seeing as the pony looked stressed enough without her and her friends bearing down on her. “S-stay back, please,” the mare pleaded, shielding her eyes with her hoof as her voice cracked. “We aren’t here to hurt you, we were just curious about what you were doing,” Pinkie explained with a warm smile. “Why? Why me?” “We’re looking for somepony, anypony from Slateport that could help us,” Fluttershy said, slowly resuming her approach. “I-I’m from Slateport. What do you want?” “I’m sorry for bringing this up, but do you know anything about that armored stallion?” Fluttershy inched closer, trying to break the cold tension surrounding them. “Not really... why do you want to know?” The mare’s eyes dried up as she spoke, her voice ceasing to crack as well. “I... can’t really say. Please, I’d just like to know.” “All I remember is my husband running into the house and saying we need to leave. I grabbed all the supplies I could and my foals and ran out of the house. All I remember after that is watching a Gyarados start torching everything in sight.” She began sobbing, making Fluttershy take a step back. “My husband said he told them that he’ll kill anypony that stayed in Slateport. Did he say ‘anypony’? I think he said ‘anyone’... I guess I’m still recovering from it.” She lightly chuckled. “I must’ve embarrassed myself by running like that, huh?” The mare sniffed as she looked up at the Equestrians. “You don’t know anything either...” Fluttershy said disappointed. “Well, do you know anything about the gym here?” “Are you Pokémon Trainers?” The mare’s demeanor seemed to change as she wiped the tears from her eyes. She looked more positive than before. “When’s your match?” “Uh, 9:00 tomorrow,” Fluttershy said, relieved that the conversation had lost its awkward air. “Wow, so you’re in a prime time slot! Lucky. I’ll make sure to watch it when it comes on.” Fluttershy looked at the white mare puzzled. “Watch? Are there stands like in Petalburg’s gym?” “You don’t know about this? The matches are televised for ponies to watch at home. 7:00 and 9:00 at night are the prime time slots which bring in larger crowds. I can’t afford a ticket in anyway.” “T-t-televised?” Fluttershy stuttered, her body shaking with nervousness. “W-what kind of Pokémon do they use?” “I think it’s electric type. She might have changed it lately though, she doesn’t keep with one team for long.” “Thanks,” Fluttershy said as the mare stood up and brushed herself off as she wiped the stream of tears from her eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind.” “Sorry for worrying you, I need to go. My husband is waiting for me,” the mare said, squeezing past the three Equestrians and trotted down the alleyway as if nothing happened. Fluttershy stood perplexed, wondering if any other interaction with one from Slateport would have been so odd. “Now that we have that, let’s go get some training in,” Rainbow suggested, now hovering slightly off the ground. “You have a gym fight to win, and you can’t look weak in front of all those ponies.” “Right...” Fluttershy groaned, still shivering as they left the alley and joined the remainder of the moving crowd. They were sandwiched between a stallion in a business suit, walking with a large grass snake slithering beside him and a kid in a baseball cap with a rat placed firmly on his head much like Alerce. The sight of the serpent made the yellow pegasus wary, causing her to dart her eyes to the other side of the street to avoid it all together. As much as she was thrilled about meeting new animals, the reality of the night before was too fresh in her mind. “Don’t you think we should check the university for that professor first? I mean I know that I have a gym fight coming up, but I would really feel more comfortable if we knew about that stallion first.” “Fluttershy, we’re disgusting at the moment,” Rainbow stated bluntly. “We should train now while our clothes and fur reek, then wash up in the Pokémon Center tonight and speak with him tomorrow.” Pinkie and Fluttershy nodded in agreement, turning onto the street that led them back to the route they entered the city from. The trail that led back to Slateport City remained desolate, giving the three mares plenty of room to spar. A cool breeze blew though the trees, rustling the leaves and making Fluttershy feel at ease. The three trotted a ways down the road, making sure they were far enough away from the city to not cause a ruckus before setting up for a fight, not that fighting in the city would raise any suspicions. Alerce lept off from Fluttershy’s head and landed on the pavement, shaking its legs as if it felt some pain from impact. Fluttershy dug though her bag and tossed Wolver’s Poké Ball, letting him breathe some fresh air before bringing the two together in a huddle. Rainbow threw her two Poké Balls out from her jacket pocket, breaking out Igni and Lorica onto the trail. With a cocky smile, she brought the two Pokémon together and huddled like Fluttershy, discussing strategies and tactics to use against her friend’s type disadvantaged creatures. Pinkie had released Lady Gummy II from her Poké Ball long before they reached the trail, and had let her clamp onto her tail with its infantile teeth as they approached their destination. With an excited laugh, Pinkie stripped Lady off her tail and set her down, waiting for her two friends to cease strategizing. “Are you two ready?” Pinkie asked impatiently. “Lady and I have been ready for minutes now, and you two are just talking!” “Hold on Pinkie, I’m almost ready,” Fluttershy said, bringing her attention back to her two Pokémon. “How strong are you two now?” the yellow pegasus whispered to the combatants. “I know that Rainbow trained you two while I was asleep, but how far did she push you?” Fluttershy put her hooves up to her mouth in thought, wondering if Rainbow’s training was enough to take down a gym leader on live television. She shuddered at the thought as she looked up, taking notice of a hoof tapping Rainbow Dash. “I’m ready, Fluttershy. We don’t have all day,” Rainbow called out, pushing Lorica to the forefront of the ranks. “Alright, I’m ready,” Fluttershy announced, letting Wolver take the helm. The two Pokémon were around the same size, yet Lorica’s large steel head-plate made it appear much larger compared to the tiny wolf. Both Pokémon began to pace around between the two trainers, the Aron making sure to keep its shield facing Wolver at all times. They paced for several rotations, each not wanting to make the first move. Fluttershy looked up at Rainbow who hovered in the air with a confident, almost cocky smile plastered on her face. She tilted her head down, looking at Fluttershy with a fierce gaze as to make the first move. The yellow pegasus wanted to reach for her Pokédex to find out how to fight the creature, but decided against it. She didn’t want to rely on a piece of technology when it came to an animal when her talent with them worked just as well. Steel plating would make it hard for me to attack directly, especially with that shield present, she thought, trying to come out with a competent strategy. “Lorica, bash it!” Rainbow commanded, prompting the Aron to charge straight at Wolver, giving the wolf ample time to dodge the sluggish cave dweller. With a slight sidestep, the Poochyena dodged Lorica’s charge, and opened its mouth, watching its teeth give off a wispy black glow. It looked up at Fluttershy, waiting for a command as it took notice of Lorica’s heel-face turn. Quickly, Fluttershy ignored her previous conviction and took out her Pokédex, pointing it at the wolf’s teeth. The device beeped, showing Wolver’s teeth on the screen with the caption “Bite” at the bottom. “Again, with more weight behind it!” Rainbow called out, making Lorica sprint head down at Wolver at a slightly faster pace. To the side of the image, the Pokédex listed the attack’s specifics, including its type. “A Dark-type move?” Fluttershy thought aloud, watching Lorica’s continued feeble attempts at chasing down the fleet-footed lupine. I don’t want to do this but..., “Wolver, use Bite!” At his master’s command, Wolver leapt over the sluggish Lorica and opened its mouth, once again revealing the Dark-type Bite. He chomped down on the Aron, causing it to yelp out in pain as Wolver snarled and scratched at its steel exterior. “H-how did you do that? You can’t bite through steel!” Rainbow protested, much to the delight of Pinkie who seemed to take joy in the cyan pegasus’ annoyance. “Lorica, shake it off!” The Aron tried its hardest to throw Wolver off of him, flailing and running about. The Poochyena refused to let go, keeping his teeth sunk into Lorica as the steel-clad pokémon tired itself out. With a thud, Lorica slumped to the ground, giving up the fight against its quicker adversary. “Really, you’re going down like that?” Rainbow complained, watching Wolver open its jaw, taking the Aron out of its clutches. With a wag of its tail, Wolver dashed over to Fluttershy, sitting down and letting its tongue hang out. Fluttershy reached down and pet him, drawing a content smile out from the beast. With a sigh, Rainbow returned Lorica back to its Poké Ball, looking down and putting a hoof on her stomach. “Hey, Fluttershy? Why don’t we have the main event fight, then grab something to eat? I need a win.” Fluttershy rubbed her stomach as the mention of food brought up the fact that she hadn’t eaten all day. With no money, it was easier for the pegasus to keep her attention on important matters, anything that didn’t include food. Unfortunately, she still needed a meal. “I’m fine with that,” Fluttershy confirmed, showing Alerce into the center to spar. Igni quickly hopped into the ring, ruffling its feathers in anticipation. Unlike the previous two combatants, the pokémon stood still and stared each other down, each growling in an intimidating manner. Rainbow seemed to join in, staring down Fluttershy with a sharp, dagger-like gaze. How committed Rainbow was to Pokémon fighting frightened the timid pegasus. “Scorch him!” Rainbow called out, prompting Igni to expel flames from its mouth. Alerce sidestepped as quickly as he could, but was pelted by the burning embers. As a plume of smoke rose from the turtle, he shook himself off and began to charge at the orange fowl. “Use Tackle!” Fluttershy commanded, watching intently as the two faced off. The nerves Fluttershy usually felt from battle seemed to have disappeared. Her only thoughts were that of the armored stallion’s presence, making her care less about her old ways and made her embrace the new to survive. It was something she felt she would never have done back in Ponyville. A small weight still formed in the pit of her stomach as she thought about it, but she found it easier to ignore. Igni skidded across the ground on his back, quickly hopping back to its talons and shacking off the heavy blow. Flames once again flew through the ring, scattering across the ground and into Alerce’s face. The turtwig staggered back, trying desperately to shake off the burning cinders that clung to his body. “Use your shell to block it!” Fluttershy yelled, but before Alerce could react another wave of embers clung to the turtle, making him stand with his head hanging low. He began to breathe heavily, forcing his eyes shut in pain. “Try tackling him again,” the nervous pegasus suggested, watching Alerce burst from the ground, slamming Igni in the gut. The torchic flew across the ring, bouncing off the ground while struggling to get up. With a confident smile, the turtwig turned to Fluttershy. She smiled back, but her expression turned to worry as turned his head down and coughed up a pool of saliva on the ground. His breathing turned to labored wheezes as he collapsed on the ground, shaking and crying out in pain. Quickly, Fluttershy flew to the distressed Alerce, trying to diagnose whatever was happening to the Pokémon. “A-Alerce? What’s wrong?” Fluttershy asked, getting no response from the pained Turtwig. She looked up to Rainbow who looked at her with a worried gaze, same with Pinkie. As Fluttershy turned to Alerce again, a bright white light burst from the turtle, knocking Fluttershy back in shock. A small, white wisp surrounded Alerce, making Fluttershy extremely worried, yet curious as to what was happening. With a fierce cry, Alerce arched back in pain and his body began to violently shiver. Without warning, the scales that covered his body began to shed off, leaving exposed green skin. His body then began to grow in size, easily doubling or tripling his original size. With a disgusting squelching sound, new green scales pierced out from his body, releasing a sickly green-ooze that dripped down the fresh scales and caused Fluttershy to put her hoof to her mouth in disgust. As Alerce ceased his unannounced growth spurt, a fissure line split lengthwise down his shell, cracking it in two. It fell to the earth, making way for a new shell to emerge from the turtle’s back. It ran across the entire length of his body, covering everything from his head to the tip of his tail. The shell severed the small sprout of Alerce’s head as two yellow scaled spikes jutted from the side of his jaw. Before the metamorphosis was complete, two torso length bushes cracked through the shell near its center, arranging itself comfortably on the turtle’s back. With one final gasp and head held up, Alerce slumped to the ground as the white glow surrounding his body faded away. The three Equestrians stood with their mouths agape, staring at Alerce blankly with no words to speak of. Fluttershy gazed at the now giant turtle in a confused stupor, unable to draw any conclusion as to what exactly happened. As she snapped herself out of her trance, she hastily took her Pokédex out and pointed at the transformed Alerce. The screen showed Alerce’s familiar information, but its species stuck out to her. Where it had normally shown “Turtwig”, it now showed the word “Grotle”. Fluttershy thought she should be more shocked by this transformation, but Alerce’s change from gecko to turtle seemed much more unlikely. Curious, she pressed the button next to the species name, bringing her to a screen which showcased the species as a whole. As she read, it stated that grotle was an evolved form of turtwig, confusing her further. H-how can a turtle ‘evolve’? They don’t go through that kind of metamorphosis... “W...what just happened?” Rainbow asked, finally breaking from her stupor. “I mean, that was cool, but what happened exactly?” “It says here that he ‘evolved’, but turtles don’t normally change like this,” “Yeah, and geckos don’t turn into turtles either,” Rainbow quipped. “Does your Pokédex say anything about it?” “Hold on, let me check,” Fluttershy said as she scrambled to find the explanation. After going through several screens, she came upon a massive list of words and their definitions. She scrolled down then clicked when “Evolution” was highlighted, bringing up its definition. “Here we go.” Fluttershy began reading, “‘Evolution what occurs when a pokémon reaches a certain stage of maturity and strength. As it reaches this point, a pokémon will change in shape, substantially increasing its natural power as well as possibly changing its type. An evolved pokémon may learn more powerful moves, but will learn moves slower than its less evolved forms. While some creatures may evolve more than once, some may not evolve at all. Evolution is always a harrowing and exciting experience for any new trainer.’” “Does that mean... Igni and Lorica could evolve into something amazing and powerful?” Rainbow asked with an excited tone. “That... was.. AMAZING!” Pinkie finally blurted out, rushing over to the passed out Alerce. “I’ve never seen anything like it!” “Fluttershy just said what it was,” Rainbow explained, watching as Alerce’s eyes opened. With a large yawn, the grotle got to his feet and tested out his new body. “I know, let’s try out his new power!” “Wait, what?” Fluttershy asked, turning to the cyan pegasus. “Don’t you think he should rest first?” “Look at him, he’s fine.” Alerce plopped back to the ground, closing his eyes and snoring loudly. “Dash, I don’t think-” “Igni, use Ember!” Rainbow commanded, causing Igni to spew flames from his mouth again, hitting Alerce square on his massive body. He slowly opened his eyes, looking casually at the burning cinders. With one quick swipe, he brushed off the cinders and got to his feet. Rainbow’s face grew pale as Alerce bucked his head upwards, smashing Igni into the air, over Rainbow’s head and into the brush far off the path. With a sharp exhale, the lumbering giant fell back to sleep, paying no attention to the scrambling Rainbow Dash as she rummaged through the bushes on the side of the trail. “That was incredible...” Fluttershy squeaked, slowly approaching the slumbering Alerce. She patted her hooves on his shell, hearing him let out a contented rumble. At this point, she was just happy that Alerce still acted the same as he did before. “We need to evolve all of our pokémon,” Rainbow stated bluntly, emerging out from the brush with a very dazed Igni on her back. “If these things can evolve more than once, could you imagine how powerful they could be. Do you think that’s why that Gyarados was so powerful?” “That would explain a lot,” Pinkie said, picking up Lady and holding the crocodile out in front of her. “I wonder what she would turn into? Whatever it is, it’s probably something massive.” “How about we get them food and clean up for tomorrow?” Fluttershy suggested, calling Alerce back to her Poké Ball. A small part of her wondered how she would feel without Alerce outside with her, but her empty stomach stopped the train of thought short. “Yeah, this is probably a good place to stop. Besides, we should get to the Pokémon Center early and see if we can catch a gym fight.” Rainbow said, letting Igni on her back. Pinkie hoisted Lady up to her head, letting the Totodile sit on her head as Fluttershy trotted silently alongside Wolver. Fluttershy’s nerves calmed a bit as they traveled back into the city, Alerce’s new found strength reassuring her as her scheduled fight drew nearer. The moon rose on Mauville as the three mares finished eating. A mass of yellow, halogen lights littered the streets as brightly colored billboards and illuminated storefronts drew their attentions as the sky grew pitch black. Unlike Petalburg and Dewford after dark, ponies continued to flood the streets, hollering and growing more rambunctious as the night went on. Fluttershy gazed in awe, noticing lights strung from the top of large skyscrapers and a large white haze in the distance. “The plan is to win to get some kind of money, right?” Pinkie asked, curious about the aforementioned plan. “That free food was nice, but I don’t think we’ll be that lucky again.” “Well, that’s part of it, but Fluttershy’s new evolved Alerce should wipe the floor with whatever pokémon that gym leader’s got,” Rainbow presumed, weaving her way through the mass of ponies. As they trotted, Fluttershy caught the sight of several street performers putting on a show. Only a handful of ponies stopped to watch them juggle or play drums with plastic buckets. The lack of a crowd gave Fluttershy a small sense of relief about the next gym fight, but she still held onto her doubts. “Hold on,” Fluttershy said. “What’s the plan? The matches are televised, and that stallion could be watching.” “We’re stuck here until Twilight gets us out, right? We need to find out everything we can about this place and how these animals fight so we can survive long enough for her to bring us home,” Rainbow stated as they crossed the street and the orange roof of the Pokémon Center came into view. “We go in, give that gym leader a swift defeat, and by the time that jerk gets here we’ll already be gone. If we keep moving, we’ll hit him when he least expects it.” “But, he said he knew—” “By the way, what time is it? Aren’t the prime time matches about to begin?” “Well... um...” Fluttershy looked down at her PokéNav. “It’s 7:14.” “We’re already missing it?” Rainbow realized, quickening her pace. “We have to hurry; I need to see what, or who the gym leader looks like.” “It might not even be an analogue,” Fluttershy stated, weaving through the bustling crowd and apologizing at every turn. “Whoever it is, it’s probably exciting for it to be on television!” Pinkie said, quickly running along the curb and avoiding the crowd all together. “It’s just over there!” With the Pokémon Center drawing closer, Fluttershy began running through the possibilities of analogues in her head. She was innately curious to see what Pinkie and Rainbow’s analogues would be like, or if she had one of her own. Applejack’s was still up in the air, or it could even be a pony she could have never thought of. They crossed two more roads and found themselves at the sliding glass doors of the Pokémon Center, waiting for them to open as the white light inside invited them inside. The doors opened, allowing the three to trot in as they saw a massive crowd of ponies staring at something in the corner. As they settled in, the crowd roared and several ponies gave each other high-hooves then turned back to the corner. Curious, Fluttershy trotted over and attempted to catch a glimpse of whatever was happening. The sound of cheering and laughter drowned out the sound as she could only make out small sections of the screen in between the excited crowd. “What’s going on? Is this the gym match?” Fluttershy asked, causing a few ponies to turn and face her. “Yeah, and the challenger is kicking her butt!” a yellow earth pony exclaimed, quickly glancing back to catch more of the match. “I-Is there any room so I can see? I can’t make out anything,” Fluttershy asked. “You should’ve gotten here sooner,” A grey unicorn stated. “Maybe some ponies will make room after the 7:00 match,” Fluttershy said, hoping to just catch one look at Mauville’s star gym leader. “It’s worth a shot,” Rainbow said before tapping the grey unicorn on the shoulder. “Hey, any chance of squeezing in here once this match is over?” The stallion laughed. “You’re joking, right? You have to get here at least an hour before it begins to see anything.” He scanned them over. “You’re pokémon trainers, right? Why don’t you just buy a ticket and watch it live?” “What makes you think we’re trainers?” Rainbow asked. “You smell like sweat and seawater,” he said, turning his back to the mares. Rainbow scoffed at the stallion, but thought he was as good of a pony as any to ask. “Can you at least tell us the gym leader’s name?” “It’s Wat—” “Wattson,” Fluttershy interrupted, prompting the two conversing ponies to stare at the dumbfounded mare. “I-I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt anypony.” “Whatever, just leave me alone.” The stallion turned away again, just before jumping in celebration as the rest of the crowd roared in excitement. Fluttershy held her head in her hoof in embarrassment, wondering if she could somehow stop May’s memories from surfacing at such inopportune times. “Hey, can anyone tell us who the gym leader is?” Rainbow’s question became lost in sea of excited ponies, causing Rainbow to turn towards the downward-leading stairs. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up for tomorrow.” “Sounds good to me,” Pinkie said, following the cyan pegasus downstairs. “Wait, shouldn’t we...” Fluttershy trailed off before reaching the front desk, asking the nurse if the Pokémon Center had accommodations for them that night. After a quick nod from the nurse, Fluttershy headed downstairs, noticing the building’s larger basement in comparison to Petalburg’s as she made her way down. A dozen ponies were sprawled across the floor, some sleeping and some talking or playing with their pokémon. To the left some sinks and faucets were protruding from the wall, along with some cots and blankets pushed off to the side. Next to the sinks were several white, box-like machines with porthole windows on the doors. Curious, Fluttershy walked over and saw one of them with clothes tumbling inside. A small bell rung, prompting an orange pegasus to trot over and take the clothing out. With a look of annoyance, the pony fit her clothing into a basket and sat back down near her partner. “E-excuse me?” Fluttershy called out, catching the pegasus’ attention. “Is this where you wash clothes? I’ve never done it before.” With a look of utter confusion, the mare trotted over to Fluttershy. “You look like you’re my age, how come you’ve never washed clothes before?” “Well, where I come from we don’t normally wear clothes, they’re more for special...” Fluttershy caught the mare’s eyes, noticing her shifting uncomfortably. “...occasions. Could you help me?” “As long as you don’t stand there naked in front of me, I can,” the orange pegasus said. “I only have one pair of clothes... and...” “Here.” The annoyed pegasus took a pair of greyish blue leggings and a red with collared shirt with thin vertical stripes out from her basket and threw it onto Fluttershy’s head. “Put those on, then come back here with those rags you have on.” She lightly sniffed the air, recoiling as the stench pierced her nostrils. “What is that, fish?” “I-I’ll be right back,” Fluttershy said, blushing in embarrassment. She went to the other side of the stairs where no pony was looking and stripped her clothes off, using them to dab any filth or perspiration from her yellow coat before dirtying the clean attire. Feeling moderately cleaner, she donned her new clothes and carried her traveling attire to the waiting mare. “Alright, first off, we...” The mare proceeded to show Fluttershy the ins and outs of using a washing machine and dryer as both Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie listened in and watched. As the machines worked their cycles, the three Equestrians and the generous pegasus and her partner sat down to chat. They introduced themselves to each other as the roar of the excited crowd above them threatened to drown out their conversation. “So, who’s the gym leader in this city?” Rainbow asked, tapping her hoof impatiently. “You don’t know who she is? I thought everypony has seen her battle at least once,” the orange pegasus’ orchid-coated stallion friend asked. “We’re new around here, and Fluttershy has a match tomorrow with her at 9:00,” Rainbow explained. “That’s great! You can see what she looks like in person,” the orange pegasus exclaimed. “I wouldn’t want to spoil something so magical. I’m sure you’ll love her; she has an amazing stage presence.” “What’s her name?” Fluttershy asked, hoping to at least get that much out of them. Considering that Wattson sounded like a male name to her and Steven had been changed into Stephanie when she became Twilight’s analogue, having the name of another gender-bent gym leader would likely explain a lot. “Trust me, you’ll know when you get there,” the orange pegasus said as the timer on the washer had expired. With no success, Fluttershy stood and trotted to the dryer, taking her clothes out and bringing them to where Pinkie and Rainbow had set up the cots. As the pokémon matches continued, Fluttershy slumped into her cot, tired and worried, and forced herself to sleep through the incessant chattering of voices just on the other side of the room. Night had long turned into the afternoon as the three mares studied a map of Mauville City. Cleaned up and filled with food, they had found an information booth alongside the sidewalk, a massive amount of graffiti littering its sides. Mauville was several times larger than any city Fluttershy had ever been in, making it hard for her comprehend how many ponies could live in a city this large. “Have either of you found Mauville University yet? I can’t see it anywhere?” Pinkie asked, nudging her muzzle against the map. “No, not ye—Here it is,” Fluttershy responded, pointing to the Chimecho district on the western side of the map. “So if that’s there, then the stadium is...” She scanned the map again, instantly finding the stadium. “There. Er...” “It’s on the opposite side of the city!” Rainbow exclaimed, putting her head in her hooves in frustration. “Where are we now?” “Right here?” Fluttershy pointed at the southern section of the city. “If we want to get to all three, we’ll have to head to every part of town.” “Well, what time is it now?” “It’s 2:34,” Fluttershy explained. “We have less than five hours to get to the stadium. We have no money for the bus, and...” Rainbow stretched out her bandaged wing. “I can’t fly with this right now.” Rainbow folded her wing as she attempted to chart out the route to the stadium. “There has to be a Pokémon Center close to the stadium, right? I think we should finish the gym fight, sleep, give that professor a visit tomorrow, then leave before that lunatic can track us here.” “Shouldn’t we talk to Maxwell first? Figuring out who that stallion is more important than a gym fight, right?” “Don’t you remember what your Pokédex keeps saying? If we don’t show up on time, you’ll be banned from the league and there’ll be no way to get the training we need to fight the stallion in the first place,” Rainbow stated bluntly. “I guess,” Fluttershy said, disappointed by their lack of available time. “We should get moving then if we want to get there on time.” “Sorry about taking so long this morning,” Pinkie apologized, looking down at her still warm clothes. “I’m sure we can make it there on time.” With half of their lunches in Fluttershy’s bag, they began their trek to Mauville’s stadium, paying close attention to their only map. As the hours passed and the stadium drew closer, Fluttershy’s own nervousness began to rise. Feeling unprepared and wary of making a scene at the gym fight, she kept her head low as they traveled. Along the sidewalks were shops filled with various odds and ends that could be seen through their windows, windows that Pinkie couldn’t help pressing her muzzle against to peak inside. It never took long for the pink earth pony to catch up as her excitement for the gym battle rose. Fluttershy looked over to Rainbow to gauge her feelings, noticing her eyes staring straight ahead, unwavering. She was obviously confident in her plan which gave Fluttershy a small sense of relief. Along the streets, there were vertical banners hanging from every street light. They were light yellow with the silhouette of a pony with swirled hair hanging down its front and were advertising the city’s gym. Fluttershy couldn’t tell what kind of pony the mare was, nor did she look familiar to her, causing her to believe that she wasn’t an analogue. “Hey, do either of you recognize that pony on those banners?” Fluttershy asked, prompting Pinkie and Rainbow to give them another look. “I’ve never seen a pony like that before,” Pinkie explained. “What do you think, Dashie?” Rainbow Dash intensely focused on the banners, her face showing her deep in thought. “I don’t know... She looks familiar, but I can’t put my hoof on it. Whatever, we’ll find out soon enough.” “Oh, okay,” Fluttershy said, perplexed by Rainbow’s slight familiarity with the mare. Fluttershy was now even more curious about her opponent as they continued down the sidewalk. Hours passed as the sun began shining in the orange hue of dusk. The stadium loomed in the distance, rising as tall as many of the larger buildings. Ponies swarmed the outside and accompanying areas; all of them were either headed to the stadium or were there already. Fluttershy’s throat dried as she noticed the volume of onlookers, making her shiver. Two large beams of light shot from the stadium into the sky and a large screen lay near the entrance of the rectangular stadium, flashing many different images and videos of pokémon fighting inside. “There are a lot more ponies than I expected,” Rainbow Dash spoke up, quickening her pace to reach the snake-like line that formed from its entrance. Pinkie and Fluttershy soon followed as the butter pegasus tried to keep herself from hyperventilating. The roads near the stadium were blocked off by orange and white striped wooden blockades with ponies in black riot gear that had the word “POLICE” written on their chests in white. “Why is there all this security?” Fluttershy asked as they trotted past the blockade. “They can’t do this every night, could they?” “Did you see how popular these gym fights were with those ponies back in the Pokémon Center? I’m not surprised they have to increase security with us being the opponent!” Rainbow exclaimed, sounding proud of her boasting. “No pony knows who we are though, do they, Dashie?” Pinkie added, looking for the end of the line. “May is a gym leader’s daughter, isn’t she? They obviously hyped that up and got ponies to buy up tickets.” “I really hope this is just the normal attendance...” Fluttershy muttered, watching ponies as they sat under open tents, drinking and grilling vegetables in an open concrete field. Several of the ponies began hollering and celebrating, downing drinks as they did so. There was a smell of barley and hops in the air, a strong air wafting over the stadium’s outside. Fluttershy turned her head away from the hooligans, noticing that they were now at the end of the line. Rainbow had already started a conversation with the pony in front of them as Pinkie played with Lady. “Are there normally this many ponies here? It seems like a lot,” Rainbow asked, yelling over the excited crowd. “Oh no, tonight is special,” the tan unicorn started. “They were showing ads about this, uh, mystery trainer during the 9:00 match. It’s sounds awesome!” Fluttershy turned her head to the unicorn in full alert, trying to piece together why her match was special. She peeked her head to the side, catching a glimpse of the screen. A shadowed pony appeared on screen with a red question mark over it, followed by text about the final match of the night. The pegasus gulped, realizing that both gym leaders she faced before hadn’t known her either. With her nerves racking her she brought her attention back to the conversation to try to calm herself.. “Hey, what time is it?” Pinkie asked as she got up from letting Lady crawl on her stomach. “You think the line is gonna move soon?” “6:43,” the stallion said, watching the line in front begin to move into the stadium. Fluttershy turned to the tailgaters, seeing them pack up their supplies and head to the back of the line as it moved at a relatively quick pace. The cheering grew louder as they approached, watching the line shrink until they arrived at four booths with ponies inside, taking tickets from the spectators’ hooves. Fluttershy was next. She cautiously trotted up to the tired looking mare in the window, wondering what to do. “Do you have a ticket, or are you here to purchase one. We only have a few hundred left,” the mare explained. “I’m, uh, the challenger for the nine o’clock match,” Fluttershy explained, watching the mare give her a curious look. “You are, huh? Let me see your Pokédex; I need to see if your trainer ID matches.” Fluttershy reached into her bag and pulled out her Pokédex, slipping it through the opening in the glass pane. The mare in the booth quickly opened the device, flipping through the menus until the reached Fluttershy’s ID. “Hmm, 78342. The paper says that as well...” The attendant closed the Pokédex and gave it back to Fluttershy, unlocking the turnstile to let the pegasus through. “Oh, could you let me friends in as well? They’re right behind me,” Fluttershy asked as Rainbow and Pinkie waved their hooves. “I don’t see why not.” Rainbow and Pinkie promptly thanked the mare as they caught up to Fluttershy. “When you go in, go down the first hallway you come across to the left; a security guard will see you to your waiting area.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said as she entered through the stadium’s massive gates. Inside the stadium under the seats were dark with only a sparse number of fluorescent lights illuminating the area. Beyond the hallway lay a set of stairs leading up to the bleachers and a large set of doors at the ground level. Most of the crowed piled up the stairs as several went up to booths, buying drinks and snacks. The walls of the entrance soon passed, leaving the three in the presence of a massive corridor to their sides, wrapping around the field. Fluttershy looked to her left, noticing a lone pony in a black suit wearing sunglasses waiting in the middle of the hallway. Curious, she and her friends trotted over to the stallion, distancing themselves from the ecstatic crowd. The noise of the crowd grew dimmer as they approached, giving the timid pegasus a little piece of mind. “Are you trainer number 78342?” the stallion asked, lifting his sunglasses to get a better look at the mares. “Yes, I am,” Fluttershy responded, handing her Pokédex to the stallion as she watched another similarly dressed stallion approach. “You must be the security guard that attendant was telling me about.” After the stallion went through the Pokédex he gave it back to Fluttershy and placed his sunglasses back on his face. “Right this way; let me show you to your box seat as you wait for your match.” The guard turned and nodded to the other stallion, causing him to turn up a distant flight of stairs. “Box seat? What’s that?” Pinkie asked excitedly. “I’m more curious about who this gym leader is. No pony has said a word to us about it,” Rainbow complained, glaring at Fluttershy. “Maybe somepony shouldn’t have interrupted that stallion in the Pokémon Center.” “W-Well, ponies have said that its a ‘she’, and Wattson is normally a male name,” Fluttershy stated, averting Rainbow’s gaze. “She has to be an analogue like Steven, but this stadium and city don’t feel right.” “What do you mean? Nothing looked out of the ordinary to me,” Pinkie said as they began to ascend the plush, crimson carpeted stairs. “I... I don’t know. It’s probably something with May’s memories. It doesn’t seem to important at least.” The staircase climbed to mid-point of the stadium, leading to a narrow hallway with wooden doors on their right. It was much brighter than the area below, leading Fluttershy to believe that this was a much classier area. The stallion ahead trotted to the door just around the bend, opening it and waiting for the three to enter. Excited, Rainbow and Pinkie barged through the doorway, leaving Fluttershy to enter the plush, nicely furnished room. As she entered, the first thing she noticed was the room-sized window that gave a clear view of the entire arena. Ignoring the other furnishings, Fluttershy trotted up to the window, noticing the massive amount of ponies in the stands. Not a single seat appeared empty as even more attendants swarmed the stadium. Fluttershy gulped and shivered, averting her eyes from the crowd and down to the field where a stallion stood with a green, pink-bellied raptor-like pokémon with leaves jutting from its arms and a long one that flowed down from its head. On the other side was a stage with wires strewn across its empty floorboards. “Fillies and gentlecolts!” the speakers blared, causing the crowd to fall silent for a moment. “Welcome to Mauville Stadium for tonight’s entertainment! Each opponent tonight is fighting for the illustrious Dynamo Badge, which will bring them closer to Hoenn’s Pokémon League and becoming Hoenn’s new champion!” The crowd erupted in hoof stomps and cheering. Fluttershy could feel the sound permeating the glass, shaking her as the stallion below stood tall. “Ooo, this is so exciting!” Pinkie said, pressing her front hooves and muzzle to the glass. “Our first opponent is a technical engineering student from Mauville University, showing up with his pokémon, Grovyle.” The stallion pumped his hoof into the air as she heard part of the crowd begin chanting ‘M U! M U!’ as the announcer continued. “Wow, some of those ponies painted themselves red and white!” Rainbow said, looking at the crowd. Fluttershy turned to Rainbow who was transfixed on the stage that lay below. “We should go talk to that pony after the match. You know, save us from traveling all that way.” “Yeah, sure,” Rainbow said, sounding as if she was ignoring the timid pegasus. Fluttershy again turned her attention back down to the stage. “Will this science major be victorious this day? Only one mare stands in his way. Introducing the gym leader that needs no introduction, but wants one regardless. A mare whose electric power can be seen in the legendary Mauville storms!” The lights inside the stadium suddenly shut off, leaving only one spotlighting the stage as smoke began to pour from the floor boards. As the spectacle occurred, the crowd’s enthusiastic roars grew to their highest point, giving Fluttershy the feeling that the stadium would shake apart. Fluttershy caught a glimpse of a light blue mare as she made her way out of the smoke, her light blond hair swirling at both ends as she posed for the ecstatic crowd. “Fillies and gentlecolts, introducing Mauville’s own gym leader, the Electrifying and Powerful Wattsie!”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-03-17T16:10:45+00:00

2013-01-01T19:00:05+00:00

With a quick snap, May retracted her arm from the arc of electricity. The telltale burn of it lingered as her hand throbbed and grew numb. She held the trembling limb to her chest as she continued to duck and weave past the free-glowing streams of electricity standing between her and her adversary. “How is this even allowed?” the girl asked herself as she watched her agile grovyle leap easily past the transformers. It looked back at her though the maze, the leaves on its forearms bound together as a blade as if to signal its anxiousness for the ensuing gym battle. “Hold on, I’m almost there,” May hollered after the grovyle as she ducked under the final stream of electricity. After a deep breath, she brushed herself off and looked at a man that stood at the back of the building with a spiteful glare. He was a portly old man with a jagged white beard covering his chin, wearing a brown, leather jacket with a lightning bolt insignia above one of the pockets. The man stood idly as May stumbled to her feet, her arms and legs covered in burns. “Welcome to Mauville Gym. You must be May Stannis. I’m Wattson,” he said, looking his challenger over. The grovyle took a fighting stance, growling through clenched teeth. May lifted her hand and the lizard fell silent, leaving only the sound of crackling electricity as she approached the old trainer. “I am. I’m here for the Dynamo Badge,” May spoke with ferocity, raising her voice to be heard over the sound of the buzzing electricity behind her. She removed her badge case from her bag and flipped it open to show the man, the pair of badges withing gleaming in the light from the electricity. “Very well,” the gym leader began. “I’m ready when — know what you must be going through right now. It must be tough,” the old man said, permeating the dull silence of the gym. “I’ve lost many family members over the years. I’m sure that your grandfather’s death must weigh on your thoughts.” May looked down dejectedly at the floor, tears welling up in her eyes. “Yeah... I just wish I could’ve known him a bit better before he’d died.” May’s grovyle sidled up next to her, a small smile cresting the girl’s face as it comforted her by nuzzling into her hand. “He was a good man, that much I know. I talked to him quite a bit back in the day,” the old man said with a warm nostalgic smile. “But, back to you, what are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be taking classes right now?” “Things haven’t been going so well... my mother has been feeling ill since Grandpa died and my dad wanted me to go out and experience things while I still could,” May said, shaking a little as she spoke. “He said with the move and Grandpa’s death, I should try something less stressful, so here I am.” May paused for a moment. “Has Brendan been through here? He’s about my age, wears a green bandanna and a black and orange jacket? I was supposed to meet him around here.” “Oh yes, I remember the lad. What strange pokémon he had,” Wattson said, looking up in thought. “He was here a few days ago, but that’s about all I can tell you.” “Thank you,” May responded, her tone resonated with disappointment. She slipped her badge case back into her pocket, hoping to win another badge to place next to her sole accolade from Rustboro. “I’m sure I’ll find him soon enough.” “Even with all that’s happened, you’re still so calm and collected,” the portly man chuckled. “You really are your father’s daughter.” From his coat pocket, the man drew out a Poké Ball. With a soft smirk on his face, he considered the ball of a moment before tossing it onto the field. The ball split open to reveal a small, wolf-like creature that snarled as it sprang to the ready. “Let’s get started, then.” With a snap of his fingers, the lights of the gym grew dim as a large lightning bolt shaped neon-sign glowed brightly behind him. “I am Wattson, the third gym leader of Hoenn’s Pokémon League. May Stannis, daughter of Norman, I humbly accept your challenge — for admittance into the Pokémon League!” With a mask of fierce determination, May took her battered hand and thrust it towards Wattson, prompting her grovyle to take up its battle position. “I’m ready when you are, old man.” “Very well,” Wattson stated coolly before everything slowly blurred and grew dark. Fluttershy awoke with a jolt, the ecstatic cheering of the crowd drawing her back into consciousness. She held her head in her hooves, trying to piece together the strange memory flash that had just occurred. It had been days since one had manifested on its own, but none had ever been so strange, so fractured. Fluttershy looked below, watching the university student trot out of the arena as Wattsie turned away. She appeared to be discussing something with a black-suited stallion. A small tap on the glass drew the pegasus’ attention to Rainbow Dash, the cyan mare staring intensely at the field below, hooves pressed against the glass. Her muzzle was pressed up as well, teeth bared in a scowl, her wings fully spread. The yellow pegasus wanted to approach her, but thought better of it, recognizing a familiar intensity in Dash’s demeanor. Before Fluttershy could return her focus to the memory, Pinkie Pie hopped out from around Rainbow, catching Fluttershy by surprise. “Fluttershy, you’re up! You must’ve been super tired, I tried waking you up over and over and over again during the fight!” The pink mare looked at Fluttershy inquisitively, tilting her head in confusion. “You alright? You don’t look too good.” “I-I’m alright,” Fluttershy said, pausing to think if Pinkie could help her piece the memory together. “It’s just... I had a memory flash again.” “You did? That explains a lot,” Pinkie Pie stated, leaning on Rainbow in thought as her friend turned her head towards Pinkie in irritation. Not a second later, they both toppled over into the paned glass and slumped to the floor. With a quick shake, Pinkie sprang to her hooves and continued, oblivious to the death glare emanating from the downed pegasus. “So, what was it about? Anything important or exciting?” “Well, it was strange. It was like there were two memories happening at once, I guess, both of them getting in each others’ way. It started off normally with the May you saw at Rustboro Gym about to fight Wattson, but then it was like she changed into a quieter girl.” Pinkie’s face contorted in confusion as Rainbow got to her hooves, rubbing her head as she got up. “They talked about her grandfather and Brendan, and then May was back to her old self. That’s all that really happened.” “Brendan? That jerk from Rustboro with the fire lizard?” Rainbow asked, wings folded back onto her sides. “What was she talking about him for?” “She said something about finding him, but never said why. I’ve never seen this May before, so I don’t know if I should trust her,” Fluttershy stated as a security guard entered the room. “Fifteen minutes until you’re due down by the doors, miss,” he said before stepping out for a second and letting the student from below into the room. He was a brown earth pony in an open white collared shirt, a PokéNav strapped to his ankle and denim shorts on as well. He quickly scanned the room and placed his bag down by the door before venturing further into the suite. “A-are you sure this is the right room?” he asked with a slight stutter, prompting a quick nod from the guard before he closed the door. The young stallion turned and faced the three mares, not saying a word as he approached the couch. “Hi! What’s your name?” Pinkie enthusiastically exclaimed, hopping right up to the stallion. He recoiled back in a nervous fit, stumbling over himself as Pinkie loomed over him. “I-it’s Jake,” the stallion stated, as Pinkie backed off to let him regain his hoofing. The three’s plan to meet with the university student after the match was much easier than Fluttershy had ever anticipated, putting a confident smile on her face as she pondered what to do. With no more obvious choice, Fluttershy trotted up to Jake in hopes that he could tell her about Professor Maxwell. “Hello,” Fluttershy said, causing Jake to turn his head with his mouth slightly agape. “You’re a student at Mauville University, right?” He stared at her with a dumbfounded look before forcing his mouth shut to avoid looking foolish. “Yeah, I am. Why? Do you go there? I think I would have remembered such a-- I mean, I think I would have remembered you,” Jack asked as his face flushed a deep red. “No, I just need to know about a teacher there. Do you know a Professor Maxwell?” “Maxwell... Oh, yeah! He’s, uh... the ancient cultures and archeology professor. Are you trying to get into his class or... Wait, you just said...” He planted his hoof on his head with a pained expression plastered on his face. “Is he there now? Could we go talk to him?” Fluttershy asked, trying to steer the conversation back to the professor’s whereabouts. “Umm, I think he’s out for the week,” Jake said, lowering his hoof from his forehead to his chin in thought. “Yeah, he’s up at Mt. Chimney with some students to study the volcano. He has a bit of a history going off-topic and delving into geological studies,” the stallion stated with a surprising lack of stutters. “He should be back within the week.” “Where is Mt. Chimney?” “Wait, seriously? Who doesn’t know about Mt. Chimney?” “I-I’m sorry, I’m still really new to Hoenn,” Fluttershy squeaked. “Oh, it’s just north of here on the way to Lavaridge Town. It’s the tallest mountain in the range. You can’t miss it.” The door opened once again, revealing the same security guard from before peeking through the doorway. “You’re expected down at the front gate in less than five minutes. Let’s go.” After the security guard had left, Fluttershy turned away from Jake to get her bag as her friends did the same and stood by the door. “Thanks for your help,” Fluttershy said as she caught up to Rainbow and Pinkie. As she was about to exit the room, she stopped and turned back to face the young stallion. “Sorry for asking, but what kind of Pokemon was that next to you at the start of the match?” “You mean my grovyle?” Jake asked, tossing out a Poké Ball, revealing a sleeping pokémon. “Y-yeah,” Fluttershy responded, glancing over the grass lizard as she sat down next to it. As she looked it over, she felt a warm yet somber sense of nostalgia rush over her. It was the exact pokémon that May had in Fluttershy’s vision, but something felt wrong. Instead of the comfort that May had received from the pokémon, Fluttershy felt as if she’d just been punched in the gut. With her body shaking, she rose back to her hooves and gave Jake a small smile. “Thanks for showing him to me,” Fluttershy said graciously. “It’s actually a ‘her’, and you’re welcome,” Jake said as Fluttershy exited the room. As the pegasus went down the stairs, she stopped and turned to see that Jake was peering down at her from the doorway. “Oh, would you be able to show us where the Pokémon Center is around here after the match? We have to get some rest before going to Mt. Chimney tomorrow.” None of the mares had thought of accommodations for that night. “Uh, s-sure. I’ll be near the challenger’s side exit after the match,” Jake replied. “It’s on the east side of the field.” “Thank you so much,” Fluttershy said before she descended the stairs. As she caught up to her friends, her mind focused solely on the encounter with the grovyle. She wondered for a moment if the pain came from Alerce’s transformation, but she hadn’t been very attached to the lizard before he had changed. Before she could come up with any more ideas, however, she had already caught up with her friends. Rainbow was at the front, hastily marching down as Pinkie trotted with a calm but excited attitude just behind. The rumble of the crowd shook the stadium as their match slowly approached. Since she was unconscious during the entire match, Fluttershy still had no idea what the gym leader looked like or if she was, in fact, an analogue. Judging by Rainbow’s intense expression as she awoke, her friend must’ve known something about the mare. “Rainbow? Why were you staring down at the field like that?” Fluttershy asked. Rainbow turned her head to face her questioner. “You looked really angry back there.” “I was,” Rainbow answered bluntly. “Don’t you two remember that unicorn that came into town with that mobile stage? The one who boasted about how she was ‘the most magical unicorn in all of Equestria’? I swear that you two were there.” “No, I don’t remember that,” Fluttershy said. As she said this, Pinkie sharply inhaled in a gasp. “Oh, right! Fluttershy, I went off with you to see some of your animals when she was talking, remember?” Pinkie asked, looking at Fluttershy, and then back at Rainbow. “That unicorn just sounded obnoxious, and I remembered that I had to help Mrs. Cake finish a cupcake order for Sugarcube Corner, and you forgot Angel’s birthday, so we had to have a party for him, so we left!” “Well, I’ll explain what happened after you left,” Rainbow began. “She called herself ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ and I nearly gagged on how full of herself she was.” They had reached the bottom of the stairs, noticing several ponies buying food at the stands next to the arena doors. “When everypony was sick of her bragging, AJ, Rarity, and I challenged her to shut her up, but all she did was twist what we did around and made us laughing stocks!” Rainbow’s face grew bright red as she spoke, stomping towards the door now instead of trotting. “I did this amazing trick through clouds and made a rainbow show up above me, and she twisted it and spun me around before zapping me with lightning! I can’t wait to get my hooves on her when I get the chance.” The security guard stopped in front of the inner arena doors and waited beside the three mares. “What happened to her?” Fluttershy asked, her curiosity piqued. “She said she could vanquish an Ursa Major, but Twilight saved Ponyville when two town doofuses brought an Ursa Minor for Trixie to fight. After Twilight humiliated her by defeating it, the coward ran off.” Rainbow peered up at the screen near the gate that was playing a commercial. “Haven’t seen her since.” Several minutes passed as they waited for the last stragglers to return to their seats. Fluttershy could hardly hear anypony inside the stadium, lending it an eerie silence. Rainbow stood tapping her hooves on the floor impatiently. Pinkie decided to sit down and proceeded to yawn every once in a out of boredom. Just as Fluttershy was about to lie down as well, the announcer’s voice blared through the speaker system. “Fillies and gentlecolts, tonight we have a special, mystery trainer as Wattsie’s final opponent!” The crowd began cheering uproariously, putting Fluttershy on edge as she began to seriously question her ability to win. Alerce had just evolved, and Wolver was still fairly weak by comparison. She didn’t want to embarrass her friends in front of so many ponies. As she began hyperventilating, the announcer continued above the noise of the rowdy audience. “All anyone knows about this trainer is that he or she has only one badge but is a fierce competitor judging by a flawless combat record!” Flawless record? Fluttershy wondered, her mind in a panic. Did the fight with Norman not count? “Please welcome your final competitor of this weekend’s arena fights!” The doors slowly creaked open, the stadium’s massive lights blinding the three as they shone into the dark hallway. With a pained gulp, Fluttershy trotted into the grass-filled arena with Rainbow and Pinkie following close behind. The amount of ponies inside the stadium was staggering to her, and being below the crushing stare of that many eyes didn’t help to calm her nerves in the least. “You alright, Fluttershy?” Pinkie asked. “This is so exciting, don’t you think? I know that thousands of ponies are watching, but it’s like a giant party in here!” Fluttershy hesitantly nodded as they stopped at the challenger’s end of the rectangular fighting ring. The lights in the stadium suddenly grew dark as a singular spotlight shone on an empty stage. There was yellow fabric with stars and lightning bolts skirting the bottom of the stage, and a large, light-blue symbol of a magic wand swirling with magic was plastered above. As smoke poured over the cable-strewn stage the loudspeakers boomed, “Now without further introductions, the Electrifying and Powerful Wattsie!” With a crack of lightning, a pony stepped forth from the swirling smode, sending the crowd into a frenzy of stomping hooves. It was a light blue mare with a blond swirl of a mane. She wore a yellow cape covered in black stars and a closed yellow vest with the magic wand insignia pinned on the front. On her ankles were gold cuff links and over her eyes was a yellow, translucent visor that concealed the color of her eyes. Wattsie looked off somehow, as if something was missing... “Where’s her horn?” Fluttershy asked, turning to a confused and angry Rainbow Dash. “I don’t know,” Rainbow admitted. “So, one of you is Wattsie’s opponent, hmm?” the gym leader asked, speaking in the third person. “Don’t keep the crowd waiting, which one of you will be fighting Wattsie tonight?” Fluttershy inched ahead of her friends, readying herself to speak before Rainbow Dash shot past her in a swirl of wind and wings. She skid to a stop in front of her friends before pointing her hoof at the blue mare. “I am!” She shouted, shocking both Fluttershy and Pinkie. The crowd roared in anticipation as Wattsie held her hoof in the air, calling for silence. “So, rainbow-hair, what’s your name? It seemed to have been glitched when I got it,” Wattsie asked, staring straight at the angry mare. “The name’s Rainbow Da—” Before she could finish, she felt a pair of hooves force her mouth closed as Fluttershy nearly tackled her onto the field. “D-don’t say your last name,” Fluttershy warned her, confusing her brash friend. “Why? It’s just my name...” Fluttershy shuffled her hooves nervously and whispered, “Do you remember that police officer I talked to yesterday? When I mentioned your last name to him, he talked about some loss the Dash and Pie families went through. Please, we don’t need any more attention drawn to us than there already is.” Rainbow huffed. “Fine.” The new challenger pushed Fluttershy to the side before stepping into the trainer’s box. “The name’s Rainbow... Bolt.” “Rainbow Bolt, huh? You look more like a Dash to me,” Wattsie mused, giving Fluttershy shivers. “You know, now that I take a better look at you, you look just like Winona Dash... same cutie mark and everything...” Winona? Fluttershy wondered, watching the showmare think of her next line. Where do I know a Winona? There’s Applejack’s dog, but... does May know a Winona? Could she be a gym leader? “What a shame that you don’t have her classy silver mane instead of that ridiculous multicolored flop,” Wattsie commented, the crowd cheering as Rainbow’s face flushed a bright red. Fluttershy knew that, normally, Rainbow wouldn’t be offended by an off-color remark about her mane, but apparently, whatever this Trixie had done, she really hit Dash’s soft spot. “Hey, why don’t you stop talking and fight already!” Rainbow snapped, taking the showmare aback. “Alright then. If you’re that ready to lose, the Electrifying and Powerful Wattsie will be glad to oblige.” Out from her cape, Wattsie threw a Poké Ball to the field. As it hit the ground, it broke open, releasing a pudgy, orange mouse with a lightning bolt at the end of a long, thin black tail onto the field. “Raii~” it growled in a low tone as electricity sparked from its yellow cheeks. “Destroy it, Igni!” Rainbow called out, tossing the torchic’s Poké Ball onto the field. As Igni appeared, laughter erupted from Wattise as well as the crowd. “A torchic? Wattsie has never seen such a pathetic starter in her entire life,” she snickered, succeeding in riling up the crowd. “Wha—Igni isn’t pathetic! Igni, show her what a ‘pathetic’ torchic does!” Rainbow commanded, gritting her teeth and growling as she stared the showmare down. With a flash, white hot embers shot from the torchic’s mouth, hitting the mouse square in the belly. Without even wincing, the electric pokémon brushed off the embers off before taking a defensive posture. “You’ll have to do better than that, Bolt. Raichu, use Body Slam,” Wattsie commanded, and the raichu sprang into action. Before Rainbow Dash could react, the pokémon had sprinted down the field and slammed shoulder first into Igni, sending him flying towards Rainbow. He hit the ground hard, carving a long divot in the battlefield. “Igni, are you alright?” Rainbow asked, turning to see the raichu’s cheeks flowing with electricity. Strained, Igni forced himself up, stumbling over himself as he returned to the center of the arena. “Raichu, finish it with a Thunderbolt; Wattsie is getting bored,” Wattsie stated, and the raichu began to glow with an intense, yellow light. Fluttershy could only watch as Rainbow’s mind raced to find something, anything for the dazed Igni to do as a large bolt of electricity was fired into the sky by the raichu. “Igni, run!” Was the only thing Rainbow could yell out before the lightning bolt arced downward and struck the torchic, causing Rainbow to hold a hoof to her mouth as it hung open. With blackened feathers smoking, Igni flopped to the ground. Rainbow bolted out onto the field, scooping up the fallen pokémon and held it in her hooves. She pulled Igni close to her chest, silently lamenting her decision to jump into the gym fight as she glared menicingly at Wattsie. The crowd erupted in boos and heckles, and Wattsie stood with a large grin on her face as she looked down on the shaking Rainbow Dash. “Are you done?” Wattsie asked condescendingly, holding her hoof up to try to quiet the crowd. “No!” Rainbow snapped, taking Lorica’s Poké Ball and tossing it onto the field before she galloped back to the trainer’s area with Igni safely back in his Poké Ball. “I’m not finished with you yet!” She stared Wattsie down as she wiped the lingering tears from her eyes. “So, your amazing plan to show up Wattsie after using a torchic is to challenge me with an aron? Trainers never cease to amaze me with how shortsighted they are.” Rainbow’s face glowed bright red as she watched the raichu begin to glow again. “Lorica, Tackle!” Rainbow commanded, watching the now trembling Lorica try to speed down the field. He had made it halfway to the Raichu before it released the built-up discharge, firing the bolt directly at Lorica. It arced straight through him, causing him to fall over, his body twitching from the electrical surge. Angry, the crowd clamored for more, raining boos and heckles down on Rainbow as she slowly marched onto the field. Fluttershy felt a lump form in her throat as she saw Rainbow’s mouth quiver at the sight of her fallen pokémon. With her eyes closed, Rainbow took a Poké Ball from her jacket pocket and sent Lorica back in before staring fiercely at the showmare, clenching her teeth as she glared at her opponent. Before Rainbow stopped staring Wattsie down, Fluttershy noticed the gym leader flipping a switch close to her head that was connected to her mic. Fluttershy watched as Wattsie spoke to Rainbow, buts was unable to hear the mare’s voices over the incessant booing of the crowd. After Wattsie spoke, Rainbow turned and walked back to her end of the field with frustration strewn across her face. With another flip of the switch, the microphone crackled over the loud speakers as Wattsie held her hoof to her chin. “Audience, Wattsie is surprised at you. Wattsie thought you knew better than to heckle her warm up.” Rainbow stopped, her mouth hung agape before snapping shut as her frustration turned to rage once again. “Wattsie is sorry for the delay, but the mystery trainer is still among these three.” The gym leader pointed at Fluttershy, catching the pegasus off-guard. “You! May Stannis, you are Wattsie’s real opponent.” A swell of excitement came over the crowd as Fluttershy approached the trainer’s box. “H-how did you know? Why do you think it’s me?” Fluttershy asked, watching a smug smile creep over Wattsie’s face. “It was easy, when Wattsie received the name of her opponent, it crackled ‘May Sta’ and ‘Flutters’. Any trainer worth their salt would know your face, May.” As the crowd cheered on, Wattsie motioned with her hoof, calling Fluttershy over to her side of the arena. Curious, the pegasus obliged, trotting over as she saw Wattsie once again shut her mic off. “What is it?” Fluttershy asked as she reached the cable-strewn stage. “Shouldn’t we be fighting?” “I know this may be personal, but what’s ‘Flutters’?” Wattsie asked, dropping the third- person speech and talking in a surprisingly mellow tone. “I just want to make sure none of the crowd hears it if it’s too personal.” “Well, my name is—” Fluttershy paused, contemplating if the gym leader would believe her or not, and if she could even trust her with the truth. From what Fluttershy could glean from May’s memories, it didn’t seem like she would have anything to do with the armored stallion, but Rainbow’s story of the unicorn in Ponyville gave her cause to doubt. “It-it’s Fluttershy. My real name isn’t May.” “Fl... Fluttershy?” Wattsie repeated, confused. “Why does that name sound so familiar...?” As she thought, Wattsie’s face turned into that of shock, making her stammer to try to say something. “I... n-never mind. You’re here for a gym battle; I won’t make you wait.” The pegasus simply nodded before trotting back to her side of the arena, the speakers crackling to life once again. “Sorry for the delay, Wattsie needed to make sure Ms. Stannis knew who she was dealing with,” Wattsie said, grinning as the crowd began chanting her name. “Let’s get this started, then.” Wattsie reared up on her hind legs and raised her front hooves in the air. The stadium once again grew dark as a single spotlight shone on the field, leaving everything around them black as pitch. “I am Wattise, the third gym leader of Hoenn’s Pokémon League! I accept your challenge, May Stannis. Come, show us what you can do,” Wattsie recited before sending her Raichu back into the arena, its cheeks sparking as it readied itself. “Show us all.” With a deep breath to calm herself, Fluttershy tossed out her first pokémon. She tried keeping her concentration away from the outpouring of attention she was getting from the crowd. Freed from his Poké Ball, Alerce planted his legs firmly on the ground, yawning loudly as a smile grew on Wattsie’s face. “A grotle? That’s more like it,” Wattsie said before thrusting her hoof out towards Alerce. “Raichu, Body Slam it, now!” With a nod, the raichu sprang forward, charging the motionless Alerce. Right as it got close, Alerce whipped his head down, and then drove it up into the raichu’s chin, sending it soaring back across the arena before it impacted in a cloud of dust. The crowd grew silent as the mouse got up and shook itself off, charging for another attack. Oddly, the raichu’s sparking cheeks had gone dark, leaving Fluttershy confused. “Why isn’t she using electrical attacks?” Fluttershy turned to her friends and asked. “Is Alerce strong against them?” “Does the Pokédex say anything?” Pinkie asked. “There has to be something about it there, Oh! Or maybe you could just ask Wattsie!” “I don’t think that she’ll tell me anything to help me win,” Fluttershy explained, glancing back at Alerce who was defending, awaiting a command. “What do you think I should do?” “I don’t know! I’ve never fought with pokémon before. You’re the only one with a gym badge!” Pinkie argued. “The only reason I won was because May took over when I froze up.” Fluttershy’s body violently shook. “I don’t think I can rely on that every time...” She looked down upon the grotle as it blocked the punches of the slowly tiring raichu. It jumped back and panted, looking to Wattsie for its next command. The crowd stayed silent as Fluttershy stepped up to fight. “What’s wrong? Wattsie has to keep her audience entertained,” Wattsie stated, watching her raichu heaving heavily from repeated blows to the turtle’s shell. “Alerce, use Razor Leaf!” She commanded instinctively. At his master’s command, Alerce shed a legion of pointed leaves from the brush on his back, they glowed with a faint green aura as they swirled around him. As Wattsie opened her mouth to issue a command, the leaves cut through the air, slashing at the Raichu as they passed by and stabbed into both the raichu and the stage behind it. It toppled over, and then exerted all its remaining effort trying to stand, only to be hit by another wave before falling unconscious. The crowd erupted in cheers as Wattsie frowned, returning the raichu back into its Poké Ball. She turned her mic off and whispered to the fallen pokémon before glaring at Fluttershy. “Wattsie didn’t expect you to bring a grass type to my gym, May. You have merely caught Wattsie a little off-guard, that’s all,” Wattsie said, the crowd responding in kind. “I assure you, it won’t happen again.” Another Poké Ball was thrown out into the field, revealing a small, web-winged mouse. It looked like a flying squirrel with yellow-tinted flaps of skin for wings. “Flying-types beat grass, rookie. Emolga will take care of this.” “A flying squirrel?” Rainbow huffed. “You can beat that thing, no problem.” Unwilling to risk Alerce’s safety, she took out her Pokédex, scanned the Emolga and waited for a response. That mouse is so tiny; why does Wattsie think this mouse will do better than the last? The screen finally lit up again, revealing no answers to the confused pegasus. “It doesn’t know what it is!” Fluttershy stated, turning back to her friends. “Use Wolver then if Wattsie is so worked up about it!” Pinkie suggested. “Right.” Fluttershy nodded in agreement, returning Alerce back to his Poké Ball. She brought Wolver out, confusing the crowd and putting a smile on the gym leader’s face. “Using an unevolved pokémon in place of an evolved starter?” Wattsie scoffed. “Emolga is already at his strongest, unlike that mutt you call a Poochyena. He never evolves, but is powerful enough already. You sure you want your precious pokémon to be taken out so easily?” Wolver began snarling as Rainbow slammed her hoof to the ground. “Where does she get off!?” Rainbow argued. “Fluttershy, stamp that rat out!” “Aren’t you being a bit harsh?” Pinkie asked. “I don’t really see what you find so wrong with her—” “She humiliated me in front of everyone and is calling us idiots for not knowing their dumb system!” “I don’t know; she told Fluttershy that flying is strong against grass, didn’t she? She’s helped a lot so far.” “Are you done stalling?” Wattsie called out, bringing Fluttershy’s attention back to the fight. “Wattsie would suggest you issue a command before my whole audience falls asleep.” “Alright then. Wolver, tackle it,” Fluttershy commanded and Wolver responded in kind. As he bulleted towards the flying squirrel, it launched itself into the air, hovering just out of Wolver’s reach. “Air Slash,” Wattsie stated coolly, prompting the Emolga to swoop down with a glowing set of wings. It buzzed by several times, slashing at Wolver as he tried forcing it down to the ground. “Bite it!” Fluttershy called out and, as the Emolga passed again, Wolver caught it in his mouth, biting down on it before releasing it. “Tackle!” As the electric pokémon stumbled back, Wolver plowed into it head first, causing it to fly back and cry out in pain. Before she realized it, a small unwanted smile had appeared on Fluttershy’s face. She shook her head to rid herself of it as a panic gripped her. She had never taken joy in animals’ suffering, and she racked her mind as to why it was happening now, thinking that May’s personality was seeping further in. The smile quickly faded as Wolver fell to the ground, its breaths coming in short, stuttered gasps. “Wolver, are you okay?” was all Fluttershy was able to ask before a familiar ghostly white aura enveloped the fallen pokémon. “T-that’s...” As Wolver tried to stand, he hacked up saliva, much as Alerce had before. His body arched back and grew in size. The pewter fur on his back and legs thickened into a sea of black as his eyes shrunk and twisted, granting him an angrier demeanor. Three final black streaks cut down his face before the aura dissipated and Wolver howled, much to the excitement of the crowd. “Evolving your pokémon in the middle of the match?” Wattsie chuckled. “You definitely are your father’s daughter.” “Th-thanks,” Fluttershy responded, wondering if Wattsie’s compliment was genuine or just a remnant of her old personality from May’s memories. The pegasus took a deep breath, and Wolver looked over to her for instruction as the Emolga struggled to stand. “Use Tackle,” she commanded, prompting the newly evolved pokémon to charge the electric squirrel and knock it into the front of Wattsie’s stage. It sat, pinned to the stage by the sheer force of the tackle, before sliding unceremoniously to the ground where it collapsed, unconscious. “Wattsie has no more remaining pokémon!” the announcer declared, inciting a massive roar that filled the stadium as Wattsie dropped down from the stage to console her fallen pokémon. As she sent it back to its Poké Ball, she turned her mic off and directed Fluttershy to come to the middle of the stadium. “May Stannis is the winner and is one step closer to challenging the Champion of the Hoenn League!” the announcer said. Fluttershy nodded, slowly trotting to the center as she reveled in the cheers of her captivated audience. Maybe being seen by all these ponies wasn’t bad after all, she thought. Wattsie dug through a bag that had been concealed by her cape and held out a gold badge. It was shaped like a circle with a bar piercing through it diagonally. “Here you go, you deserve this. The Dynamo Badge,” Wattsie said, placing the badge into Fluttershy’s hoof. “Take this as well.” She took a small bag out from behind her cape and placed it next to the badge. “2,400 gold pieces as your bounty. Maybe one day I’ll figure out why your name sounds so familiar to me. It just feels so... ominous to me.” She turned her microphone on again before stepping back and gesturing to Fluttershy. “Your champion!” Wattsie said, lifting Fluttershy’s hoof as the crowd cheered even harder while Fluttershy tentatively bowed. “T-thank you,” Fluttershy said before placing her new badge beside her one from Rustboro. After shaking Wattsie’s hoof, she made her way back to her friends who looked eager to see her. “That was amazing!” Pinkie cheered, hopping around as they made their way to the exit. “I can’t believe you already have another evolved pokémon!” Pinkie petted Wolver as he walked beside the three, nuzzling up against Fluttershy. “Thanks, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, patting Wolver on the head as they left through the side exit. There, standing in the middle of the hallway, was Jake. He galloped up to the three with an excited look on his face. “Congratulations! I saw the whole thing on the TVs up there,” he said, pointing up to the two televisions at the top corners of the gates. “You said you needed to find a Pokémon Center around here, right?” “Yeah,” Fluttershy answered, looking over at Rainbow Dash who still seemed to be fuming. “A-are you okay?” “Oh, she’s just being a cranky-pants,” Pinkie said with a snort, making Rainbow groan and roll her eyes. “It’s just... I’ve been humiliated by her twice... TWICE!” Rainbow shouted before she sighed. “Let’s just go to the Pokémon Center.” “Uh, twice?” Jake asked. “Did you fight her before?” “What? No, I just... Never mind, let’s just go.” “Alright, follow me,” Jake said, leading them out of the stadium and weaving through the massive crowd of ponies. As they all exited, he started to take them west, making sure they stayed close to him so they didn’t get lost within the rabble. They crossed a street and went down the sidewalk. Fluttershy yawned as the adrenaline of the gym match began to fade. “You know, there’s a lot of history down this road,” Jake started. “A long time ago, Mauville City was just a small town. A lot of the original buildings still stand, ones from before the population of the city skyrocketed-” “Cool it with the history lesson,” Rainbow interrupted. “I just want to get to sleep and get this day over with.” “Rainbow!” Pinkie shouted, scolding Rainbow as she momentarily halted her joyous hopping. “You know,” Pinkie began, turning back to their guide. “You kinda remind me of my friend Twilight, talking about old buildings and history and all that boring stuff!” “Boring? I don’t think it’s boring...” Jake said, his enthusiasm deflated by Pinkie’s comment. “Yeah...” Fluttershy agreed with Jake, the mention of Twilight’s name bringing up thoughts of home. She was close to forgiving herself for making Twilight try that difficult spell, but it was hard when she hadn’t heard anything from the unicorn in such a long while. Fluttershy looked up at the buildings and noticed most of them had intricate designs carved into their stonework. They all exuded an old world charm, each of them weathered by the ravages of time, but they stood tall, comforting the pegasus with their sense of permanence, of stability. It put a smile on her face and gave her something to focus on as they made their way to the Pokémon Center. “Here we are!” Jake stated, holding up a hoof to stop the girls from going any further. Fluttershy looked to see the familiar Pokémon Center symbol set in sandstone near the top of the four story building, lit only by the light from wrought-iron lanterns lining the road. “Yep, it’s the oldest Pokémon Center in the whole city. Probably the earliest remaining revival style hospital in the entire region!” He said this with such enthusiasm that it made Fluttershy wonder if he was actually majoring in architecture. “Thank you so much,” Fluttershy said, trying to see if there was any way to see into the old building. “Is there some way we can repay you for this?” “Oh, no worries. I didn’t really have anything to do after my match anyways, so I figured this was a good way to kill some time. I’ll probably be staying here for the night. My grovyle needs to be healed up, and they have some really comfortable beds upstairs.” “Sounds good,” Rainbow said, excited for a change. “I’ll go up ahead and see if they have any rooms. I want to get up and take a look at my wing before I go to sleep.” With that, Rainbow made her way through the doorway, leaving the three to go in of their own accord. “I need to drop off Alerce and Wolver off at the nurse’s desk. Go up without me, Pinkie,” Fluttershy said, opening the door for herself and peeking inside. The inside of the hospital looked to be the same as all the others, complete with the couches and television in the exact same positions. The only thing that seemed to be different was that the stairwell on the right went up instead of down. Pinkie and Jake soon followed. “We’re in room 3E on the third floor,” Rainbow announced before charging up the stairwell. “Meet you girls up there!” “Wait for me, Dashie!” Pinkie hollered, galloping up the stairs after the pegasus at the same breakneck speed. After the pink pony disappeared up the stairs, Fluttershy made her way to the front desk. She noticed the white mare behind the counter waiting intently for Fluttershy. “You friends with the rainbow-maned one?” the nurse asked just as Fluttershy returned Wolver to his Poké Ball. “Yes, I am,” Fluttershy answered. “Here are two keys to the room. I was going to give your pink friend a key, but she left before I could.” She slid two keys across the counter, looking at the Poké Ball in Fluttershy’s hoof. “Just one pokémon tonight?” “No, two actually,” Fluttershy said, taking out Alerce’s Poké Ball and placing both on the counter before snatching the two keys from the counter top. “Thanks for looking after them. They were just in a gym fight.” “Oh! Are you May? I just saw you on the TV. Nice job,” the nurse said before taking the two Poké Balls. “I’ll make sure they’re all healed for you in the morning.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said before trotting towards the flight of stairs. She then noticed Jake sitting down on one of the couches. “What are you going to do, Jake?” “I’ll just get my own room. No need to bother you girls anymore than I already have,” he explained, passing by her as he made his way to the counter. Fluttershy bid him a quick farewell and ascended the stairs, reaching the third floor. She made her way down the plush-looking hallway and found room 3E on the right side towards the end of the hall. Fluttershy took one of the keys and unlocked the door. Inside, she found Pinkie setting up her bed as Rainbow inspected her wing. “How’s your wing feeling?” Fluttershy asked, trotting up to Rainbow to inspect it herself. “Do you want me to take a look at it?” “I’ll be fine. I think it’ll be just one more day until I’ll be flying again,” Rainbow said with a look of determination on her face. As she folded her wings back, she yawned and hopped up onto her bed before covering herself with the burgundy sheets. “Good night,” Rainbow said before turning away, a series of soft snores soon emanating from the cyan pegasus. Fluttershy trotted up to her bed to get it ready, gently fluffing the sheets while Pinkie simply plopped on her bed and fell asleep instantaneously. Fluttershy chuckled, setting her backpack down before she headed for the light switch. Flipping it off, she yawned as she trotted back to her own bed. After putting her Pokédex and PokéNav into her bag, she carefully slipped herself beneath the covers and closed her eyes. She shifted herself a bit, trying to make herself comfortable before she found the perfect spot. As she relaxed, she sunk her head into the down filled pillow, her breathing slowing as she drifted off to sleep. Fluttershy slowly opened her eyes, yawning as she squirmed beneath the covers. It was still the middle of the night, and things were quiet and tranquil in the room. After tossing and turning several times, she scooted off the bed and rummaged through her bag to get out a canteen of water. As she dug through the bag, she felt something was off about the room. Fluttershy had no idea what it was until she stopped digging and listened to the silence. The complete and utter silence. Not even the noise of her friends sleeping. Quickly, Fluttershy flipped the light on only to find both Rainbow and Pinkie to be gone. Not knowing what to do, she went through her bag again and realized that her PokéNav was missing. Where are they? Fluttershy wondered in a panic. Why did they leave me alone up here? What happened to my PokéNav...? What if— Without another thought, she slung the backpack over her shoulder and left the room in search of them. Fluttershy traveled down the stairs as quickly as she could and found the same nurse that she had talked to before still standing behind the counter. As she trotted over to her, Fluttershy asked, “Excuse me, h-have you seen my friends?” Thoughts of Rainbow and Pinkie being ponynapped played themselves out in her subconscious. “The two mares you came in with earlier?” the nurse asked as she took a step back to make some distance between her and the frantic pegasus. “They both came down just a little bit earlier.” “Do you know where they went?” Fluttershy inquired anxiously, leaning over the counter. “The one with the rainbow-mane said something about going north to train. “What about Pinkie?” “Well, I asked her out of curiosity, but she just shushed me and said it was a secret.” She closed her eyes and shook her head. “You hang out with some strange folk.” “Thanks,” Fluttershy said, galloping out of the Pokémon Center and heading north to try to find Rainbow Dash. The streets were relatively empty with only a few sleazy-looking ponies loitering about. Without her PokéNav, she had no map to rely on, so she began zigzagging her way from street to street as she went north, trying to find someplace where Rainbow might be training. Ten minutes passed by before Fluttershy finally found her way out of Mauville City. She had exhausted herself with worry and now found herself slowing to a trot as she passed the city limits. Luckily, city lights illuminated much of the path out, including small street lights and a few lanterns which lined the northbound path. Fluttershy kept her pace, keeping her eyes peeled as she looked deep into the forest brush. The only things she could hear were the quiet sounds of nocturnal animals moving around within the trees. She used this to calm herself, imagining she was trotting peacefully just outside her cottage. She continued to dwell in her fantasy until a loud crash from farther down the path snapped her back to reality. Worried about what it could be, she sped up to a gallop, wondering if it might have been Rainbow. From the sounds of it, it was hard to imagine what was ahead could be training. Her breath quickened as she bolted down the road, looking around frantically for any sign of her friend. Suddenly a blue blur flew by directly in front of her face, making her to stumble backwards as she watched it slam headlong into a tree. Fluttershy stared at it for a moment before recognizing it as Rainbow Dash, the cyan pegasus dropping face first into the dirt. “Rainbow!” Fluttershy shouted as Rainbow opened her eyes with a fierce, determined look before getting to her hooves and galloping back towards the brush. Fluttershy extended a hoof to try to stop her, but it was of no use as the rainbow-maned pegasus disappeared into the forest. All she could see was the occasional rustle of the bushes until a large plume of flame rose up from behind the brush, licking the leaves and making her worry the forest was about to burn. As she heard more impacts, Rainbow was knocked out from the brush again, skidding to a stop on the ground with her teeth bared. “Rainbow!” Fluttershy yelled again, finally catching the roughed-up Rainbow Dash’s attention. She had several cuts and scrapes all over her body as well as dirt and leaves sticking to her coat. “What are you doing out here?” “Training,” Rainbow replied monosyllabically, watching an unfamiliar bipedal pokémon hop out of the brush. It was almost as tall as the mares, standing on legs that were reminiscent of Igni’s. It had an orange lower and a yellow upper body with wing-like arms each ending in a trio of claws. It stood proudly with three orange feathers atop its head, looking at the pair of pegasi with a fierce look in its crimson eyes. “What’s that? Did Igni—” “Yep!” Rainbow announced proudly. “He evolved after just a few minutes. It was so awesome! Anyway, Lorica and Lady weren’t much of a match for him afterward, so--” “You brought Lady with you?” Fluttershy asked in a worried tone. “What pokémon does Pinkie have with her now?” “Wait, what do you mean ‘what pokémon does Pinkie have’?” Rainbow asked, perplexed. “She isn’t back at the Pokémon Center?” “No, she’s gone too.” Fluttershy stated, worried about what Pinkie could be getting herself into. “Do you have my PokéNav? It’s missing from my bag.” “I never touched it. I just brought along Lady for some training,” Rainbow explained. “Like I said, we need to have all our Pokemon evolved to stand a chance.” “Oh, okay,” Fluttershy said, sitting down and catching her breath. She took a swig of water while Rainbow sat down next to her. They both sat in relative silence. Fluttershy watched the movement of the leaves as a calm wind blew, letting the cool breeze give her a strong feeling of being back in Ponyville. It reminded her of when she would sit near her cottage and simply listen to the leaves rustle in the winds. “Hey Rainbow, do you miss home?” Fluttershy asked, immediately wondering why she would ask such an obvious question. The way that May’s personality and the whole region had begun seeping into her own thoughts made her worried that her friends were feeling the same. “Yeah. This adventure is fun and all, but getting back to Wonderbolts training can’t come soon enough,” Rainbow said, smiling as she returned Igni to his Poké Ball. “I can’t say I’m not excited to meet that professor tomorrow; that armored stallion must be pretty important if a professor knows about him.” She paused for a moment, before jumping in front of Fluttershy. “Wait a minute; did you see anything in your memories about that armored freak? I’m sure May would know something.” “I-I didn’t see anything. I only remember one thing he said. Though, his voice sounded really familiar...” “As in May saw him a lot?” “No, more personal than that. His voice just sounded... off somehow in the memory. Like he was acting or something.” “Maybe you’ll get more out of May once we meet this Professor Maxwell guy,” Rainbow said as she stood up, looking back at Mauville City down the road. She yawned and helped Fluttershy to her hooves. “I’m going back to the hotel for some shut eye. You coming?” “Yeah,” Fluttershy confirmed as the two mares trotted back to the city, the pair dead quiet from exhaustion as they both let the cooling winds calm them in preparation for the well deserved rest which lay ahead. “Don’t worry, I’m sure Pinkie is just fine.” Mauville Stadium was quiet; all the ponies had left for the night. The entrance was guarded by a single pony, dressed in a navy blue uniform. Luckily for Pinkie, he was asleep at his post, allowing her to slip easily into the stadium. As she made her way inside, she noticed that the lights lining the outer hallways were dimmed but still on, letting her at least see where she was going as she traversed the shadowy stadium. Her first impulse was to go into the arena to see if there was any sign of the pony she was looking for, being Pinkie Pie, she did just that. All the bright lights that had lit the stadium just a few hours ago were completely dark, leaving the arena lit only by the dim fluorescent light seeping in through the cracks around the doors to the hallways. The pink pony tilted her head up, looking for any sign of life in the stadium. She was on an important mission, and she wasn’t going to fail! As she made a pass, she could see no lights on in any of the box suites or offices that lined the middle and upper crests of the stadium. It seemed that nopony was home. But just as she was about to leave to search elsewhere, a white light flickered on. Pinkie looked up and squinted to try making out the pony that had just entered an office in the upper section of the stadium. Pinkie gave a little hop and skip of excitement as she realized the mystery pony was Wattsie, draped in a nightgown. The pink pony immediately began to wave her forehooves frantically in an attempt to catch the other pony’s attention. After Pinkie flailed her hooves for a few seconds, Wattsie pressed her face against the window and looked down at the now ecstatically bouncing Pinkie. With what looked like a sigh, Wattsie stepped away from the window and disappeared from view. Pinkie decided to wait, hoping that Wattsie had left to meet her down in the stadium and hopefully not to call the police. As she predicted, after several minutes of waiting, Wattsie entered the field from the northern gate. She yawned as she approached Pinkie, trotting lazily as she forced her eyes to stay open. “Who are you, and what are you doing here?!” Wattsie demanded with a hiss. She stomped towards the pink pony, face contorting in frustration as the darkness of the stadium cast deep circles beneath her eyes. “It’s three in the morning, and I have a lot of paperwork to get done for tomorrow.” “My name is Pinkie!” Pinkie exclaimed, trying to avoid using her last name as Fluttershy had insisted. “I just wanted to talk, and--” She stopped and shot Wattsie a curious glance. “Hey, what gives? You aren’t talking in third person anymore.” “Oh, that?” the gym leader chuckled. “That’s just my shtick. It helps bring in an audience.” She trotted closer to Pinkie, looking her over before stepping back. “W-wait, aren’t you Rainbow Bolt’s friend? Oh no, you’re not here to sue for defamation of character, are you?” “Oh, nothing like that, silly,” Pinkie said with a smile. “Good,” Wattsie said, breathing a sigh of relief. “You have no idea how many trainers come after me with their lawyers after challenging me. It feels like I spend more on legal fees than I get paid some weeks.” She looked around the stadium with a faint smile on her face. “So, what are you here for then? It must be important for you to be out so late.” “Of course!” Pinkie dipped her muzzle into her overalls and pulled out Fluttershy’s PokéNav, giving it a quick once over before putting it around her ankle. “You heard about what happened to Slateport, right?” “Everypony has heard about it by now. Somepony leveled the entire city with a gyarados, correct? That’s what they keep telling me at least.” “Fluttershy, I mean, May probably doesn’t want me talking about this with you, but we could really use your help.” “My help?” Wattsie asked, cocking an eyebrow at Pinkie’s suggestion. “Need my help for what? And what does that have to do with Slateport for that matter?” “Well, the stallion that destroyed Slateport was chasing after my friend, and probably still is.” “You’re telling me you know who it was? You were there?!” Wattsie asked, her tone suddenly anxious. “All we know is that it was a stallion. Nothing more, really. I’m trying to get a group of ponies together to help track this stallion down, starting with you and Stephanie. This will probably be huge, so—” “Stephanie? As in ‘former champion of Hoenn’ Stephanie?” the gym leader scoffed. “I don’t know who you think you are, but there is no way you could be in contact with that Stephanie.” “I have her number right here!” Pinkie exclaimed confidently, fumbling to find the phone application on the PokéNav. After just a few seconds of Wattsie staring at her while she fought the interface, she found it and thrust the PokéNav towards Wattsie. “See! Right there,” she said in triumph. “Yeah, well that’s probably her public number,” Wattsie said as she looked over the screen. “I mean it’s on her business card, and--” She stopped for a moment, reading and rereading the number that was displayed before her. “T-this is her PokéNav number. How did you get this?” “We met her in a cave near Dewford. She was really interested in May, so she gave us this PokéNav and her number. We’ve been in contact ever since.” “Does Stephanie know about your little plan?” “Well... She doesn’t know that I’m talking to analogues about it, but she knows about what happened in Slateport.” “Analogues? I’m not sure I’m following—” “Will you put down your number?” Pinkie interrupted, batting her eyes at the confused gym leader while putting on her biggest, most disarming smile. “If Stephanie is in on this, this must be important. Here.” Wattsie began typing on the screen, entering her contact information right below Stephanie’s. “There we go. Naturally, I’ll be talking to Stephanie after this to make sure you aren’t just pulling my leg. Don’t expect my number to be the same if you are.” “Okie-dokie! I’m sure it’ll be fine. Sure, Dashie won’t like it if—” Pinkie clasped a hoof over her mouth, hoping Wattsie hadn’t heard what she had just said. “‘Dashie’?” Wattsie asked with a small smirk. “Anyway, I need to get some paperwork done and get some rest before I fight any trainers tomorrow. I’m sure you’ll understand if I don’t see you out.” “Of course. Talk to you later, friend!” Pinkie said as she trotted towards the arena exit, smiling as she looked down at Wattsie’s number on the PokéNav. “Before you go, are you going anywhere tomorrow?” Wattsie asked, catching Pinkie’s attention just before she reached the exit. “Lavaridge, perhaps?” “Yeah. Mt. Chimney first, though,” Pinkie explained, trying to be open with her new friend as she walked through the arena gates. Wattsie watched Pinkie walk away and then turned to go back up to her office. A random pony being involved in the Slateport fire and having contact with Stephanie was alarming to her, making her anxious for the day to break so she could make her crucial phone call. In the dim halls of the stadium, Pinkie hop-trotted with even more than usual, bubbling with a new confidence. With Wattsie being so quick to join, Pinkie’s plan was coming together much better than she had ever hoped. Much to Pinkie’s relief, even if the three mares from Equestria didn’t know much about Hoenn, the analogues certainly would. Feeling secure in the knowledge that they now had two allies in their midst, Pinkie slowly made her way out of the stadium and back to the Pokémon Center to prepare for the next morning’s journey to Mt. Chimney. Fluttershy and Rainbow will be so excited! The rest of the night had passed quickly and the rising sun’s rays now illuminated the mares’ room. With less sleep than she had hoped for, Fluttershy awoke with a rumbling stomach to find that that both of her friends were still fast asleep. She sighed in relief to see that Pinkie was back in her bed. Not wanting to wake them, she quietly slipped out of bed, slung her bag onto her back, and made her way down to the main lobby. Multitudes of ponies were lined up for the breakfast table, many more than Fluttershy had yet seen in a Pokémon Center. She sighed as she eyed the length of the line, realizing that it would be quite a while before she would have any food in her stomach. Deciding not to wait alone, she took the time to pick up her pokémon before returning back up the stairs to their room. As she entered, she found both Pinkie and Rainbow awake and preparing for their hike north. “Morning,” Fluttershy said with a smile, receiving the same greeting back from both of her friends. “Did you already check how long the line was for breakfast? I’m starving,” Rainbow asked, groaning as she heard her stomach growl. “It looks like a twenty minute wait at the least.” Rainbow sighed. “Alright, but we should get going as fast as possible. We don’t need to give that psycho anymore time to find us than he has had already.” “Ooo, how did Lady do last night in training?” Pinkie asked. “She did alri—” Rainbow cut herself off to stare at the pink pony. “Wait, you knew?” “Yeah, of course. I saw you take her Poké Ball when you left. I didn’t mind though, I didn’t need her for where I went.” “Pinkie, where did you go?” Fluttershy asked, watching Rainbow confront Pinkie as well. “Well, I—” Pinkie was cut off by the loud ringing of Fluttershy’s Pokédex. “Why is it going off now?” Fluttershy rummaged through her bag for a minute before pulling out the buzzing Pokédex. “Shouldn’t this only go off for a gym fight?” “Open it!” Rainbow hollered in alarm, causing Fluttershy to open it in a panic. “[[ TRAINER ( UNKNOWN - RAINBOW DASH ), YOU HAVE BEEN FORMALLY REQUESTED FOR A REMATCH AGAINST THE ( MAUVILLE CITY ) GYM LEADER AT TIME ( RIGHT NOW ) AT LOCATION ( NORTH EXIT OF MAUVILLE ). THIS MATCH WILL HAVE NO LASTING AFFECT ON— ]]” Before the message could end, Rainbow Dash knocked the Pokédex out of Fluttershy’s hooves and sped out the door, leaving both Fluttershy and Pinkie alone in their room. “Rainbow Dash!” Pinkie yelled after the cyan pegasus before galloping off to catch up with her friend. After jamming the Pokédex back in her pack, Fluttershy quickly followed suit. They rushed down the stairs and watched Rainbow finish scooping a hoofful of food directly into her mouth before speeding out the door, leaving behind a slew of disgruntled and tired trainers. “Rainbow Dash, wait,” Fluttershy squeaked out. “I’m so sorry,” she said to the crowd of angry ponies as she and Pinkie barged out of the Pokémon Center. As they looked down the road, they found Rainbow already a ways away, galloping around a distant corner. Confused, Fluttershy turned to Pinkie. “What’s gotten into her? How did that message know Rainbow’s last name?” “I may have talked with Wattsie last night and accidentally said ‘Dashie’ around her...” Pinkie admitted, grabbing Fluttershy’s PokéNav out of her overalls pocket. “I did get her phone number, though!” “So that’s where it went. Anyway, why would she challenge Rainbow again?” Fluttershy stopped as she realized Rainbow was getting farther away the longer they talked. “N-never mind, come on,” Fluttershy stated before unfolding her wings and quickly rising above the buildings with a few hard flaps of her wings. She looked down below and watched Pinkie begin her galloping weave through the streets and saw Rainbow speeding towards the northern edge of Mauville. With Rainbow in her sights, Fluttershy buzzed the tops of the city skyscrapers as she flew to intercept her. Before she knew it, however, Rainbow had disappeared into the forest, the thick branches of which obscured Fluttershy’s view. After passing over the final building, Fluttershy made her descent. She glided down, watching Pinkie speed around a corner and head straight for her. Pinkie skidded to a stop as Fluttershy landed, both of them peering down the path. “I don’t get it; Wattsie helped us more than she made fun of Dashie, right?” Pinkie asked as they entered the path. “She did help me win... at least, I think she did,” Fluttershy answered as the cyan pegasus came into view. Rainbow Dash was stopped just past a bridge over a small creek with Igni out and standing next to her. “Rainbow!” Fluttershy yelled, catching Rainbow’s attention. “Fluttershy! Pinkie!” Rainbow called out before glaring angrily at Wattsie who was standing in front of her with her raichu standing between the two. “There, both my friends are here like you wanted. Now, what do you want?” As Rainbow stood poised to strike, Fluttershy and Pinkie came up next to their friend, all three of them waiting to see what the gym leader would do. “I called you out here for a rematch, that’s all. Just as a way to apologize for earlier.” “Why are you apologizing to me? Don’t you have your gym to worry about?” “I do, but your friend came to me last night and told me of your predicament. I talked to Stephanie this morning and your story seems to have checked out.” She paused for a moment. “I still worry about that girl.” “Who told you my last name?” Rainbow shouted before Pinkie tapped her on the shoulder, the pink pony wearing a sheepish grin as she wave her hoof nervously. “Fine, whatever. You came out here because of Pinkie?” “You could say that.” As she said this, she took a few steps back, separating her from the raichu. “So, I’m willing to give you a rematch as a small gesture of good will. I saw how angry you were with me yesterday, and I would much prefer to begin this partnership on favorable terms. It looks like your torchic has evolved into a combusken, so you look to be more than ready this time. I swear, between that and the Mightyena, you three continue to surprise me.” “No thanks. I don’t need your pity rematch,” Rainbow responded harshly, before letting out a sigh as the gym leader stared at her, perplexed. “I’m sorry I went off like that, but if you’re willing to help, I think I can put my bad feelings aside.” “If that’s your choice, I’m fine with it. I know why you would change your last name with what has happened recently, and I don’t blame you. You look just like her,” Wattsie said, stepping aside and prompting her raichu to do the same. “If anything happens, call me. Mauville City is the largest in all of Hoenn; every bit of news passes through here at some point. Good luck; I’m sure you’ll get a call from Stephanie at some point today.” “Thank you,” Fluttershy said as Rainbow and Pinkie walked by, passing the gym leader and her raichu. Fluttershy slowly went to catch up to her friends, passing the raichu, but being stopped by Wattsie’s hoof. “I know why your name is so familiar, Fluttershy,” Wattsie said, intriguing the yellow pegasus. “When I talked to Stephanie, she told me something about you being a ‘Blueprint’. I had read something about that in journals before, and your name came up. I never thought I’d meet you in person, though.” “Uh, thanks?” Fluttershy said, wondering why Stephanie hadn’t said anything about this when she met with her the first time. “If you don’t mind me asking, why did you act like you knew why Rainbow hid her last name from you? I heard something about a Dash and Pie family member before, but nopony has said a word.” “I’d hate to ruin your day talking about such things,” Wattsie said, removing her hoof from Fluttershy’s way before glancing towards the distant mountains. “I hear Mt. Chimney is nice this time of year.” “T-thanks,” Fluttershy said, before galloping up the path to catch up to her friends as the implications of the gym leader’s words lingered. She decided to ignore it for now, greeting her friends with a silent smile as they began the trek towards Mt. Chimney.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2013-01-01T19:00:13+00:00

2013-01-01T19:00:13+00:00

The air in the castle was thick with anticipation as Spike and the three Cutie Mark Crusaders made their way down the long hallway. At the end stood two massive crimson paneled doors, both of them closing off the princess’ throne room. Spike clutched his woven bag tightly, trying to let the chime of the Element necklaces calm him. “What do you think they’re talking about in there?” Sweetie Belle asked. “We’ll find out pretty soon,” Scootaloo replied as they reached the end of the hall, nervous chatter emanating from the other side of the doors. Some voices sounded utterly distraught while others seemed merely anxious. With a deep breath, Spike pushed open one of the doors. The room was enormous; it looked like it could house at least hundred or more ponies without a problem. Colorful stained glass lined the walls, and ivory pillars hold up the high ceiling A large rectangular table stared at them widthwise, seating many armored ponies and others in white and blue uniforms. At the head of the table sat both Luna and Celestia. Luna’s mane flowed with solar winds as Celestia’s lay uncharacteristically flat. All eyes were on Spike and the Crusaders as they entered, leaving the room in a harrowing silence. The dragon smiled nervously. “Uh, hello,” he said as if he had interrupted something important. “Oh, Spike,” Celestia said with a warm tone, standing to greet the four. “I see that you received my sister’s letter. Please, we were just about to start.” She peered down at the Crusaders, then back over at Spike. “Where are Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie?” Spike pushed the bag into his chest as his claws nearly punctured the bag from worry. If she didn’t mean the necklaces when she meant the Elements, then... “T-they aren’t here yet. Pinkie had to, uh, finish baking something! You know how she is.” A nervous laugh filled the hall. He dreaded hearing what the princesses would say when they found out that he only brought the necklaces and not Rainbow Dash or Pinkie Pie. “I trust that they’ll be here soon,” Celestia added, taking a seat at the end of the table. The dragon gulped and proceeded with the bag of Element necklaces to one of the raised chairs. He set the canvas sack down on the table, nervously squirming as all the armored and well-dressed ponies’ eyes were on him. With nowhere to sit, the Cutie Mark Crusaders reluctantly sat on the floor beside Spike and watched as Celestia raised her hoof to catch all at the guests’ attentions. Slowly, the nervous chatter turned into silence as they all turned to face her. “Thank you all for coming on such short notice. You are all undoubtedly curious as to what this meeting is about, but know that you must not speak of this with anypony outside this room,” Celestia began, turning a hard stare to the ponies assembled. The assembled ponies and one dragon nodded as Spike’s anticipation made him shift in his seat. Celestia took a deep breath and sighed, looking over at Luna before she began. “A day ago my student, Twilight Sparkle, left the country under my sister’s direction to seek out one of Arcan Grizwald’s texts,” Celestia stated, prompting a murmur to course through the guests. She looked over to Luna, then back to the crowd. “I’ll let Luna explain the details,” she spoke dispassionately, Spike noticing the darkened circles beneath the alicorn’s eyes and languid form. Luna stood from her seat and paced around the table. She took a deep breath. “Twilight came to me in the royal archives to look up the counter to a specific spell that she had performed. After finding the original book, we found that the counter spells had been ripped out.” A look of confusion washed over the officers as Spike watched curiously. “Another copy of the book is held within Mistral City’s walls... Even in their current state, I trust that I needn’t remind you all of the inherent danger.” The guests began talking amongst themselves as Spike looked down at the three fillies who stared back just as confused. “Do you know what she’s talking about? Twilight’s never told me anything about that,” Spike asked, receiving only shrugged shoulders and shaking heads in response. The stream of chatter ceased as one officer raised his voice. “Please excuse the interruption, Princess, but where is this Mistral City?” he asked, causing Luna to turn her head and shot the guard a confused looked. Celestia’s head suddenly turned to look at her sister’s with a worried and guilty face “Where is Mistral City?” Luna repeated scornfully. “I thought officers had to finish at least primary school first.” Spike looked nervously around at the ponies. He had never heard of Mistral City either, and, from the way the guards were looking at each other, neither had they. “It’s the only city within Ventia’s borders. Don’t tell me you haven’t heard of Ventia either.” A concerning silence fell in the meeting room as the princess stood awaiting an answer. “I haven’t heard of Ventia either, Princess,” a guard stated matter-of-factly. To Spike’s surprise and Luna’s as well, the remainder of the guards and officers nodded in agreement. Luna’s face was a mask of disbelief, turning abruptly to her sister. “Sister, what is the meaning of this? Is... Is this some kind of cruel joke!?” The room sat in stunned silence from Luna’s outburst, each pony watching Celestia to see what she would say. After a few seconds of silence, Luna’s expression began to twist into worry as Celestia sighed and lowered her head. “Sister?” “This isn’t a joke, Luna,” the princess confirmed, further baffling her sister. “How could they not know about Ventia? About the war?” Luna interrupted with flustered hoof stomp. “What could have happened during my imprisonment to make everypony forget? It is the most important piece of our history!” The night princess paused a moment as a dark look crossed her features. “What have you done, sister?” “After I had you banished, I had to erase everything about that part of our history,” Celestia admitted. “The population’s fear and worry had lingered long after your transformation into Nightmare Moon. I couldn’t handle running the country alone with the possibility of war from an outside country still on their minds. During that time, I had the scholars remove all traces of Ventia and the wars from the history books.” Spike hung on every word the princess was saying, and he noticed that everyone else was as well. “Eventually, they faded into legend and hearsay before disappearing altogether. I’ve kept an eye on them just in case something were to happen, but the need to say anything to the public never arose, so it remained a secret.” Luna sat back down into her chair and faced her sister, dumbfounded. “What do we do now?” Luna asked. “I’m so sorry for keeping that from you, Luna. I promise I’ll never keep anything from you again.” She embraced her younger sister. “Please, finish your story. We’ll take care of the details afterward,” Celestia explained, gesturing with a hoof to their rapt audience. “Right.” Luna turned back to the awestruck guests. “I sent Twilight and two others, Applejack, the Element of Honesty, and Rarity, the Element of Generosity, along with their necklaces to help bring back Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness. This leaves only two of the Element bearers here in Equestria.” Spike felt a wave of nausea wash over him. Please don’t ask for Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie, he begged over and over while the room erupted in nervous chatter. He slumped in his seat, clutching the bag and holding it tightly to his chest once again. “I thought Twilight and her friends knew what Ventia was like. If I hadn’t, I never would have sent them somewhere so dangerous.” Luna lowered her head and closed her eyes. “I’m so sorry, sister.” “D-dangerous?” Spike spoke up before clasping his mouth shut with his claws. “Ventia was our oldest and most powerful enemy. I don’t know if they still hold onto their old grudges or if they have recovered from the second northern war, but it is best that we not take chances,” Celestia explained. “Now, Spike, when were Pinkie Pie and Rainbow Dash supposed to arrive? Luna and I have important strategic details to discuss with them.” “Uh..., I… uh...” Spike stammered as all eyes fixated on him. Without another word, he slowly placed the bag on the table and opened it, letting the three necklaces unceremoniously fall out onto the table. They hit the wood with a terrible clang that echoed throughout the silent hall. “What’s going on?” Celestia asked. “Where are Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie? Surely a cake doesn’t take so long to bake!” “When you said that you needed the Elements, I thought you meant the necklaces,” Spike admitted. “Twilight sent them to help find Fluttershy, and I didn’t want to disappoint you. I-I’m sorry.” A roar of chatter erupted amongst the armored stallions as Celestia’s eyes shrunk to pinpoints. “So all of the Elements of Harmony are gone...” Celestia stood and began to pace with a pained expression on her face. She turned to Luna who looked back with a nervous, gloomy face. “There will be a change of plans,” Celestia announced, walking over to a window that looked out to the north. “I want a scouting team sent out to find them by any means necessary. Ventia lays just past the northern outlands. If any harm has come upon them...” She paused for a moment and gave a sharp, anxious sigh. “We will march on them in retaliation. Choose your best, and bring them to me for details. We will not sit here and wait for Twilight and her friends to show up on their own.” The room stayed silent as the distraught alicorn delivered her declaration of war. “We will need volunteers to march across the outlands, so find any willing in your districts and get them ready for training. Luna and I will leave you to it while we speak in private.” “Are you sure that war is really the best course of action?” one of the officers protested. “I mean no offense, your highness, but is your student worth the lives of our citizens?” “It is not just my student, but six of our citizens are in either hostile or wholly unknown territories. Each of them holds one of the Elements of Harmony that helped repel the Ventians in the second northern war, and broke the curse on my sister only a year ago. If Ventia is able to harness or corrupt the Elements’ energies for themselves and still holds ill will against us, I’m unsure how well we could stand up to them,” Celestia explained grimly. “This isn’t about just my student anymore; it is about keeping Equestria safe.” The older princess walked over to her sister. “You are all dismissed. I expect a progress report from you all first thing in the morning.” With the orders given, the officers and soldiers stood and marched out of the hall, each of them discussing what their princess had just declared. Spike made to leave as well, but was pulled to the floor by one of the Crusaders. “Shh...” Scootaloo said, putting a hoof to Spike’s mouth. “Make sure you stay hidden so they can’t see you.” “What’s going on?” Spike asked, confused. “We need to hear what’s happenin’ to our sisters,” Apple Bloom explained as they slipped under the table and lay on their stomachs. Their ears perked to listen to what the princesses were about to say. A few minutes had passed after the last guard had left the room before Luna began to speak. “Are you certain we must go so far? Your student isn’t a child,” the princess said, catching Spike and the fillies’ attention. “This is now a matter of national security, sister. I know you meant well, but Twilight has never faced anything like Mistral City before,” Celestia explained, pacing back and forth along the back wall. “I told you, I’m not afraid to raise our banners against them.” “I know. I only sent her because I knew that she could handle it. I’ve read some of the letters that she sent you... She’s stronger than you realize.” Luna said reassuringly. “I know. I just worry about her, that’s all. It was hard enough when she moved to Ponyville, but this... this is so much worse.” The sun princess shook as she looked at her sister with tears building in her eyes. “They have their Elements with them, so they have an ace up their sleeves if need be.” Luna walked up to her sister and nuzzled her, prompting Celestia to respond in kind. “Twilight is the embodiment of magic like you were back in the old days. She’ll be fine.” “Thanks, Luna,” Celestia said as the two separated and walked past the table, grabbing the three necklaces on their way out of the room. The hall stood silently as Spike and the Crusaders were left alone, waiting a few moments before any of them moved. “Let’s go before somepony finds us,” Sweetie Belle said, moving out from under the table. “Good idea,” Scootaloo said, following suit along with Apple Bloom. Spike crawled out and headed for the door with the others, quietly opening it and seeing Celestia and Luna disappear around a corner at the end of the long hallway. “I just hope Twilight will be alright,” Spike said, still shaking with nerves from the meeting. “I’m sure everypony will be jus’ fine,” Apple Bloom reassured him as they began to walk down the hallway. “What do we do now? It’s not like we can become Cutie Mark Crusader Rescuers,” Scootaloo pouted. “Spike,” Celestia called out, halting them immediately. She stood at the end of the hallway with the three necklaces floating magically next to her. “Y-yes?” Spike asked, approaching the sun princess slowly. “Luna and I require your assistance.” She looked down at the Crusaders. “You three as well.” She trotted to them, placed the Elements in their canvas bag and handed it to Spike. “If Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie aren’t around, we have to find another way to use these against Ventia if anything were to arise.” “How can we help? Why us?” “You three are the closest to the true Elements, more than Luna and I ever since her transformation. Spike, aside from my sister, I trust you more than anyone else right now Go down into the archives with the academy’s headmaster and find a book whose cover bears the six elements.” “What do we do once we find it?” Spike looked up, watching Celestia loom over them with grief ridden eyes. “Bring it to me in the observatory,” Celestia directed. “We need to force them to work with my sister and I once more.”

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2012-08-19T15:54:49+00:00

2013-01-01T19:00:30+00:00

A harsh, cold wind whipped across the cliffside as Twilight, Rarity, and Applejack descended the narrow, zigzagging path towards the gates of Mistral City, staying wary of the sheer drop beside them. Twilight pulled her cloak tight around her with magic, letting the wind shear off, which gave her some comfort. As they drew closer, noise from the bustling city properly came into view. There was a cacophony of harsh noises and mechanical clangs, giving context to the plumes of smoke that rose and concealed the city’s massive center tower and platform that towered high above the wall. Twilight knew the amount of fresh air inside would be very limited, so she tried to savor every breath as the details of the gate and the outer walls became clearer. “What do we do ‘bout this?” Applejack asked, fighting the howling winds. She motioned to a pair of guards that stood on both sides of the massive, wrought iron gate. They ran behind a large mound of snow and huddled. Applejack peered from behind the packed snow and watched the guards stand at attention. “Those Ventians know that we’re comin’... and we can’t exactly sneak in there with that giant wall blocking our way.” “Perhaps Twilight could simply teleport us in?” Rarity suggested. “It doesn’t seem that hard to get by.” “I don’t think so,” Twilight said, still exhausted from their trip over. “Considering that we’re the only ones out here, those guards will be watching our every move; we have to be discrete. Second of all, this is a walled city, so we’ll be better off if we’re seen entering like everypony else.” She peeked her head up and looked over at the still stationary guards, checking to see if they were watching. “As long as we keep a low profile and hide our cutie marks, we shouldn’t come off as suspicious.” “How do ya suppose we do that?” Applejack asked. “I ain’t shavin’ mah flank.” “Back before Applebloom found her friends, she wanted me to give her her cutie mark before her time. What resulted was only a temporary mark, but if I can invert the spell matrix, I may be able to invert the effects as well. It should be able to remove ours for a short time.” “Apple Bloom did that? The nerve a’ that girl. Don’t she know how to be patient?” She sighed, then looked up at Twilight with a worried look on her face. “Not that I’m doubting you or nothing, Twi', but the last time you tried a spell you were unsure of we wound up out here to fix it.” “This is different. Only Grizwald spells can cause deviations if I get them wrong. If this one fails, it’ll just fizzle out, no harm done.” Both Rarity and Applejack looked at her, appearing to be more inclined to bolt than allow the purple unicorn near them with her magic. Twilight sighed. “Of course, I’ll try it on myself first.” She frowned as her friends both breathed a sigh of relief. Twilight’s horn glowed a bright purple as she prepared the experimental spell. She released the energy in a small burst and in only a few moments, the cutie mark that branded her haunches disappeared in a small flash. Twilight lifted her cloak to inspect them closer, noticing her cutie marks were completely gone without a trace, only purple fur left in its place. She smiled at her success, but she was unsure of how long the spell’s effects would last. The longevity of the original had been but a few fleeting moments; she could only hope that it would last long enough to get past the guards. “I can hardly believe that worked,” Rarity said, inspecting Twilight’s blanked haunches. “I thought it would surely be harder to do than that.” “How long is it supposed to last?” Applejack asked. “I’m not sure. I haven’t tried this before,” Twilight explained. “What happens if it wears off before we reach the gate?” “We improvise.” Twilight smiled nervously. Quickly, Twilight erased any trace of the other two ponies’ markings before turning around to face the looming wall ahead. With a gulp, she trotted out from behind the snow bank and towards the gates, taking slow and deep breaths. Even with her friends with her, she was still nervous about approaching a Ventian after all she had seen and heard thus far. Even after a lifetime devoted to study, she was left grasping at straws when it came to the Ventian people. She hadn’t come across them ever before, even while studying outlying equine cultures. It was as though they had simply been written out of history. As if on cue, the two armored ponies snapped to attention, watching carefully as the Equestrians approached. Beads of sweat trickled down Twilight’s brow as one of them, a unicorn, stepped forward. He was dressed in obsidian and silver armor with no symbol whatsoever, simply a blank spot where the commander of the mercenaries’ sigil had been inset. “What business have you in Mistral City, unicorns?” the guard asked as Applejack, and Rarity caught up to Twilight and stood by her side. The sounds of creatures of all sorts had made themselves clearer, and to threatened to drown out the guard’s voice. “From whence do you hail?” “From the south,” Twilight blurted out instinctively. The map that Luna had given her was hopelessly specific to Equestria and Ventia, most of the surrounding nations left in tiny print at the edges, which Twilight had naturally glossed over. “We’re from Carse.” It sounded right. At least it did to her. She studied the guard’s face closely, watching a smile grow across his snow-caked face. “I’ve been to Carse before. It’s really a nice country. Do any of you know a pony named Katt? I’ve never met a filly that baked a better papaya roll.” The blush on his face was easily seen through the snow, making Twilight slightly unnerved yet relieved. Every sign leading up to Mistral City had signaled mortal danger, ranging from the Ventian lord’s mercenaries to the pack of griffins that had assaulted them as they passed through the mountains. Never in her wildest imagination did she think that she would be greeted by a young stallion talking about papaya rolls. “I haven’t, but she sounds like a very lovely girl,” Rarity chimed in, buttering up the guard as only she knew how. “Do you have a thing for her, perhaps?” The guard’s face flushed an even deeper red as she asked this. “Well... maybe... What are you three doing out here in a hellhole like this?” He hurried to regain his composure, wiping the blush off his face. “Carse couldn’t have gone under that quickly, could it? Times are tough, but that would be ridiculous.” “We’re explorers,” Twilight explained, the guard nodding attentively at her every word. “We heard a lot about Mistral City, so we decided to take a look.” The other, more ornery-looking pegasus simply snorted and sat down on a wooden stool, rolling his eyes. “I’m a scholar by trade, and I wanted to see the city for myself.” “Explorers, huh?” The tan pegasus looked at them with narrow eyes. “You look a little too well fed to be explorers.” “Excuse me?” Rarity asked with a fiery bite. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I-I’m sorry, he just meant that it doesn’t look like you’re starving, that’s all... Oh, I get it now. You’re dignitaries, aren’t you? Your accent isn’t very common in Carse... but that and your tones sound a lot like their ruling class if you ask me.” Twilight breathed a small sigh of relief before her lips curled up in a smile. “Well, the government didn’t want anyone to know about our arrival.” “I see. This has to do with Lord Salkie’s rotten food export just last week, doesn’t it? News must travel fast to get to Carse so quickly. Normally it takes at least a week and a half for shipments to get there.” Twilight was surprised, knowing that news could travel instantaneously in Equestria due to pegasi and dragonfire being the primary modes of long distance communication. The scholar in her wanted to press the guard for information about the Ventian postal system, but she suppressed the urge and simply nodded along with him. “Well, I won’t keep you then. I’ll open the gate for you.” He turned away and walked up to the stone archway that surrounded the metal gate and pressed his hoof against one of the stones. A green light emerged from his hoof before the entire gate was enveloped by light itself. With a cacophony of screeching metal that swallowed the sound of the rest of the city, the gate slowly rose. It made a large metallic thunk as it stopped, the green energy fading as the guard removed his hoof from the stone. He trotted back to the three mares, looking pleased with himself. “It’s been awhile since I’ve done that.” “Thank you very much,” Twilight said with a small smile. She had walked only a couple steps when the guard stopped her with a hoof. Panic shot up her spine as she looked at him, the guard motioning for her to lean closer. “Just between us, there are rumors that there are Equestrians either coming here or have already gotten into the city. The lords have been scrambling to make sure they aren’t blamed for this, so be careful about what you say around them if you see them. You and your friends’ coats are a little colorful to be from around here, so some guards may suspect you immediately. Don’t tell anyone that I told you this.” He glanced at the other guard who was busy looking out through the gate. “Good luck. Lord Salkie isn’t known for his small temper. Just head down the road to the upper level entrance and you should find them up there.” He took his hoof off of her and stepped back, gesturing towards the gate. Applejack and Rarity walked up to Twilight’s side as they trotted past the guard house. Twilight was ecstatic, but slightly confused. Not one peek under their cloaks and they were let through the gate. Is no pony supposed to know about us coming? “And don’t let that dirtpony servant touch anything, y’hear?” The pegasus called out. Applejack made to respond, her face contorted in anger, but Rarity halted her with a look, successfully corralling her back into line as they passed beneath the massive gate. From the inside, the wall looked to about hundred feet thick, made completely of limestone and iron girders. A small pathway was built into its side with stairs leading up into the wall’s interior. Twilight shook her head, wondering what could be so dangerous in such a desolate, frozen wasteland that they would need guards posted at all times in addition to such fortifications. She looked up, noticing a pair watching them from above with spears in hoof. The guards’ heads moved as the three walked on, monitoring their every step. She ducked her head nervously as they passed into the city proper. All of the clanging and haze began to make sense as she entered. A stream of ponies, small dragons, and griffons passed in front of the gate, a few of them stopping to watch the three enter. The streets were overflowing with merchants and blacksmiths, selling an impressive array of craftworks and other goods to their well-appointed patrons. Smoke rose from the rooftop chimneys and wafted through the air from the brick and wooden homes that lined the straight path before them. Small wintergreens made their homes near the doors of the merchants in small clay pots. Curious, Twilight broke away from her friends and walked up to one of the merchants, watching him bring a hammer down on glowing red steel, sending a cascade of orange sparks to the cobblestone below. Weapon blacksmiths were rare in Equestria and especially in Ponyville. “Like what you see?” the blacksmith asked, setting the hammer down and wiping the sweat from his brow. He submerged the hot steel into a vat of water, sending a large plume of steam skyward before taking it out to showcase to onlookers. A faint glow still shone from the wide blade, its edge smooth and sharp. It was formed of a pewter-colored metal that glimmered in the sun and glare from the fallen snow. “It’s quite impressive,” Twilight said, several others nodding along in agreement. “Smithing’s been my family’s trade ‘fer generations. There’re dozens of old family secrets are poured into each one of my blades. Some of them go back hundreds, if not thousands of years.” He paused with a thoughtful chuckle. “My grandpa always said that our lineage has been doing this even before the Frozen Ages.” “Before? When did it start?” Twilight asked, the blacksmith turning to face her with a confused look. “No one really knows when, miss. Some say it was a freak chance of nature, while others a punishment for the dead land. I’ve always believed that it has always been this way.” He showcased the leading edge of the blade, holding it for all to see. “You heard me right, skills honed since before the Frozen Ages. Only the gold for such a magnificent—” Punishment for the dead land? What does that mean? Twilight wondered quietly, tuning out the blacksmith’s sales pitch. Before she could find the words to press him further, Twilight was hurried out of the way and thrust into the back of the crowd. The blacksmith silently prepared another sheet of metal to put into the fire while the ponies and a dragon filled in, blocking her view. With a sigh, she forged ahead, catching up to her friends as they soaked up the city’s culture. Up ahead were several homes painted white and cream, nearly blending in with the white-gray slush that coated the ground. Twilight didn’t mind the slush as it at least didn’t feel like needles pressing into her hooves as she walked through it. With the upper level approaching, Applejack glanced over at the bushels of fresh berries in front of a shop while Rarity preoccupied herself with reclaiming the signature swoops and curls of her mane and tail, trying to make herself presentable as they walked towards the city’s central tower. Twilight slowed down from her brisk pace, letting her friends keep up before an odor shot up her nose, making it wrinkle in revulsion. With nothing else on her mind, she turned her head every which way, trying to locate the source of the pungent stench. She looked between a pair of houses and spotted two guards standing with spears, much like the ones on top of the wall. One wore a red and silver dragonscale armor while the other the standard black and gray. A silver, gilded dragon was perched on the guard’s chest as an insignia. Twilight quickly broke her gaze with the pair, attempting to look inconspicuous as she trotted quickly away down the road. The smell only gained strength as the straight and narrow path led them to the edge of the upper platform. It was roughly thirty or so stories above the ground, a flat disk that snow seemed to be able to pass right through. Its underbelly appeared to be in shadow, yet light touched the ground underneath as if nothing were there. As it started to snow again, most, if not all, of the shopkeepers closed up and moved inside while others went inside the immaculate homes that lined the street towards the center, leaving the three alone and shivering. Loud clangs and commotion could still be heard from beyond the houses, leaving Twilight to wonder what was beyond the guards’ barricade. Before she could try to investigate, however, she was eyed by one soldier whose eyes locked onto hers. Averting her gaze, Twilight tore up the middle of the path until she nearly reached the upper platform’s edge. Just ahead was a lone soldier guarding a set of stairs. A small buzzing sound began to swell and drown out the rest of the city noise as they approached. Upon further investigation, the stairwell was blocked off by a soft green light, much like the one the guard had used to raise the gate. Twilight looked up and kept her eyes on the lip of the disc as she pass underneath. After a single step into its range, a look of confusion washed over her. The whole upper level had disappeared! “Look,” Twilight said to Applejack and Rarity, nudging them. When she looked over, they were already staring upward at the empty void. A small flurry of snow and gray clouds were the only things she could see. If it disappears when you come near it, how can ponies walk on it? She looked back down at the green energy, her mind hastily forming a conclusion. It was enchanted. A hundred questions came to her mind before she was caught by Rarity’s hoof, stopping her just in front of the humming force field. Rarity smiled sweetly as they faced the guard, nudging Twilight to do the same. “Passes,” the guard said, sitting forward in his chair to get a closer look. Twilight glanced at her friends, each of their faces showing their own brand of confusion. “Uh, passes? We were never told about that,” Twilight explained, her hooves tapping with nerves as the guard stared up at her with his sunken eyes. “We have something important to see up there, so if you could please let us through-” “Can you afford them or not?” the sentry interrupted, tapping the butt of his spear on the ground. “Exactly how much are these passes?” Rarity asked, stepping forward. She reached for her saddlebag, but swiped only air, only now remembering that it was lost during the griffin attack. Rarity began to play with her hair instinctively, trying to fake that that was what she was trying to do in the first place. “100,000 gold pieces a piece,” the guard put it bluntly. Twilight reeled back, but then tried to compose herself in the hope of appearing as if the price hadn’t phased her. “Are you buying any, or are we done here?” “What do we do, y’all? We can’t give him bits,” Applejack whispered, leading Twilight and Rarity back away from the guard. “And those lords would have a better chance of finding out about us if we’re up there with them. What if the book ain’t even there and we’re being led into a trap?” “We can’t afford to take any chances,” Twilight agreed. “Ask first, then act after. We shouldn’t rush into anything here.” “Y’all know where there’s a library ‘round here?” Applejack hollered, watching the guard snap back to attention after becoming entranced with his spear play. “We don’t have any money for ya, but any information would be much appreciated.” The sunken-eyed soldier laughed before getting to his hooves. “Finding anything other than scum down here would be a miracle in and of itself. If you really can’t afford it, I’d be happy to show you out.” Suddenly, Twilight was knocked off balance by the push of a soldier and fell into the snow. She looked up and saw two guards west who had blocked the alleyway stepping aside, clearing out a path. “Stop it!” Twilight cried out, looking back at her assailant before being struck across the face with a sheathed sword. She felt a bruise already beginning to burn on her cheek as she was pushed forward, stumbling into the alley. The soldier jammed the sword in the back of her neck and pushed her into the snow. She broke the fall of Rarity as she crashed unceremoniously on top of her while Applejack was at least able to keep her footing and turned to yell something that Twilight couldn’t quite make out as her ears buzzed painfully. Rarity quickly shook off her daze and rolled off of Twilight, extending a hoof to help her friend back onto her hooves. As the adrenaline wore off and her daze subsided, the stench from before reared its ugly head once more, sending her reeling. The slush that had littered the ground in the alley had turned into solidly packed snow with pieces of trash sticking out along the walls. It wasn’t white, but a coal black, peppered with the white of the recent snowfall. Twilight pushed forward down the long alley, leaving the relative warmth of the strip behind as frigid air funneled through it. With her hooves left completely unprotected, she tore off a piece of her cloak and magically formed a rough set of boots, covering most, if not all, of her hooves. Rarity followed suit, her eyes lighting up at the prospect of doing the work that she was best at. Taking some thread out from the cloak, she used a small piece of scrap metal from the ground and fashioned it into a needle to sew the new boots. She hummed and smiled as she worked on the scrap of cloak, something Twilight hadn’t seen her do for quite some time. Twilight felt a small respite from the cold that they had trudged through, watching the fashionista lose herself in her work. The feeling was fleeting as a sharp pain in her side flared up, causing her to hunch over. She became fully lucid at that point, tending to her wound before scanning her surroundings once more to see the grime and filth that coated the walls of the alley. She approached it and took a whiff, wrenching in repulsion as she forced herself away. What is this? she asked herself, stepping closer to run her hoof through it and inspect the black, grainy substance. “What are you doing?” Applejack asked Twilight as Rarity finally finished her makeshift boots. “The whole hallway is covered with this... dust...” She looked up and noticed the array of smokestacks that stood on top of the high, flat-looking roof. Upon closer inspection, it crumbled in her hoof, releasing the smell of rank sulfur into the air. “We’re right next to a factory. But, I didn’t see where that house ended.” She looked back down the alley and saw that the house never stopped. “What is this then? Ash?” They walked along a wall that bled ash and exhaled smoke. “It’s fake... but why?” “What would they gain from faking a house in front of a factory? It don’t make much sense,” Applejack asked, inspecting the wall of ash herself. It was warm, Twilight could tell as she ran her hoof over it. She brushed some of the ash off, revealing white and yellow cinders still burning behind the ash. “This is steel!” Twilight exclaimed. She brushed off more, seeing the entire wall looking the same way. “It’s a steel mill... What do they need so much steel for?” “I don’t know, but why would they hide this from the outside? It don’t seem right.” “I’m not sure.” Twilight put a hoof to her chin in thought as she looked up into the void that the vanished upper level left. “I think the bigger question is what is so important in the upper tier to place such high security and cost on such a large part of the city. Not even Canterlot is this highly guarded. I don’t think you could even fly up there if you tried to.” “Why do you say that?” Rarity asked. “Didn’t you notice that once we went below the disc that it disappeared? It appears to have an enchantment on it that made it vanish when we passed underneath. If they need a guard to let somepony through, I’m sure it works above as well. That green barrier is most likely the only entrance that enables you to reach it at all.” Applejack looked to the sky as well, watching the snow fall through as if nothing were above them. “So how do they get any fresh water up there? The snow passes right through.” “We can worry about that later. We still haven’t seen what’s at the end of the alley, so let’s keep focused on what’s down here for now,” Twilight said, Applejack and Rarity nodding in agreement. With their sights focused on their surroundings,the walk through the alley seemed to be shorter than Twilight had thought. Stopping for a moment, she bent down and wiped some soot from the snow before placing a hoof full of pristine snow against her face to reduce the swelling on her cheek. A factory whistle and the laughter of children funneled through the alley as they stood mere steps from the exit. Several kids ran by, Twilight taking notice of their slag- and dirt-covered faces and ragged clothing. She trotted into the street proper and froze, unable to process the sight. Ramshackle housing lined the winding streets as families huddled outside next to oil lanterns, holding their hooves out for warmth. The dust that had caked onto their flesh made most appear older, and hoofwoven garments laid over their ragged bodies. The children swung back around, giving the Equestrians another chance to see that their rib cages were prominent on their shriveled bodies. A stallion in his middle ages began to violently hack and cough, a similarly aged mare putting her foreleg around him to comfort him. “This is terrible,” Twilight said, breaking the trio’s silence. “I think we know why that upper level is so well-protected now,” Applejack chimed in, stepping back to let a family covered in dirt-caked rags with scraggy, unkempt manes pass by her. “What kinda fancy pants lord would be down here in the slums?” Applejack’s comment made Twilight’s mind work overtime to make sense of everything before coming to a conclusion. “They have a feudal caste system.” With a turn of her head, she saw a soldier in navy and silver armor turn the corner with a sword still in its sheath. His face had a slightly plump quality to it and, compared to the ponies around them, he seemed rather well-off. Quickly, Twilight ran her hooves through Rarity’s hair, messing it up to let it fall in loose strands before stripping her of her necklace and stuffing it into her bag. “What in Celestia’s name was that for?” Rarity hissed, trying to fix up her hair again. “I just got it cleaned up, and what are you doing with my necklace?” “Look at everypony around you. If we don’t want to be caught by guards, we need to be incognito. Keep your hair down, but at least make it presentable,” Twilight said, realizing that all the ponies in the streets were earthy colors while they were bright and colorful and, worst of all, clean by comparison. “And don’t mention anything about back home.” Rarity simply nodded as she simply untangled her hair. “I hope it doesn’t all look like this,” Rarity said as they started walking down the street. Suddenly, a piercing whistle blew from the mill, causing the three to cover their ears. The shrill tone didn’t seem to affect the others as most of the males stood and marched into the building without a word. Twilight caught a glimpse of their eyes, sunken in with dark circles underneath as soot seemed to be melded into the skin around it. She wished Rarity was talking about the grime like she would have normally, but, no, she meant the people with their defeated gazes, and Twilight couldn’t agree more. Luna had been right about Mistral City. The moniker of City of the Damned felt like an understatement to her now. “What’s the plan?” Applejack asked as the whistling finally ceased. The remaining ponies in the streets silently went back to their businesses as the soldier walked by. He gave them only a cursory glance before continuing his patrol. “Where do we even start?” “I don’t know,” Twilight admitted, already sick of hearing the words out of her mouth. Down the road she could see a line of stallions and a few mares heading towards the outer wall, marching two to a row. Most held pickaxes in their mouths and wore helmets with with spotlights on the front. She could hear murmurs amongst them, even over the constant, growing noise of the factories. “I think we should take a look around. Watch ponies to try blending in better.” “Blend in? With them? I hardly think I can look the part in so short a time,” Rarity said, looking the ponies over. “Still... we have to hurry. I shudder to think what Fluttershy could be going through right now.” “Don’t worry. I’m planning on speaking with her tonight. Worst case, we’ll force our way to wherever the book is and get them out of there. For now, we’re going to be discrete.” Twilight scooped up another hoof full of snow and pressed it against in her cheek. The swelling was minimal, but the her cheek still stung. “Walk around and pay attention to what ponies are doing. I’m sure we’ll come up with something.” The three resumed their trek down the road, staying relatively silent as they kept their eyes focused on the small groups of ponies remaining outside. The streets were quiet outside of the intermittent clangs and whirrs emanating from the factories, making it hard for them to walk by unnoticed. Houses and shops that they passed by all looked the same, each of them cobbled together from various types of wood and metal. A couple inside one of the shops waved through a window, catching Twilight’s eye, one appearing to be surprisingly clean and free of the soot that caked everything else. Several woven baskets with thatched lids were stacked in front of the shack and a small evergreen stood flanking the doorway. With nopony else to base their investigation on, Twilight broke off and entered the shop. The interior looked much like Zipporah’s shop in Wheatown, only smaller and stuffier. The walls reflected the haphazardly constructed look of the exterior but were reinforced with steel beams that ran from the wooden floor to the low ceiling. Behind the counter was an assortment of dried fruits and grains, hoofwoven clothing, barrels of ale and cider, and even a few wooden and steel toys to Twilight’s surprise. A furred, but homely mare stood expectantly behind the counter, smiling at Twilight as she trotted closer; she was illuminated only by a small lantern whose flame flickered in the draft that blew through the shop. A mat with red trim covered the floor that clashed with the navy and silver banner hanging on the back wall, emblazoned with a silver eagle in the center. “Welcome to our store, newcomer!” she said, her voice rough but sweet. “I hope the whistle didn’t scare you too much.” “Thanks,” Twilight said, wishing that they didn’t come across so obviously green. “So, where do you come from? It’s hard to believe that anyone could come all the way to Mistral without any money. Most creatures freeze to death before they ever even get close. Y‘know, it had been so long since I’d heard what the gates sound like when they open, I thought something horrible was happening!” Applejack and Rarity walked in behind Twilight as she thought about how to respond. “Why do you think that we have no money? This isn’t where the guards send everypony?” The shopkeeper laughed. “They sent you here, didn’t they? The Steel District’s under Lord Balan himself. If you even had a cent to your name, they would’ve sent you to at least the mining or textile districts. Who knows, maybe even a cultural district if you caught ‘em in a good mood.” Her husband took his gaze away from the front window, walked behind the counter and sat down. “Plus that nasty gash on your face shows it pretty well.” “When we were forced through the alley... the house that was on the main road just merged with the factory behind it. Why would they fake that?” “No one who really cares about us in the lower level actually comes to Mistral. They probably had to make the entrance presentable to not scare off potential visitors or allies. It’s a callous thing for them to do, but unfortunately it works.” “That’s horrible,” Rarity interjected. “So that blacksmith that we saw... was he fake as well?” “It was probably one the government hired to perform for the King’s Alley folk. Liars and cheats, all of them. Not like the hard working folk down here... lack of money and all.” “If nopony has any money, then why would you keep your shop here?” Twilight asked, perplexed. “This has been my family’s business for generations. I’m not about to pack up and head out. There’s too much history here for us to just leave.” “But... why would you call us over then? You think we’re broke, right?” “Can’t a pony say ‘hi’ to her new neighbors? I’m sure you’ll get enough money to move to a better district at some point; you look like you have good heads on your shoulders.” “We have money, but it just isn’t usable here,” Twilight interrupted before the shopkeeper had the chance to get out the welcome baskets. “Honey, we’ve seen every currency in the entire continent pass through here at least twice,” her husband chimed in, his words filtered through a bushy gray beard. “Whatever you have should be good enough.” Twilight gulped. She had said too much, and just outside were guards which could easily come in and capture them. The cold and her weariness had stretched her mentality thin. “We aren’t from the continent. We’re sailors,” she lied, watching for their reactions. The shopkeeper simply smirked. “You don’t need to lie to us. I know sailors when I meet them. If you really don’t want to talk about where you’re from, I can understand. I’m sure I can trade whatever you have with some of our reserves.” “How much would this give us?” Twilight dug into her bag, pulling out one bit and placing it on the counter. The shopkeeper grabbed the bit and held it close to inspect it. A bit was just a flat piece of gold without any country or city name pressed into its surface, so Twilight had no misgivings about giving one up. “Hmm. I haven’t seen anything like this before.” She paused a moment to bite down on the coin. “It looks to be genuine metal though...” She began to mutter to herself, something about alloys and karat weights. “The best I can do is tell you to head further into the city. We can’t put this to any use here, but I’m sure there are places that can.” “Where? Do you have a map?” She took the bit back and put it away. “Sure. It’s the only thing except for flour and grain that our lousy government will give us for free. They use some type of special paper for it too, one that I know doesn’t come from around here. Head west from the bank towards the Calwyns’ district. That family is richer and more lenient about certain... transactions than the Balans are.” She slid over a folded sheet of paper. Light shined off the map as if it was coated in some sort of resin, and the drawing inside was color-coordinated between districts. Magnified areas of the map were pushed into the corners, allowing Twilight to read the names of places too small on the larger map. “The Calwyns... what are their colors?” she asked, now extremely glad that she had taken the shopkeeper’s invitation. “They hold the crimson and silver.” Twilight began to sweat from nerves. “Dragons are their sigil, and there’s even a rumor that they are dragons themselves. No one can be a lord unless they are a unicorn though, so I wouldn’t put much stock in that,” the shopkeeper finished, smiling blithely at Twilight’s apparent apprehension. “Thank you so much,” she said, trying to stay calm. “Is there by chance anywhere else we could trade these in?” “You’d die of starvation afore you got there. Besides, the Calwyns’ district is rumored to be where a few of the richest folk stay... the ones that aren’t allowed into King’s Alley at least. You should have a better time there than anywhere else.” "Thank you for your help," Twilight said, folding up the map and placing it inside her pack. The shopkeeper bent down and rummaged through a pile of what appeared to be damaged merchandise. Twilight stuck her head over the counter to see what she was looking for, but was thrown back as the homely mare sprang back up and placed several items on the table. “For your travels,” she said, spreading the items across the counter. Three pairs of worn boots, a new pack, several pieces of flatbread and two canteens filled with water laid out before them. A warm, yet sly looking smile grew on her face as the three looked over their new provisions. “What's all this for? Y’all just givin’ this to us?” Applejack asked, perplexed. “Of course. You'll need all this to make it to the Calwyns' district with ease,” the shopkeeper stated. However, as Twilight made to accept the goods, the shopkeeper drew them back a bit, a strange grin gracing her face. “But I do require a small, but modest fee.” “What is it?” Twilight asked warily, watching the shop keeper lean in close to them. “I want to know where you came from.” “You just said that you didn't care!” Twilight retaliated, slamming her hooves on the counter. “Why ask now?” “Security in the Calwyns' district has been ramped up as of late, and you three seemed awfully keen on not setting hoof there." She patted one of the boots. "Does Rissen worry you so much that you can't tell me where where you’re from?” There was that name again. Rissen... The lord that the griffons’ leader had promised to deliver them to. The one that sent a battalion of mercenaries to hunt them down. If he had heightened security in the district... and every other district was several day's walk away... we have no choice... Twilight caught her eyes darting back and forth in thought and quickly looked down to concentrate on the items, trying not to appear worried. “I won't tell a soul,” the shopkeeper promised. “First, tell me if there's a library in their district. We're looking for a book to help bring our friends home.” “From what I've heard, yes. You definitely won't find one here though unless you look in the right places. Lord Balan has always been too drunk and too stupid to give us anything of worth.” Twilight sighed, her mind racing to come up with what to do if the shopkeepers attacked them when, or if, she told them. “I'm worried about what would happen to you two more than anything.” “Oh? Well, no one pays attention to anything that goes on around here anyway. Thieves, murderers and other scoundrels pass through unnoticed until they reach one of the other districts. Even if they were reported, the guards are too pampered and out of shape to do any real work.” She laughed, making Twilight wonder if it would actually be safer in the dragons’ den than staying where they were. She turned to Applejack who just sternly nodded her head. “W-we're from Equestria.” Silence filled the shop quickly as her words hung in the air. Without a word, the mare pushed the items towards them, forcing them straight into Twilight's chest. She gestured her head to the left as she stepped back from the counter. Her husband walked through the door on the left side of the shop, his boots clomping down on wood as he went down a flight of stairs. “Keep yourselves hidden as much as possible. Let no one in red and silver speak with you,” the mare ordered with an intense look on her face. “T-thank you,” Twilight said, grabbing the supplies and placing them inside of the new bag. “We'll be careful.” “Remember, you have friends here. Don’t forget that,” she said, placing a hoof to her lips before blowing out the lantern on the counter. "Travel safe." “We will.” They walked out from the shop into sheets of snow falling from the sky, being by the frozen crystals as they heard the tumblers of the lock on the door turn behind them. It was hard to see what was in front of them, providing them with better cover than they could have hoped for. The wind was weak: just one more blessing as they descended into Rissen's territory. She passed the new bag, the Element of Generosity, and a quartet of boots over to Rarity, as well as a set to Applejack. Twilight slipped off her makeshift boots and slipped into the new ones, her hooves already feeling warmer as they provided much more of a barrier than the canvas ever could. She tossed them to the side of the road, thinking that perhaps one of the families could use them later. “What was all that about?” Rarity asked as Twilight unfolded the map. The snow slid straight off, alleviating her fears that it might be ruined in the snowstorm. “What friends? What does that mean?” “I don’t know, but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough,” Twilight said as she charted a course to Rissen's district. The route wound through the back alleys, keeping them off of the main road. “It shouldn't take more than a few hours to reach it. Their district extends surprisingly far south.” She folded up the map and tucked it away. “I suggest eat something while we still have the chance.” After walking for a few moments, they found a spot between two houses where the snow was stopped by one house's large chimneys. They sat down and opened Twilight's bag, taking out the remaining apples and water they had left. She picked one of the apples up, noticing brown spots covering half of it. With her mouth already parched and her throat dry, she bit into it and grimaced at the taste of overripe fruit. She took a few more bites before tossing it away. “Hey! Don't just throw food away!” Applejack reproached her, picking the apple up from the ground and using the fresh snow to clean it off. We don't have any money, and you're tossin' perfectly good apples?” Twilight simply sighed, taking a large swig of water to rid herself of the taste. The water was half frozen and had ice chunks floating in it, but she gulped it down regardless, pressing the bits of ice against the inside of her still sore cheek, before taking a small bit out of the flat bread. It tasted surprisingly sweet for such old looking bread, and it was oddly soft as well. She savored the taste as she ran her hoof over the route again, trying to keep every turn and straightaway in mind before they headed off. After downing another swig of water, she rose and packed away the rest of the food. “Are we ready?” “I'll be just a second, darling," Rarity said, carefully lacing up her boots. “Well... they are not very stylish, but I guess they’ll have to do for now.” She stood as Applejack did, looking behind her to see the streets still empty of life. Rarity glanced over the peeling sides of her boots, a grimace forming on her face. “Once we finally find a place to settle, I will fix them up so they are at least presentable.” She paused and looked over them again. “These may take some work, mind you,” she muttered darkly. “Lead the way, Twilight.” The maze of alleys stretched through the district like a grid, allowing them to run through with little chance of being spotted. Houses and other buildings provided perfect cover for them from both the wind and prying eyes. Chutes for the denizens to toss their trash were mounted every few feet, explaining the countless piles of litter strewn across the ground. After they had traveled a dozen or so blocks by alley, the noise of the steel mills began to subside, only to be replaced by the sound of chatter and even laughter, throwing Twilight off. The contrast between the people's banter ahead and the ones in the Steel District was like night and day, giving Twilight some hope that not all of Mistral City would be as soul-crushing as Lord Balan’s slums. Soon, they reached a crossing, forcing them into the streets. Houses along the street appeared uniform with nicely painted railings encircling their balconies. Most had an upper level from which intricate tapestries and banners hung, illuminated by the wrought-iron lamps that lined the street. A multitude of ponies were outside, conversing and working while kids played in the freshly fallen snow, their faces vibrant and youthful. Twilight glanced up at one of the lampposts to find a banner declaring it to be the Textile District. Several griffons flew by overhead, prompting Twilight to duck back into the alley. On closer inspection, she noticed that they had small, wiry bodies that slipped peacefully through the air. They were much smaller than Blackwing’s griffins, allowing Twilight a brief sigh of relief. With a nod, they continued their run through the streets under the cover of still falling snow. The backstreets wound much more severely in the new district, much like a spider's web in its intricacy of turns and connecting alleys. Twilight had to consult the map several times as disputes on which way to go erupted amongst the trio. The constant sound of snow crunching between their hooves was a constant companion as the buildings they passed had become fancier and more structurally sound while the streets grew considerably louder. “Why are we going this way?” Rarity asked, tiphoofing around freshly tossed out garbage. “We’ve been going through nothing but trash; I’m not going through any more.” “Because its north, just like the map says,” Applejack argued, striding past Rarity and Twilight. “Is that even the right way? There could be a dead end down there!” Rarity huffed, running back to Twilight to check the map. “I looked at that map myself; I know where I’m goin’!” “Ha! See, we can go around it! I refuse to run through anymore muck.” “We’re escapin’’ from some lord that wants us killed, and you’ve got time to be fussy?” Applejack asked, stomping her hoof down. “Be quiet!” Twilight yelled softly, making her friends stop follow her directions once more, but not without a sharp glance shared between them as they waited for Twilight to pass. By the time their quarrels had finally subsided, they slowed their pace considerably to catch their breath. The air in the district was surprisingly clean, allowing Twilight to relax without fear of headache, coughing, or feeling worse than before. After hours of constant movement within the alleys, even more commotion could be heard coming from the streets as the sky began to grow dark. Twilight opened up the map and figured out where they were, realizing that they were on the cusp of the straightaway that led into the Calwyns' district. She took out her flask and drank heavily from it, preparing herself for anything once they crossed the threshold. She pointed it out to Applejack and Rarity who steeled their nerves as well. Twilight took a deep breath before moving forward at a considerable speed, seeing red and silver banners hanging on the taller buildings as she made her final turn. Unlike Balan's district, the alleyways were clean. The walls that had separated them from the buildings had completely disappeared. A significant amount of snow was moved out from the alleys, revealing the stone pathway that they were now walking on top of. The cross sections of the alley were higher in number, making them have to stop to survey the area more carefully. They had passed through several such intersections when she found herself staring up at something that she never expected to see: an armored pony riding atop a feral dragon headed straight for them in the cross section. Twilight motioned her friends forward, sprinting for the end of the alley before the dragon knight could turn to hunt them down. “This way!” She looked behind them, watching as the dragon peeked its head into the alley, took a whiff of the air, and began bounding towards them at incredible speed. It opened its massive jaws and lunged forward, missing Rarity’s tail by a scant few inches. Quickly, Twilight's horn glowed with a purple light as she turned to face the beast. She shifted the snow from the roof tops, causing it to crash to the ground and stall the dragon from heading further. She stumbled back into a sprint before it burst through the bank, swiping at Rarity once more and dragging her to the ground with a frustrated roar. “Get off of me!” Rarity screamed, blasting the dragon off with magic. It tumbled through the snow, whipping off its rider before getting back up with a snarl. Rarity scrambled to her hooves just as the dragon lunged forward, the soldier calling for it to return. Applejack raced forward and rammed into it with her shoulder, knocking it back to the ground sliding on the snow. A plume of fire wildly erupted from its mouth, charring the walls and melting the snow around it. “Run!” Twilight called out then charged down the alley, looking for a way out. Ahead was yet another intersection, just far enough to stop and plan their escape. “What now?” Rarity asked, panting. They stopped as they reached the crossing, looking down the different paths to find a way out. Twilight turned back, watching the soldier mount the dragon once more, his longsword in mouth. “There!” Applejack cried out, pointing to Twilight’s right. Down the short path was a multitude of creatures walking down what looked like a main road while the other two led to more back alleyways. “We oughta be able to lose it in those crowds.” Twilight and Rarity simply nodded before bolting down to the main road, hearing the low rumbling roar of the soldier’s mount get louder and echo through limestone maze. The sound of chattering of the townsfolk grew, drowning out the dragon’s cries as they ran. Moments later they burst out from the alleys into the open, quickly vanishing into the crowd. On the side of the road packed, a gathering of creatures crowded in front of a regally-appointed, ornate-looking building painted in royal crimson and silver. Twilight heard them shout angerly as countless guards in dragonscale armor pointed their weapons at the rowdier civilians. She weaved through the stream of ponies and dragons and trotted to the outside of the furious crowd Twilight caught her breath before the sound of the crowd's uproar turned everything into a mishmash of sound. Before she could even begin take in what was happening, she was shoved and slammed into other ponies. She looked behind her and saw the dragon come out from the alley, sniffing the air before walking along the road, seemingly giving up on the scent with a disappointed snarl as the knight yelled out something that couldn’t penetrate the noise of the crowd. She breathed a sigh of relief before a stallion dressed in a royal-red coat with silver trimming crested a high platform from which he could be seen above the crowd. Twilight looked around her noticing both of her friends weren’t with her. She peered between the enraged ponies, but they were nowhere to be found. A diminutive, black dragon perched on his shoulder as he raised his hoof in the air as to demand silence. “Do not be alarmed, citizens. This was the punishment that Lord Calwyn saw fit for a crime that was unforgivable. If your deeds are not as heinous as this scoundrel's were, you shall receive his mercy." Twilight shoved ponies out of the way, trying to get close to the front of the crowd. The crowd booed and began to throw rocks and snow at the officer as well as something to his right that was just out of view. She nudged past the remaining ponies then stopped, standing frozen in horror at what had been set up on the stage. Her body began to shake with nerves while she felt her stomach turn, her mind pleading and screaming for her to run away. A stallion's lifeless body hung from the gallows, flesh torn and bloodied by the whip, the word TRAITOR branded on his chest. As the body twisted under the crowd’s onslaught, Twilight could see three deep gashes in his haunches dripped with still fresh blood that fell onto the snow, staining it with a deep crimson hue. Three cuts... exactly where a cutie mark would’ve been.

Fenix

39

Main 6,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Hoennshy

After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back.

cancelled

<p>After an ancient spell from Twilight goes awry, Fluttershy finds herself in a new world of powerful creatures. Whilst Fluttershy struggles in the new found world, Twilight is forced to leave Equestria to find the spell to bring her back. As Twilight and her friends journey through the outer lands of Equestria, Fluttershy attempts to uncover what shadows lurk just beyond Hoenn's sight.</p><p>Contains slightly dark images and scenarios. All events are based off of season one continuity, speculation and fantastical story elements. Any conflicting canon after season one is a result of the story being created before the premiere of season two.</p><p>Written to accommodate for people unfamiliar with both 'My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic' and 'Pokémon'.</p><p>Pre-read by Lam, Tom IWearHatsIndoors and lordelliot. Edited by Lam and lordelliot. Story consulting by Flak.</p><p>Equestria Daily: <a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/06/story-hoennshy.html</a></p>

teen

2013-01-01T19:00:41+00:00

2013-01-01T21:31:39+00:00

Shrieks erupted from the frenzied crowd as the dragon-mounted guards circled around them. The guards struck quickly, felling several before the group could begin to retreat. Twilight twisted her head, looking from the panicked creatures about her to the gallows where the stallion and his diminutive black dragon had already disappeared from view. Heart thudding against her chest, she wove through the crowd, narrowly avoiding the spear heads and blades the guards pierced haphazardly into them. Without a second’s thought, Twilight pushed off another mare in an attempt to change direction, sending the mare directly into a guard. With a growl of indignation, the guard jabbed the blunt end of his spear into the mare’s gut, sending her to the ground. Twilight watched as the guard screamed at the scared pony, barking accusations of assault and battery before striking her again and again. Twilight quickly swallowed her guilt, broke away from the group and scurried into one of the alleyways. She stopped just within the safety of the alley, peering back to bear witness to the end of the guards’ work. Citizens lay scattered across the ground, heaving and crying out as the guards loomed over them. Several of the injured were picked up by other citizens and laid across a dragon bereft of the regalia the guard’s dragons bore. In short order, even the stragglers were escorted from the meeting ground. Twilight watched them closely for some sign of Applejack and Rarity, praying that neither had been a victim of the frenzy, but all proved to be strangers as the street was left deserted save for the scattered belongings lost in the chaos. She ducked her head back into the alley as the victorious guards marched by. When the last soldier passed, she leaned her haunches back against a wall and slid down until she landed with a wet plop in the snow. For the first time since she had left Equestria, Twilight was completely alone. She scanned the streets again in the hopes of finding her friends bounding towards her, but the streets were empty. Those that remained staying hidden inside their homes and shops. She wanted to call out their names; she wanted to yell out amidst the silence, but she knew it was too much of a risk. Names like ‘Rissen’, ‘Balan’, ‘Calwyn’, and ‘Astris’ were all commonplace and expected in Ventia while ‘Applejack’ and ‘Rarity’ were objects of suspicion. Without any other options, Twilight slunk away into the alleys in search of a warm place to stay the night. The snow had nearly stopped falling as the clouds dispersed to reveal the oranges and reds of the setting sun, giving her a moment of repose before she felt the knot tighten in her stomach. The image of the mare being knocked down and beaten by the guard played over in her head, each iteration becoming more twisted than the last. As she came to a crossroads in the back alleys, she put a hoof to the wall and felt herself pushing that mare into the guard. The memory haunted her senses and immediately snapped her hoof back. Even with the clearing clouds, the cold winds persisted, funneling through the alleyways, lashing at her face as she pressed onwards. Her body was wracked by exhaustion, something she had been able to ignore amongst her friends, but now stood at the forefront of her thoughts. Slowly, she hobbled along and hugged the wall until she heard voices fill the air once more. Gas-powered lights began to shine from windows as the hour turned from dusk to night. Several ponies here and there conversed, donned in clean garb that reflected the new district. She slowly trotted onto and down the road, looking towards the alleys for any signs of where her friends may have gone. Twilight’s eyes grew heavy as she wandered, making it difficult to keep them open as her thoughts shifted towards finding a place to sleep that night. Where are they? she thought as the last of the snow floated down from the sky. She was surrounded by Ventians from every side, all of them ignoring her as they passed. Only the streets were illuminated now with the light from shops and lantern posts, leaving the alleyways and other unpopulated areas black as pitch. She sighed in exhaustion, staring at the ground with a defeated gaze. Her head hung low. She walked slowly, keeping her cloak wrapped tight around her. She saw neither hide nor hair of her friends amongst the crowd, bringing her to focus her attention in front of her. Before she could even begin to clear her head, however, she heard a soft, popping sound and, as she peered beneath her cloak, her cutie mark slowly reappeared on her flank. Twilight knew this would leave Applejack and Rarity only a short time before they too would be at risk of exposure, sending a chill down her already frozen spine. She had never felt more guilty or more alone in all her life, and the flaring pain in her side only served as reminder of the danger she had thrust them all into. I should have waited for them... she thought before stopping and placing a hoof to her face in dismay. Before she could berate herself further, she looked up and saw a sign bolted upon a three story tall building that read Inn in ornately-carved red letters. Lacking the energy to even entertain the possibility of another option, Twilight stumbled to the door and weakly pushed it open, the hinges creaking as it swung outwards. As she entered the inn, Twilight nearly melted beneath the rush of warm air caressing her frozen, wearied body. She let off a gentle sigh as the warmth of a roaring fire soothed her from its hearth, earning her a stare from the lone mare tending the desk. A few patrons who sat on cushioned chairs in the lobby looked up at her as she approached the counter, but only paid her a cursory glance before resuming their chatter. Twilight placed a shaking hoof on the desk before looking up at the mare who wore a stern scowl. Twilight opened her mouth to talk, but the cold and shock of recent events stole her voice as she tried to speak. She resorted to only looking up at the mare's brown eyes, watching them dance around puzzled. “How many?” she asked, rummaging through an open wooden drawer. “Just one?” Twilight nodded. She looked over her shoulder at where Applejack and Rarity would have been standing if they were they still with her. One of the patrons, peering over a scroll, stared at her incredulously and she quickly turned back to find an iron key on the counter before her. “It’ll be two gold pieces.” “W-will these do?” she asked, digging into her bag to pull out two bits. She placed them on the counter, watching with a light head as the mare examined the bits. She could only pray that she would be allowed a warm place to sleep for the first time in nearly a week. “Well these aren't any currency I've ever seen, but they seem real enough. I’ll be going down to the Shade Market tomorrow, and if these aren't worth gold, I'll have you arrested for thievery, y’hear?” she threatened. “The Shade Market?” Twilight took the key, holding the cold metal in the sole of her hoof. “Aren’t from around here, are you? It's two streets past the twin spires and deep in the belly of the wind. Mind your way and your manners. You also shouldn't look like garbage when you get there; those rogues’ll take notice,” she explained, gesturing to Twilight's ragged attire. “Hey, I don’t look like garbage!” Twilight protested. The mare only smirked and turned to fill out a ledger on the counter behind her. Twilight sighed to herself, then trotted towards the flight of red carpeted stairs near the far wall. Twin spires? Belly of the wind? Those aren’t directions! Those are... those are just riddles! Twilight thought as she reached the top of the stairs and walked down the hallway. Soon enough, she found herself at a door near the end of the clean, nicely furnished hallway. She looked down at her key and saw the number ‘207’ engraved on it, before looking at the door in front of her and seeing the same number. At least her business practices are better than her directions. After finding her room, Twilight slipped the key into the brass doorknob and opened it. It was much roomier than she had expected. A fireplace sat past the foot of the large, plush bed that lay in the middle of the room. A candle sat on an oaken nightstand beside the bed, as a window with floral-patterned shades greeted her on the far wall that looked out at a decent view of the street. She entered and placed her bag on the floor, rubbing at the furrows it had dug into her hide before flopping onto the soft, fluffy bed. It had been so long since she had slept on a proper bed that she sunk right in and refused to move, adjusting herself to sink further in. Before she could become too comfortable, however, she still had a promise to Rarity to keep. She sat up and slowly scooted off of the bed, closed the door, and magically sparked the logs into a blazing fire. Twilight sat and watched the flames dance as smoke curled into chimney above, letting the warm light and heat cast away every last ounce of cold that clung to her body. She closed his eyes and focused on Fluttershy and Pinkie, hoping they weren't asleep or possibly worse off. Not a moment later, she felt the twinge that signaled a connection, allowing her to breathe a small sigh of relief. “Fluttershy? Pinkie? Can you hear me?” she asked silently. It took a few moments, but she finally heard Pinkie gasp and Fluttershy let out a startled meep that couldn't come from anypony but her. “Twilight? Is that you? I'm so glad you're alright,” Fluttershy said, sounding shaken and more than a bit unnerved. “How has everything been there?” “Did you find the book yet?” Pinkie asked in her usual excited tone. “No, not yet. Everything is fine here, though,” she lied, their voices bringing back the guilt she had swallowed back in the Ventian forest. “How are things there?” “They’re... fine,” Fluttershy said. “Things have been getting a lot stranger here. We did find somepony who's exactly like you, Twilight.” “Yeah, she's really strange, but you’d like her! She studies a lot and is as obsessed with books as you are, except they're all about rocks,” Pinkie chimed in. “We've done so much since we last talked! We've sailed on a boat... explored a cave... battled this crazy stallion and a gigantic sea monster—” “Wait, you did what?!” Twilight interrupted, perturbed by just how nonchalantly Pinkie had let that slip. “A sea monster?! Was it a hydra?! A kraken?! Scylla?! We were trying to be quiet, but if you’re in danger, we can just—” “Y-you don't have to worry. We're all fine,” Fluttershy said with striking and uncommon conviction. “We're headed for a volcano right now to find out who that stallion with the gyarados could be. I don't want you to risk yourselves to get us out any faster.” “Alright, I'll stick to the plan.” “What’s a gyarados? Why are they traveling to a volcano?” Twilight asked herself aloud. She swallowed her curiosity and continued. “Has anything else happened that I should know about?” “I don't know if this is important, but Pinkie and I shared a dream a few nights ago.” Fluttershy's voice grew softer and more anxious, giving Twilight cause for concern. “But I really shouldn't... i-it's not important.” “Tell me, please,” Twilight said, her guilt and worry settling together in the pit of her stomach. “O-okay. Well, both Pinkie and my dreams started off fine. I was in a meadow with forest critters and Pinkie was flying through the clouds. After a few minutes, the grass and trees withered, and a loud shriek came from behind me.” “The clouds turned to nasty, black storm clouds for me! Then, that same scream sounded like it was coming straight towards me!” Pinkie explained. “I looked back, and a large black creature with talons and blue eyes flew after me and I tried to run away—” “Did you say talons and... b-blue eyes?” Twilight interrupted, her own dream racing to the forefront of her mind. “Yeah! It had giant wings, and even a beak! I had to stand at the side of the boat the entire night just to get my mind off of it...” Pinkie explained. “What did it do? Did it hurt you?” “Well, i-it raced towards me, grabbed onto my neck and dug its claws into me. After that I woke up,” Pinkie said. Twilight's breathing instantly became labored as their words sank in. Their dreams didn't exactly match hers nor each other’s, but the ebony griffon analogue was still prominent and clear in all three. “C-could you two hold on? Just for a second?” Without waiting for a response, she severed the connection and promptly dumped the contents of her saddlebag onto the floor. She shook it, watching as a few apples, Celestia’s letter, the Element of Magic, a canteen filled with water, the old Ventian story book dropped out before catching in midair one particular item: the spell book she had carried with her from Equestria, the one that contained the telepathy spell. Tearing through the pages, she found the spell, running a hoof over the words. Once, twice and thrice over she read it before she found it: a small passage at the bottom of the page, little more than a footnote. “The caster links his or her mind with the ones he or she contacts, transferring their feelings with the ones he or she links with,” she read aloud. “The host may permanently sever the connection at any time if the link becomes too dangerous, but shall not be able to reestablish the link for several weeks thereafter.” She hunched over and placed her head in her hooves, panicking as she thought over her options. If I sever the connection, my only link to them would be Rainbow, but that would place her in the same danger as the others. No... this is too valuable. I’ll just have to be more careful. Reluctantly, she closed the book and threw it onto the pile of her saddlebag contents before taking a centering breath and scooting back towards the roaring fire. “Sorry, I needed to look something up.” “Okie dokie!” Pinkie said, her voice a bit distorted as the link solidified. “How are Rarity and Applejack? Having fun in the city?” Twilight gulped, feeling her knees buckle under her own weight. “I-I lost them a few hours ago. There was an attack, and we were... scattered. I'm alone here in an inn. I... I don’t know if they’re together or apart, but I couldn’t find them anywhere.” A weight felt like it was pressing on her chest as she spoke, afraid to think about what could be happening to them. “It's worse here than I imagined... much worse...” “Oh.” “Couldn’t you talk to them like you're talking to us?” Fluttershy asked, her voice thick with worry. “I... can't. I just...” She paused, hanging her head. “I know I’ll find them.” “Good luck,” Pinkie said, tone matching Fluttershy’s. “Just don't do anything dangerous, okay? I-I... Just please stay safe,” Twilight said as a small welling of tears formed under her eyes. “We will,” Fluttershy said before Twilight heard the connection cut, leaving her only the sound of the crackling fire. Slowly, Twilight stood and trudged over to her bag. She grabbed it and placed it near the side of the bed before falling into the plush comforter, then threw her cloak off and letting it crumple onto the floor. Looking back on her flank, she recast the spell to rid herself of her cutie mark before turning towards the window. Silently she lay, listening to the sound of her own heartbeat as the conversation resonated in her mind. As the hours ticked away, the sounds of city life outside gave way to silence and Twilight continued to lay, motionless, on the feather bed, wrapped in warmth as she fought to keep her mind blissfully blank as her body recovered. As the last flicker of flame fizzled out in the hearth, the wood little more than a chunk of blackened charcoal, the room was left pitch black and silent, broken moments later bay a soft sound. The sound of sobbing. A loud commotion erupted from downstairs, causing Twilight to toss and turn in a stubborn refusal to wake. Sunlight filled the room as noise from the busy streets seeped through the walls, making things harder for her to lay in bed. Eventually she gave in and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes before scooting off of the bed. As she looked back, she saw the large wet spot on the pillow, returning all the feelings that had led her to the previous night’s breakdown, but she quickly brushed it aside. She knew that she’d have an easier time now that the sun was up again, and easier time finding her friends. She hurriedly donned her cloak and levitated her bag onto her back before exiting the room. The door shut behind her, she stood in the hall, digging through her bag for the room key. She smiled as her hoof touched, fishing it out a sliding the cool metal between her teeth before trotting down the hall. As she descended the stairway, she found herself above a large crowd of ponies gathered in the inn’s lobby. Gingerly she waded through the massive crowd to reach the counter, bumping into several of them, drawing angry looks. They weren't as noble looking as the ponies she had seen populating the lobby the night before, their bodies wrapped in leather and steel while their manes appeared coarse and unshorn. She silently stepped around them before a white mare with pallid purple hair and a tattered cloak stopped Twilight in her tracks. “I knew it was you! I had my doubts earlier, but it really is you!” Rarity exclaimed, wrapping her tired forelegs around Twilight. “It’s so wonderful to see a friendly face.” “I'm so glad to see you,” Twilight said with a warm smile as she embraced her friend. She took a deep breath and sighed happily before nuzzling Rarity’s cheek, feeling the weight of her worries vanish. “How did you find me? Where were you?” “After the guards began to attack, I ran into the back streets and waited until everypony was gone before I dared move. I made my way through the alleys before I found you trotting in here. I tried asking for a key to where you were staying, but she wouldn't budge, even for a hoofful of bits.” She escorted Twilight through the crowd and sat them down on a dark oak couch in front of the fireplace. “What happened over there?” Rarity's hooves were shaking. “Did you see anything?” Twilight leaned down and hung her head, looking down at the floorboards. “It was a stallion. They’d hanged him, maimed his body.” She grasped Rarity’s hoof and brought her head up, watching Rarity's eyes fill with worry. Twilight told her the rest of the details—the way the stallion had swung limply from the gallows, the cuts on his flank where a cutie mark should have been. She looked up to find Rarity with her hoof to her mouth, aghast. “I don't think we're safe at all here, but we can't rush through this. Everything depends on us being as careful as possible.” “Why? Applejack’s missing! Fluttershy, Rainbow and Pinkie are still trapped in that awful world! Time is of the essence, Twilight. Why couldn't you contact me like you do with Fluttershy? Perhaps we can find Applejack and fix this horrid mess more quickly if you just—” “I can’t! I can’t put you in more danger than I already have,” Twilight blurted out, Rarity’s jaw snapping just at the outburst. “I contacted them. Just like you wanted.” “How are they?” Rarity asked, leaning forward with a hopeful gaze. “Are they safe?” “They're fine, but Pinkie told me that she and Fluttershy shared a dream. Not exactly the same dream, but they shared similar elements.” “Is that a problem, darling?” She placed a hoof on top of Twilight’s. “You're shaking.” “Do you remember when I woke up screaming after we’d left Zipporah's, and Applejack was carrying me through the outlands? I had a nightmare... a nightmare similar to the one’s that Pinkie and Fluttershy had.” Twilight told her the entirety of her dream, and about the subconscious link she had with them, watching as the color drained from Rarity's already pale face. Twilight’s body shuddered as she told it, mind fraught with worry, wondering how scared Pinkie and Fluttershy must have been. To her knowledge, they had never born witness to the violence, let alone the bloodshed that she had before the harrowing nightmare. To have Fluttershy’s memories twisted and inherit Twilight’s torment left her feeling more miserable than she already had. She sharply inhaled and held her head high, trying to feign confidence as Rarity shook her head and frowned. “Why didn't you tell me all this before?” Rarity asked, a twinge of disappointment in her voice. “We are all a part of this, Twilight. You simply cannot be hiding things like this from us.” “I'm sorry. With everything that’s happened, I didn't want to worry you—either of you—more than I had to.” Twilight took her free hoof and placed it on Rarity’s, clasping them together as she looked at her with a smile. “But from now on, no more secrets.” “Good. Now, let's have some breakfast. I'm positively famished.” With a smile, Rarity tipped open her saddlebag to reveal an assortment of fresh fruits and floral sandwiches on rich-looking breads. Twilight looked over the spoils, mouth watering at the sight. “Where did you get all this?” she asked, but, before she could get an answer, she found herself digging into a sandwich. It tasted so good that she couldn't stop eating as she talked. “How did you get the money?” Her eyes widened. “You didn't ste—” “Somepony dropped their bag of coins on the ground during the stampede,” Rarity interrupted sharply, nodding towards the nearby ponies and, in particular, the more well-armored lot. “I’ve been trying to find who it belonged to, but nopony has been able to tell me how many coins were in it. I'll be keeping it around until somepony does, though I think it would help us as we search for the book wouldn't you think?” Rarity took the canvas pouch out from her bag and held it in her hoof. “I paid for a room last night after they refused to tell me which room you were sleeping in and, I have to admit, the rooms were much nicer than I expected.” Twilight took a drink of water from her canteen to clear her throat. “So you're just keeping it?” “Only until I find out whom it belongs to, darling.” “Why were you hiding in that crowd while you waited for me? Couldn't you have stayed in the open?” The group that had filled the room slowly dispersed, leaving the lobby quiet save for the crackle of the fireplace. Slowly, Rarity looked back at her flank, still covered by her cloak. “My cutie mark came back early last night, and I didn't want to risk anypony seeing it so I hid amongst the crowd,” she said in a hushed tone. “I figured that you'd be down early.” “You have no idea how miserable last night was,” Twilight said, recounting the night before. “With how large this city is, I thought I’d lost you and Applejack completely...” Twilight paused for a moment. “Have you seen her?” “Well, no,” Rarity admitted. “She can’t be too far away. Applejack wouldn’t go very far without us, right?” She's right, Twilight thought. Maybe it had been her guilt that had made her fail to realize this, but she wasn't sure. “I'm sure we'll find her soon enough, but I think right now we need to start looking for that book. I spoke with a merchant yesterday and got some information on a few libraries and bookstores.” She took out a scroll with inky scratches that scarcely resembled words and handed it to Twilight. “Did they say if any of them had the book?” Twilight asked as she grabbed the scroll and looked it over. “No, no pony that I talked to had that much knowledge about the places. We'll just have to check them out ourselves.” “While we're searching, apparently there’s a black market that's operating near here that we should visit. This may be where those ‘transactions’ the shopkeep in Balan’s district was talking about take place. We could exchange our bits for coins there so we aren't so reliant on the ones you found.” “It's agreed then,” Rarity said with a smile before rising to her hooves. “But the libraries and bookstores first, if you please, darling. I’d much prefer to stay away from the seedier elements. I’m certain Applejack is doing the same. Turn in your key and let's get out of here. The warmth is great and all, but the humidity is doing terrible things to my coiffure.” She's taking this a lot better than I am. “I'll hide your mark again once we're alone,” she whispered to Rarity after having turned in her key, leading them both from the inn, leaving behind its comforting warmth for the biting cold of the city streets. A multitude of guards stood at tight intervals down the road, several of them with silver or green dragons by their sides. The ponies and griffons outside didn't seem to care or notice as they talked with one another while children with small dragons ran by and brushed past Twilight as they played through the streets. With a clearer head, Twilight began to take notice of the district's general attire and attitude. Unlike the district under Lord Balan, the inhabitants appeared very clean and well groomed with only snow gently flaked on their otherwise immaculate attire. She looked over to Rarity, her hair, though still hanging down in loose bundles, seeming more well kempt than it had just the day before. It was now wavy. It was certainly not the tightly spiraling curls she prized, but it was elegant just the same. Even her necklace was placed pridefully about her neck, her cloak and outfit cleaned and pressed, giving her a stylish adventurer look that didn't appear at all out of place. Twilight preferred not to know how ghastly she looked by comparison. The sun had only just risen above the outer walls of the city, the nigh horizontal rays of the sun setting the falling snow aflame, driving Twilight’s gaze lowered as she made her way through the masses. She noticed several ponies exchanging queer looks as she passed and quickly she fell in line behind Rarity. There was no wind to speak of, making the weather almost hospitable at the very least. Compared to the day before, the district felt quiet, relaxed even, something that Twilight desperately needed. The shops began to open as the sun rose higher, and more and more ponies trickled out of their homes. Most appeared in good spirits, laughing or joking around with one another, averting their gazes away from the soldiers that stood near them in a show of willful ignorance. Twilight and Rarity merged into the swelling crowd of ponies, placing as many locals as they could between themselves and the guards’ prying eyes. Twilight took another look at the list, looking for the shop name in any of the windows or signs. About a half-mile later, Rarity stopped in front of a building with a large red and silver banner hanging from its roof, a detail every shop seemed to share. It stood two-stories tall with wooden shingles that ran along the outer walls. A small wooden sign with hoof-carved words stood near the door. Book Shoppe it read. She glanced down at the list, mentally checking it off before placing it back into her bag. As she grew closer to the darkened shop window, she was taken aback by her reflection in the glass. Her eyes were sunk into her face, heavy bags hanging under them. Her mane was a mess, hairs askew and full of dirt that clung stubbornly to her fur from the days prior. Her swollen cheek had nearly gone back to normal, but had left behind a long red mark that still throbbed painfully with the memory of the blow. A decently-sized gash traveled from her forehead over her left eye to her ear, yet she didn't remember when she got it. A small bit of dried blood flaked away as she touched it, but the wound itself appeared to have healed nicely. She brushed her hair with her hoof as she wiped away some of the dried blood in an attempt to make herself presentable. This will have to do for now, I guess. Rarity trotted into the store, a chime marking her entrance. As Twilight entered, she was assaulted by the pulpy smell of the old book mixed with dust that could be seen in a haze as sunlight shone weakly through the windows. Instead of a roaring fire like the inn, the store was lit with small flickering lanterns placed on tables amid the rows and rows of shelves. They extended up the full two stories and nearly touched the ceiling, each of them packed with an array of books and scrolls. At the center, an old stallion was taking a book down from the shelf. His hoof as well as his horn were enveloped in a teal light along with the book that began to slowly float down towards them. Twilight noticed a strange design, a small circle with intertwining lines, drawn on the back of the old unicorn's trembling hoof. Twilight stood, quietly waiting for the stallion to finish his work, all the while trying hard not to break the silence with the cough building in her throat as she nearly choked on the dusty air. “Excuse me, sir,” Rarity called out, causing the old stallion to drop the book with a thud. He looked over at them, adjusting his glasses and squinting. “W-what is it?” he asked in a shaky tone, swinging a walking stick at his side as he hobbled towards them. He stepped close to them, bringing his head forward to get a better look at them. “You'd best not be here to wreck things again! I won’t pay for another book shelf!” “N-no, we're here looking for a book,” Twilight explained, watching the man back away. “Do you have anything by an Arcan Grizwald?” The stallion spat onto the floor, making the two reel back. He snorted before attempting to stand up straight. “A book? By that traitor? The day I let one of his books into my store is the day I spit on the great King Vale’s grave!” Traitor? He was just a professor. And from over two thousand years ago! What could he have done to be called traitor? “Do you know of any shop or library that would? It's very important that we get our hooves on a copy—” Rarity quickly stepped in front of Twilight and covered her mouth with a hoof. “Um, we’re not from around here.” “Bah! A pox on any stallion or mare that should seek it. Evil magic lurks within Arcan’s words, young mare. I'd do all I could to stay away from it if I were you,” the shopkeeper said, waggling a hoof at Twilight. “Is that all, or do you have more damnable names you wish curse my shop with?” “I do have this if you could take a look at it,” Twilight said, taking the small book she salvaged from the ruins out of her bag and handed it to the librarian. “It's hard for me to read it; I've never seen words arranged like that before.” The stallion squinted and slowly turned the pages of the book, carefully laying them one on top of the other as he flipped through. His face showed pains of determination as he read, making Twilight nervous as to what the book could be about. After a few moments, he placed the book down and huffed, sliding it back over to them. “Barbaric trash, that's what this is. Where did you get this, outside the walls?” “Yes, it was buried in some—” “Burn it. Nothing good could come from reading such vile lies.” He began to hobble back towards his fallen tome, mumbling to himself. Twilight carefully closed the text and put it away, watching intently the stallion draw the intricate design on his hoof with his horn before his hoof and the book began to glow once more. “Thank you for your help,” Rarity forced out, trying to be polite. The stallion responded with incomprehensible curses before resuming his focus on the book. “Let's just go,” she whispered to Twilight. “We still have three more places to look at least.” Every one of their attempts turned out the same. The libraries cursed them for merely mentioning the “traitor's” name in their presence while the only other bookstore’s owner laughed in their faces as their hunt for Applejack kept them trudging through the list. Not even hints of bribery could persuade the owners to give them even a clue of the text's possible location. Twilight didn't dare showcase the book from the forest to anyone else. The only text Twilight could get her hooves on was a simple spell book before they were kicked out of the small shop. Before the two unicorns knew it, night had fallen upon them, leaving only cold winds and stars to keep them company. With no other leads, they continued north down the road in disappointment. The amount of ponies outside had grown considerably, dashing their hopes of perhaps spotting a familiar stetson or blonde mane in the crowd. The amount of noise rose as well; not mechanical sounds, but yelling and laughing instead. They had entered the Dragon's Claw district, a sign at the side of the road said, in the district just north of where they had slept the night before. Ponies roamed the streets openly under the moonlight while vivacious music resonated around them. The buildings were illuminated in the soft yellow glow of the oil lamps that lined the street, revealing the seeming lack of guards posted near the alleys. Maybe they don't know of the hanging yet, Twilight thought, watching the citizens party carefree. A disoriented stallion stumbled through the crowd, slurring obscenities at anyone and anything he bumped into before running back inside a stark wooden building. Twilight watched for ponies’ reactions, but nopony did anything. They all simply brushed it off and kept moving. In Canterlot, let alone Ponyville, nights were never this loud or lively; they tended to be calm and serene, allowing Twilight time to study quietly. She had no idea what she would have done if this were the norm back home. “This place would look so much more exquisite were it only cleaned up a bit,” Rarity said, looking around at the brightly lit buildings. A lively air filled the streets as several of the folk were dancing to the music while still others laughed loudly with each other. The contrast to Balan's district was a welcome change, but the sheer number of ponies made it hard just to navigate. “Maybe we should take a little break tonight. Have a little fun; I know I could certainly use it.” “We don't have time for fun! Applejack is still out on her own, remember? Partying isn't going to help us find her,” Twilight argued, watching Rarity's face twist in disappointment. “What do we do then?” Rarity asked as they swerved about the masses. “Didn't you say that there was a black market somewhere where we could go?” “There is, but innkeeper was cryptic about it,” Twilight explained. “‘Past the twin spires and inside the belly of the wind’ was what she said. I haven’t found anything close to that around here.” Rarity sighed. “There may be one around here; security is certainly low enough.” She glanced around and took a whiff of the air. Twilight followed suit, taking in the aroma of hops and berries mixed with just a hint of vomit. The sharp wind carried it well enough, making her gag. “Perhaps somepony here knows about it. They seem quite a bit more relaxed than those stuffy librarians.” “It would be nice, but most of these ponies look drunk. What could they possibly tell us?” “Oh, Twilight. You haven't partaken much, have you?” Rarity laughed. “Why would I?” Twilight quipped. “To unwind, of course. I've had enough drinks with Applejack after her work days and with some of the elites back in Canterlot enough to know a few things. First of all, a fine merlot of chardonnay can be quite relaxing after a long day’s work. And second of all, never attempt to drink an apple farmer under the table when apple cider is on the menu.” “But apple cider isn’t alcoholic. Right?” “I see that Applejack hasn’t shown you around their new apple cellar.” Twilight suddenly felt a bit unsteady at the revelation of Applejack’s apparent bootlegging operation. “Anyways, darling, both Applejack and I have noticed some rather amusing things regarding the behavior of our fellow Equestrians in the company of the more hearty drinks. There is always a certain point at which the alcohol has loosened the jaw and thickened the tongue that one is more... willing to part with certain truths. I believe Applejack coined it the ‘stammering’ point. Find somepony close to that point and perhaps we will have our information sooner than you might think.” “If you say so,” Twilight replied with uncertainty. Alcohol was a rare substance in Equestria, or at least Twilight had thought so under her teacher’s strict supervision. Celestia had certainly kept what lay beyond Equestria’s borders a secret from her well enough. “Let's see what they know,” she exclaimed with more conviction. “Great!” Rarity said before breaking away and turning into one of the taverns. Twilight followed close behind, weaving through the crowd until she reached the open door. As she crossed the threshold from street to establishment, Twilight found herself swept into the crowd of patrons: earth ponies, pegasi and several unicorns, as well as a griffon or two, mingled inside the tavern. It was dark inside with only a few lamps burning on the tables, a stark contrast to the bright streets outside. A small string quartet had set up their instruments in the corner, playing a light and peppy tune. Rarity walked up to the counter and signaled to the black-maned stallion in a tan doublet behind it. He set down a wine glass and towel, and approached just before Twilight found an empty stool to sit on. Twilight sat next to Rarity and looked down the counter, seeing ponies and griffons hunched over their drinks and cupping them with both of their hooves or talons. Others across from her were chatting and pointing at something happening out on the road, but before Twilight could turn to see it, it was already over. She sighed, and turned to see Rarity already talking with the bartender with a drink already in front of her. “—festival with lights. I'm shocked that you didn't know about it,” the barkeep said, leaning in closer to Rarity as she smiled. “I‘ve just moved here from Carse, myself. It sounds lovely, though,” Rarity replied, idly curling her mane around a hoof. She slipped her other hoof into her bag and pulled out the bag of gold. “My friend and I are looking for something very important that we heard we could find here in Mistral City.” Rarity hooked a foreleg around Twilight, pulling her close. “What can I help you find? You know, there are so many things in Mistral that ponies come from all over the world for. I'm sure that I'll be able to help you out.” Rarity leaned in close, then looked to her sides to make sure no one else was listening. “We’ve received nothing but grief for our inquires. How can I be certain I won’t receive the same from you?” The barkeep snickered. “What could you possibly need that would cause you trouble around here? It is Dragon’s Claw after all.” Rarity paused for a moment before speaking just above a whisper, “We are looking for a book by Arcan Grizwald, and—” “Shh! Don't talk so loud,” he whispered, putting his hoof up to Rarity's lips. “I'm surprised no one’s arrested you for talking about him.” “What did he do, anyway?” Twilight asked. “All anypony has told us was that he was a traitor of some sort." “He lived so long ago and his actions weren't recorded, I believe, so most of what he did is a matter of hearsay and propaganda. No one really knows, but everyone has always seen him as a traitor, and most are frightened by anyone or anything that reminds them of him. To be honest, I’m still worried of what might happen if anyone were to find his works.” “Why would we be told that a copy of his book would be here if he's so reviled?” “Word is that he did write a spell book, but no one has seen it in ages.” “So, nopony knows where it is?” “I wouldn't say that. If anyone knows where it is, it would be Ross. He owns a bar just up town.” “Where up town?” Twilight asked, hoping for not yet another disappointment. “Go three blocks north of here and turn right on Canvas. It'll be the seventh building on your left. It has a red bricks on the bottom half of the building. You really can't miss it, especially not with how loud his patrons are.” “Thank you so much,” Rarity said enthusiastically. “You don't think that book is dangerous like the rest of the ponies we asked?” Twilight asked. “Won't your friend get in trouble if he tells us?” “Nah, of course not. He’s been around far too long to get caught because of that. Just make sure you have the money to pay him. He has a lot of inside information, even about things up in King’s Alley, but it ain’t gonna be cheap.” He paused for a moment while several patrons began screaming for him to get them more drinks. “Shaddup down there, you damn drunks!” he screamed, causing the ponies to temporarily fall silent before resuming their drunken banter. “I'm curious, why do you need it in the first place?” “It's to help a friend,” Twilight explained, watching Rarity slowly sip her wine. “Is that all I can help you with today?” he asked at a normal volume after a quick nod. “I have other customers, so I can't stay here too much longer.” “Could I just get a glass of water?” The barkeep laughed. “You’re not going to last long here if water is all you can handle.” He filled up a small glass with cold water and passed it to her. “Good luck,” he whispered before walking away to deal with the impatient drunkards. Twilight grabbed the glass and gulped the water down quickly, wiping a dribble of water from her lower lip with her hoof. She kept her eyes on the barkeep. What does he have to gain from this? she asked herself before turning her attention back to Rarity. Slowly, Rarity sipped her wine, her attention focused on the festivities outside. “Do you think he's telling the truth?” Twilight asked in a hushed voice. “Hm?” Rarity placed her glass down and turned to Twilight. “What if this ‘Ross’ is some sort of scam artist? That’s all the money we have. At least until we find someplace to exchange our bits.” “I think it would be worth a try at least.” Rarity took another sip. “If Grizwald’s book is truly as rare as this stallion says it is, we need every clue that we can get our hooves on.” “But if he has Calwyn banners inside and outside of the tavern, we find someplace else. We need stay away from Calwyn loyalists as much as possible.” “Agreed.” Rarity took a last large, yet dignified, gulp of the wine and stood up. “We should find somewhere to sleep as well. I'm getting quite tired.” Twilight nodded and stood as well, walking out with Rarity as the orchestra finished on a final, harmonious chord. The amount of ponies in the street seemed to swell along with the noise as they made their way north. Multicolored strings of light hung between the lampposts paralleling the road. Dancers in brightly colored garb performed twirls and flips just outside of the main herd, attracting several passersby to stop and toss copper and silver at their hooves and paws in adoration. The stench of booze hung thick in the air, but, with the wind having died down, was far more tolerable for Twilight. They walked quickly through the crowd, weaving through the festively attired ponies. Bright silver and green along with blues and oranges contrasted the browns and grays that had been so common in Balan’s district, and was a pleasant distraction from the crimson and silver that loomed overhead. The air seemed almost balmy amongst the crowd and under the multicolored lights, giving the bright colors an almost magical feel to them. They broke from the crowd and walked beside them, allowing them so that Twilight could see the signs that had been bolted to the tall, metal poles that stood at every street corner. A guard atop a white dragon with its tongue lolling out rode by, meeting up with another on a blue gray dragon before turning the corner onto Thicket Street. With their hurried pace, it only took a few minutes to reach Canvas Road. After a quick right turn, they trotted down past a few buildings and kept their eyes open for the brick exterior that the barkeeper had told them about. The street was much more dimly lit than the main road, the pitiful number of light strings struggling to illuminate the buildings. It was much quieter than the main road as well, and only grew quieter still as they moved east. Rarity huddled close to Twilight as each of them watched for anypony and anything moving in the shadows. A glowing sign stood out up ahead, attached to the window of one of the buildings. Twilight hurried to take a look, reading Ross's in bright yellow letters. Just as the barkeeper had said, bricks made up the bottom half of the building while, as far as she could tell in the low light, the upper half was covered in wood paneling. It wasn't the third building down the road as the barkeeper had told them, but it was close enough. No music could be heard from inside, but a loud, rumbling cacophony of incomprehensible voices bellowed from it. “Do you think this is it?” Rarity asked, running her hoof along the bricks and inspecting the dark gray residue that came off on her hoof. “Eww...” She shuddered before scraping her hoof against the cobblestone beneath her. “It is a bit... unclean.” “It fits the bill,” Twilight said. She looked up and down the road, seeing no pony or griffon around them for a few blocks. Perfect. “Lift up your cloak for a second?” she asked, turning to Rarity. The white unicorn nodded, sliding her cloak up with her magic. Twilight’s horn shone as she lowered her head and quickly cast the cutie mark removal spell, watching Rarity’s trio of diamonds vanish once more. “There we go. I think we’re ready.” “Thanks, Twilight,” Rarity said, her horn ceasing to glow before her cloak billowed back down onto her flank. Twilight took a deep breath and grasped the warm door handle. “Are you ready?” “The sooner we get our friends back the better,” Rarity answered, standing straight and diligent. “Here we go.” She opened the door slowly, feeling a blast of warm air escape through the door. They stepped inside and were almost instantly strangled by the coils of smoke that hung in the air with nowhere to go but out the door. The bar was dark with only small candles on each table for light. With no natural light, it was difficult if not impossible to tell what the walls were made from or how large the room actually was, but the oaken counter that greeted them as they walked in stood at the end of a straight, dividing path. After closing the door behind them, the two made their way to the counter. Few, if any, of the patrons stopped to take in the presence of the two mares, seeming to simply carry on drinking and talking. A lone stallion stood behind the counter, pouring a shot of liquor before downing it himself. He was bald, wearing an embroidered leather shirt, a green banner design on his chest with a golden eagle symbol at its center. A long, scraggly beard flowed down his face, speckled with gray and brown. Slamming down the tiny glass, he looked up at Twilight and Rarity just as they reached the counter. “Here for a drink, or just business?” he asked in a salty tone. A scowl seemed to be plastered onto his face, setting Twilight on edge. “We were told that we could get some information here,” Twilight explained, inciting a hearty laugh from the old keep. “Are you Ross?” “Ya' have some nerve comin’ down this road and not runnin’ with yer tails tucked between yer legs.” Several others took notice, chuckling along with the old stallion. “Ya’ heard right. The name’s Ross. What kinda information are ya looking for?” Rarity leaned onto the counter, and brought her head up next to Ross’s. “We’re looking for a book by Professor Arcan Grizwald,” she whispered. A look of confusion washed over Ross’s face. “Speak up, darlin'. I can't hear ya.” He put his hoof up to his ear, eliciting some laughs from the patrons’ lips. “We need Arcan—” “Louder!” he bellowed. Rarity’s face glowed red in frustration. “ARCAN GRIZWALD’S SPELL BOOK!” she yelled, huffing in anger before looking around nervously as the bar grew deathly silent. Twilight began to step away from the counter to make an escape lest any of them became violent. “Wasn't that easier?” Ross asked, clasping Rarity on the shoulder. “Ya’ came to the right—GET BACK TO DRINKING, YA’ BUMS!” he hollered, prompting the patrons to go about their business. “I won't pry into yer reasons fer needin' such a dark piece of our history, but if you can pay the price I'm sure I can help ya’ out.” “How much?” Twilight asked, watching Rarity take the coin bag out place it on the counter. “Twenty-five gold pieces. Plus four drinks each.” “Twenty-five!?” Rarity shrieked, quickly snatching the bag back. “That’s absurd!” “If ya can’t afford it, I guess ah’ll just keep it all to myself, then,” Ross threatened. Rarity looked over at Twilight, whom slowly sidled back up to the counter, then back at Ross. “We’ll take eight glasses. Your finest wines and liqueurs! At least four of them. The oldest vintages you have.” She glared at the barkeep. “Perhaps you can live in a place as dirty and dank as this, but we are ladies and we are going to drink in style, darling.” Ross stood, speechless, before bursting into laughter. “I like the fire in ya.” He stopped and placed his hoof up to his chin in thought. He went through the calculations in head, muttering them aloud just soft enough for Twilight to hear it. “It'll be thirty-seven... no, make it an even thirty-five gold, outsiders.” “How do we know that you aren't going to just take the gold and not tell us anything?” Twilight demanded. She looked over at Rarity and saw the jewel in the fashionista’s necklace flash for a split second as her eyes unflinchingly locked onto the barkeep. Twilight turned back to face Ross again. “If ya don't want my help, so be it,” Ross shrugged, pushing himself away from the counter. “I'd strongly suggest you run back to the safety of the festival then, because there ain't nothin' for you out here.” “Please, just tell us if you know about his book,” Twilight pleaded. The old barkeep stepped closer. “We're trying to help out our friends, and the only way we can is with Grizwald's book.” “Ya' see all those ponies and griffons in here? They all came to me fer information, and have kept comin’ back ever since, exchangin’ money for booze and secrets. I wouldn't be in business too long if I didn't keep my word, or I'd probably be dead.” He bent down, then emerged with eight wine glasses and set them down in front of them. “I know of the book you're lookin' for. What I would be telling ya’ll is information passed down from thousands of years ago, from back when Grizwald was still walkin’ about.” He sighed. “Unfortunately, that's all there is.” “There aren't any copies left?! B-but wouldn’t such an important document be—” “People weren't too fond of him after what happened in the Great Northern War. He became a traitor and his works locked away by the king, never to be read again. An’ that’s about all I can tell you for free.” “What should we do?” Rarity whispered. “If we had Applejack here, this would be so much easier.” After all of the hassle the bookstore owners and librarians had given them, Twilight didn't know if she was willing to trust anypony in this district anymore. The barkeep that had told them about Ross had certainly seemed nice enough, but she was still wary about this supposed ‘source.’ If what he said was true, and only one copy of the book remained, she had no choice but to put his trust in Ross. If he's wrong... “Give him the gold.” Rarity nodded and counted out thirty-five gold pieces onto the counter, shrinking the bag's bulk significantly. She slid them across the counter where Ross quickly scooped them up and placed them in a drawer. With a smile, he grabbed four bottles of wine off the shelf behind him and poured each into two of the glasses. They smelled intense: two glasses of a white wine with a hint of peach and vanilla, blood red raspberry liqueur, a pink strawberry and kiwi wine, and finally a creamy coconut wine. Twilight's mouth began to water immediately, watching condensation form on the crystalline glass. “Your drinks, imported from King's Alley itself.” “These look simply divine!” Rarity exclaimed, grasping one of the drinks and a small sip. “Oh, and it's delicious, too!” “I'm glad it could be to your liking,” Ross said before stepping aside. “WE HAVE NEW CUSTOMERS! EVERYONE OUT!” he shouted. Everypony and griffon who was sitting rose from their chairs and rushed towards the front door. They all left in a single file, leaving the building empty with the exception of Twilight and Rarity, and Ross who tapped hoof impatiently on the floor. Only a few moments later, the bar was completely silent. “Now, about your book. “There was a soldier in Grizwald’s time, a soldier in the good king’s army and a decorated hero at that. When the war was good and over, after Arcan had deserted, he and his troop found the ‘traitor’s book lyin’ in the wintry wastes. They took it straight to the king. The king ordered it locked away until Grizwald or his descendants were made to pay for their crimes against the crown. No one ever stepped forward and so it remains locked away.” “And how do you know this?” “Friend of mine, a captain in the city watch is one of that soldier’s ancestors. Tis a tale that has passed on from father to son through the generations.” Twilight thought over the story for a moment, prodding and poking it in her mind. “But what did Arcan do, exactly?” “Everypony’s convinced that he was a traitor, that he should never be mentioned. Even with all the information that passes through my bar, I honestly couldn’t tell ya. All I know is that they say after the war, he just up and vanished.” “Where did they hide his book?” “I was just gettin’ to that part. Accordin’ to my sources, it’s hidden somewhere beneath the city. Supposedly it’s at the end of an underground passage that you can only get to up in King's Alley. As unicorns, you shouldn't have any problem getting in as long as you can find the gold... or someone willing to part with a couple passes.” “Do you know where we can find any, or is this outside of our deal?” Ross laughed. “You're smarter than you look, kid. A few more gold and I'll spill a decent spot.” Twilight turned to Rarity. “Do we have enough gold to pay for this?” Rarity opened up the bag, pouted, then shook her head. “Not unless we wish to starve for the next few days.” “I guess we're done here,” Twilight said, grasping one of the wine glasses. She took a sip, and instantly her forehead began to throb. It went away in only a few moments, but it was enough to make her set it down. “Take a seat anywhere where there aren’t any glasses and enjoy the wine. Ya’ both look like you could use it.” He laughed to himself before throwing down a switch on the back wall. A loud bell chimed outside the building, prompting the patrons to file back into the bar and sit back down as if it were routine. As the volume returned to normal, the two unicorns took their wine and sat down at a wooden table near the middle of the room. Their table wobbled a little when they sat their drinks down, but Twilight was too intrigued by the barkeep's story to even notice. An underground passage... But why couldn’t you get to it from down here? Maybe it has the same enchantment as King's Alley, Twilight reasoned. She looked up at Rarity who had already finished half of her white wine. “This is simply exquisite, Twilight. You absolutely must try this,” Rarity exclaimed. A smile slowly crept along her face as she took another sip of the wine. The aroma alone made Twilight’s head swirl, but the fruity liquid went down smooth enough to make her not care. The peach and vanilla flavors lingered on her tongue long after she set the drink down. “It is pretty good,” Twilight admitted, taking another sip. “So, do you think he was telling the truth?” Rarity asked, finishing her white wine and sliding the glass to the center of the table. “It makes sense that they would hide it where most ponies can't even begin to look. But an underground passageway is a little hard to believe.” “The royal archives in Canterlot were dug into the mountain. It's no different really.” “It's completely different, Rarity,” Twilight exclaimed, drinking down half of the peach wine. “That upper level is essentially floating on top of the buildings down here; how is it even possible for a path like that to exist?” “We're in a country that is trapped in an eternal winter. They have different magic than we do, and can't get rid of the winter like we can.” “They can't change anything at all!” Twilight took another gulp of the wine, feeling her cheeks flush with warmth as a light haze began to cloud her judgment. “Did you see any pegasi in the sky when those storms came in? I sure didn't.” She paused to finish the remainder of the drink, head swimming as she did so. “We saw the moon out with the sun at the same time!” “Slow down, Twilight. These are strong wines. You haven't had any drinks before, so you're a bit of a light weight.” Twilight ignored Rarity’s comment as her attention traveled across the room, noticing several of the patrons watching their increasingly intense conversation. She grabbed the raspberry wine and took a gulp, letting the peach and vanilla that still lingered on his tongue mix with the red raspberry. She smiled as she did so, and drank a quarter of the glass as quickly as Rarity could tell her to stop. Not long after, her cheeks felt as if they could catch on fire at any moment, tingling maddeningly. Every time she moved her head, her vision would sway back and forth as she tried to make out ponies or objects in the thickening haze. Rarity took another sip of her second wine glass, looking as composed as she had back at the inn. “Are you okay?” Rarity asked, placing her hoof on the table. “You look a little off color.” “I...I'm fine,” Twilight said with a drawn out breath, her body swaying back and forth slightly. The room around her seemed to be spinning as her thoughts collapsed into an incoherent mess. Sounds of the liquored up patrons began to merge into a cacophony of unintelligible noise. She took the last gulp of the second glass of wine, placing her hoof on the table for her head to rest on. “What... What do we do... now?” “We keep our profiles low this evening, and find someplace to rest. Celestia knows you need it.” Rarity took another sip. “Low profile, gotcha,” Twilight exclaimed. It seemed like such a simple thing to keep aware of, but in her drunken haze it was hard for her to keep on task for anything. She yawned before looking into her backpack to make sure she still had everything as other patrons walked by. She scrounged around until her hoof brushed up against something metallic. With a quick jolt, she lifted the Element of Magic out from her bag and placed it on the table. “I don't remember the last time I put this on. Have you ever wondered why it’s a crown and not a necklace? It's strange...” “This really isn't the place for this, Twilight,” Rarity scolded her before Twilight placed the crown on her head. A giddy smile rose on her face as it rested on her head. “What if we run into griffons? Should... shouldn't I be prepared?” she asked, rubbing the purple star that topped the golden tiara. “You have your necklace on all the time.” “Yes, because I can hide it under my cloak,” Rarity explained sternly, noticing some of the patrons glancing at Twilight. “Put it away, ponies are staring.” “It’s fine, Rarity. Hold on, I'm going to go get some water.” Twilight stood. Her head instantly swam as she stumbled back into her chair, nearly falling over. She steadied herself and rose once more, squinting her eyes to get a better view in the dark. Carefully, she began to stagger over to the counter, stepping one hoof in front of the other as she wobbled back and forth. Her peripheral vision was a blur as she bumped by several of the tables, keeping her mind focused on the counter ahead. Just as she was about to reach the counter, her right foreleg crossed in front of her left, causing her to trip over herself and land face first on the floor. She groaned, adjusting the Element before attempting to stand. “Let me help you with that,” a gruff, leather-clad stallion said, reaching a hoof out and grasping Twilight's. The drunken mare felt herself being pulled up before the helping hoof suddenly halted. Twilight realized her cloak had flipped up and away from her flanks, where her cutie mark would be. “What's that?” “W-what's what?” Twilight asked, seeing the stallion's puzzled face. “That star... on your flank...” Twilight's pupils rapidly shrank as she felt some, panicked lucidity returning to her. I-it wore off already? In a panic, she wrenched her hoof away from the stallion, struggling to stand and straighten her cloak at the same time. “What's happening!?” a griffon shouted from the other side of the bar as the stallion slowly started to step away from Twilight. “I-It's...” the stallion stammered. “She’s got the demons’ brand!” The bar instantly erupted into loud cries of fear and anger as they all rose from their chairs, Rarity included. She pushed through the now forming sea of creatures, running up to Twilight and standing in front of her as she tried to stand. From under the tables, came a multitude of weapons, most Twilight was unable to identify. “It's j-just a birthmark!” Twilight stammered out as the crowd advanced undeterred. “Please, just listen to me—” “Get them! They're out to curse us again!” one of them cried, running forward with her weapon raised in their mouth. Twilight scrambled to her hooves, getting out of the way just before the assailant swung down and her blade into the floor. Twilight pushed through the angry crowd, trying to find a way out as Rarity backed into the back wall. “Hold still!” Twilight glanced to the front door, finding a pair of unicorns placing a seal that made it glow in a bright red light. She then took a quick look up to the counter, noticing that Ross had disappeared. Her attention was quickly brought back to the situation as a griffon rushed her with an iron bar, swinging it wildly. Twilight sprinted and stumbled between tables, narrowly avoiding the griffon's assault as another thrust down at her with a long sword. It scraped against her hide, leaving a long cut on her side as she shoved the griffon out of the way, knocking him over a table. Rarity leapt behind the counters, magically tossing full bottles at the coming swarm, knocking them back into each other. Spirits drenched the mob, holding them off as some fell to the ground, stunned. Without thinking Twilight rushed into the crowd, keeping low to weave through as a rain of alcohol sprayed him. “Don't let them through!” one of them shouted. “Send ‘em back to their graves!” another roared. Before Twilight could break out of the crowd, she was hit on the side of the head with a club, sending her crashing into the other members of the mob and down to the ground. Straining to keep her eyes open, she turned her head to Rarity, the mob closing in around her. “Rarity!” Twilight cried out, watching her wildly fling bottles and glasses at the oncoming attackers. Twilight’s vision dimmed as she could only watch as the patrons surrounded her, their eyes gleaming with malicious intents. I have to... get us out... she thought before closing her eyes and concentrating all her magical energies into her horn. With the last bits of her strength she expelled the built up energy, but something was amiss. A sudden surge of power coursed through her body as the spell was cast forth, snapping her eyes open. Energy seemed to spill from her body and the world around her turned a brilliant white as she released the massive magic influx from her body. A loud ringing filled her ears, drowning out everything else, and suddenly her body felt weightless. When the ringing stopped, everything was silent as Twilight sank down to the floor. The whiteness slowly faded, bringing the dingy bar back into focus. A soft purple light shone off those around her, giving them a strange, ethereal glow. Only the sounds of her beating heart and her heavy breaths filled the room. Confused, she slowly looked up from the floor, her mind strangely clear and her vision as sharp as ever. In a panic, she scooted back on the floor away from one of the patrons, seeing his body suspended, unmoving in the air as a mace was frozen mid-swing down towards her head. What's happening? Twilight asked herself, slowly standing up. Her headache had disappeared, along with the swimming sensation and tunnel vision that plagued her just a few moments ago. She blinked a few times, trying to process whether or not what she saw was even possible. Everyone and everything around her had completely stopped. The raging stallions, their varied weapons drawn and ready to strike, appeared as if statues to Twilight as she walked around them. Curious, she touched one with a hoof, unable to press into their skin as if they were made out of stone. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself as she noticed something moving on her back. But before she could investigate, a sharp pain began to rise in her chest as she started to pant. Her horn was still glowing with magical energy, her body trembling from the surge that was flowing through it. She stumbled forward, straining to push the many people in her way to the side in order) to reach the bar and Rarity. With a quick swipe of her magic, she easily parted the group and cleared the path through the mob and sent them flying towards the walls, but she grew lightheaded from the strain. Rarity was falling backwards off of the counter brandishing a bottle within a blue aura, ready to strike a stallion who was about to grab her. Twilight climbed up onto the counter, the pain in her chest becoming more intense as her energy began to wane. She grasped onto Rarity’s foreleg and pulled, but fell onto the ground as her body refused to move a single inch. She grabbed again, heaving and pulling until she collapsed once more. With no other option, she grit her teeth and enveloped Rarity in a bright purple light, carrying her frozen body over the counter and towards the left side of the bar. Twilight followed, her vision wavering as she held her friend, trying to think of a way out. As she jumped down from the bar, she landed face first on the floor. Her body sprawled out as she struggled to stand, feeling something soft and warm drape along her sides. She turned her head up and noticed a small door on the side wall behind the bar. She concentrated on the door, forcing the door open with ease before her breathing grew labored and her legs wobbled as she moved. With one final push, she grabbed Rarity and bolted out through the door, skidding across the ground on her side as the cool night air caressed her tired body. She quickly closed the door behind her, then let go of everything as horn dimmed to a soft glow before extinguishing completely. Rarity yelped as she suddenly found herself suspended in the air, hooves flailing as she crashed down into the snow, a bottle of wine crashing down beside her with a heavy thud. She scrambled around, investigating her surroundings then came to a sudden stop. After catching her breath, she sat down and put a hoof to her head. “W-what happened?” she asked, turning to Twilight. She let out a scream as she stumbled back, her eyes staring back at Twilight with a look of confusion and fear. “What's wrong?” Twilight asked, taking the crown off from her head. The purple star on the top still pulsated with light, though dimly as it slowly faded. “I can't even begin to describe—” “W-w-wings!” she hollered, pointing at Twilight. “Y-you have wings, Twilight!” “I do?” Twilight asked, looking behind her. Attached to her back were two large ethereal wings, glowing purple with a shroud of mist coming off of them as if it were made from vapor. The glow bounced off the brick and limestone buildings, enveloping the alley in their haunting light. Her breath quickened as she ran her hoof through them, feeling the soft feathers before they dissolved at the touch. “H-how is that even possible?” “Where'd they go?” the two heard from inside the bar. Twilight quickly rose to her hooves and ran towards Rarity, watching as the wings behind her turned to smoke and faded away, leaving only the lights of the stars and moon to light their way. Without a word, they began to gallop. They galloped until the sounds of the mob’s yells and hollers had faded away and they found themselves on a small, lantern-lit road. The sounds of the festival were distant as they stopped to catch their breaths. Twilight patted her back, finding no trace of the ephemeral wings left. She closed her eyes and slumped onto the ground, placing her hooves on her forehead. Her chest ceased throbbing as her body began to normalize, letting the snow on the ground and wall cool her body. “What happened back there?” Rarity asked, pacing. “One second I was being overwhelmed by those brutes, the next I was outside in the snow. Did...” Her eyes lit up before she ran in front of Twilight, kneeling down to meet face to face. “Did the Element of Magic activate?” “I think so,” Twilight answered, taking the crown out from her bag. The metal was warm as the barest pinpoint of light remained in the crystal star. “I don't remember being able to do that before.” “But you’ve done that plenty of times, haven't you?” Rarity stepped away. “You just teleported us out, right?” Twilight opened her eyes and explained everything that had happened in the bar, starting from when she had been struck by a club. Rarity listened intently, gasping at some of the things Twilight said. When Twilight was finished, Rarity slumped to the floor and grasped the Element of Generosity. “You stopped time? That's amazing!” Rarity exclaimed. “Imagine the possibilities!” Suddenly, a lone mare opened the door to a building next to the two Equestrians, taking out a few hoof-painted signs that stood on the street near the door before lighting the small wrought-iron lanterns beside her. “I almost collapsed from having to do it for only a few minutes. What could I possibly do if I can't stop it for long?” Twilight explained in a hushed tone. “Hey! You still got another hour before the festival moves down here!” the middle-aged mare yelled. “You two drunk or something?” “No, just lost,” Rarity replied. “Would you happen to know where an inn is located around here? We're new around these parts, and—” “Yeah, I could tell. There's one just up the road, but the prices are going to be steep. You'd best watch yourselves,” the brunette mare answered, pointing north before heading back inside. Rarity stood and helped Twilight to her hooves, dusting them both off. The sound of drunken revelry rose over the serene quiet as the lights that were strung between the light poles started to glow as if on cue. “Let's find that inn first,” Rarity suggested, starting to walk down the road. “I don't know about you, but I'm exhausted.” “Wait up,” Twilight exclaimed, catching up to her friend. “Did you hear what some of those ponies were saying in the bar?” “Like what? I heard a lot of yelling and screaming, but that's about it.” “One of them said to ‘put them back in their graves’...” Twilight mulled. “Do they mean the dead land?” “The what land?” Rarity asked, turning to Twilight. “When I talked to that blacksmith when we arrived, he said something about how the eternal winter started. He said it was a ‘punishment for the dead land.’ At first I thought it was just some strange myth, but I think that perhaps there’s something to it. After all, everypony thought Nightmare Moon was just a bunch of strange ramblings, right? Do you think he said that because he was close to that ‘stammering’ point?” “I don’t think so... It sounds like it was just as bad as something a sober stallion would say if they saw us. That, or he passed that point and became an incoherent mess. What do you think that has to do with us?” Rarity asked as the sign for the inn swung in front of them on a metal pole above the door. “I don't know yet. It must have to do with these ‘demons’ that they keep talking about out here.” Twilight pushed open the door and went inside; the atmosphere of the inn bore a striking resemblance to the one they had stayed in the night before. “We'll talk about it later.” Rarity nodded before paying the three gold for the room. She grabbed the key then they went up the stairs to the upper floor and entered the dark, chilly room. They dropped their bags to the floor before Twilight lit the hearth, filling the room with much needed light and warmth. “The Element of Magic could be a great help to us here,” Rarity said, fluffing the pillows. “Could you imagine? Maybe you could even turn back time! We would be able to find where Applejack went without missing a single minute!” Twilight sighed. “Unless I can find a way to reroute the excess energy back into the Element, I’m basically a magical time bomb, Rarity.” “Oh... well, I'm sure you'll figure out a way, darling." Rarity stripped herself of her cloak before climbing into bed, carefully inching her way into the sheets. "We need to get some rest.” “I was going to take a look at that book before we did anything else. If I can rearrange the words, I could—” “Tomorrow, Twilight. We still have to look for Applejack, remember?” Rarity said before closing her eyes. “Just try to get some sleep.” “Don't worry about me,” Twilight said in an assuring tone, watching as Rarity nodded off. She grabbed the old text out from her backpack and set it carefully on the wooden floor. Magically, she turned the pages one at a time with cautious as to not rip the already aged book. The words were arranged in an unusual order, with outdated words and phrases littered throughout. Twilight grabbed a quill and ink from the nightstand and pulled out a parchment scroll. She began transcribing the words on the back of the scroll, hunting for what appeared at a quick glance to be important passages. She worked until the crowd of drunken festival goers had descended like locust upon the quiet street, yelling and stammering as they did so. She worked until the quiet once more, burying her nose into the book, transcribing each sentence as well as she could. As the flames died down to but a bare flicker of light, Twilight held up the full parchment and began to piece them into something intelligible. “Among the wooded groves and flower-laden fields, the ponies of the caste trotted down the silent road. The Ventian lord, draped in crimson silk, followed by a trolley of sharpened steel and magical parchment. “To his side, a cloaked figure walked, standing upright and towering the rest. In his right, bore an ivory staff with his voice low and grave. His skin, peach, and long hair, gray. He walked beside the king. “And they spoke of war.”

Foetohn

40

Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Spike,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Samurai Twilight

hiatus

<p>Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! (FiM/Samurai Jack fusion)</p>

everyone

2011-10-31T04:26:39+00:00

2011-10-31T04:26:39+00:00

Long ago, in the magical land of Equestria… Samurai Twilight My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro studios Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network Episode 1: Our Tail Begins Twilight Sparkle, favored student of Princess Celestia and chronic bibliophile, tore through her lavishly furnished and heavily bookshelved study like a purple typhoon, which is to say she ordered her assistant Spike around as he did the typhoon-ing. The purple unicorn sighed in frustration as the baby dragon hauled himself up a ladder to one of the top shelves and began struggling to read the titles of the crowded tomes, often mispronouncing the longer words. “A Treat-iss on Auto-the-oh-crat-ik Government.” “No, not that one.” “The Sun-der-ing of the Dragon Lands.” “No.” “The Princess- hey, wasn’t this one banned?” “That’s not important right now, keep searching!” “A Beginner’s Guide to Eck-toe-biol-glogy.” “Uhh, no, definitely not that one.” “Supernaturals.” “What? What’s that one- no! I can’t afford to be distracted now!” Twilight shook her head, tossing her already slightly frazzled mane around. “Argh! Where is that book?! I could have sworn I saw it just the other day!” Spike shrugged, the motion combined with letting go of his grip on the ladder causing him to fall. Luckily, Twilight, distracted as she was, managed to catch him. The dragon brushed dust from his scales and shrugged once more. “Who knows? I still don’t see why you’re getting so worked up over an old mare’s tail that you haven’t even read all the way through. You should totally just relax and head out to one of the all-night parties for the Summer Sun Festival!” Twilight frowned. “Even if I wasn’t busy I wouldn’t do that. Those parties are such a waste of time! Everypony just stands around talking about things that don’t matter. Focusing on my studies is far more important!” Spike sighed and turned to tidy up some of the many fallen books. “You know, even Princess Celestia’s been saying you should get out more. You can’t-“ “Yes, thank you Spike, next time I want social advice from a dragon I’ll be sure to-“ Spike gave Twilight a level stare, and she flattened her ears in embarrassment. “Sorry Spike, I didn’t mean that. I’m just so worried about the prophecy…” Spike didn’t lighten the force of his stare for a moment. “You mean the story you may or may not have actually read about and can’t remember clearly.” Twilight looked out the window at the setting sun and then back indoors to the great hourglass who’s sands lasted a whole year, turned over only when Princess Celestia raised the sun at the Summer Sun Festival. Both indicated that little time remained before Twilight’s theory would be proven or disproven the hard way. “If only I could have read the end of the story! How did Princess Celestia defeat Nightmare Moon? And if she’ll be returning, can the Princess win again?” Spike shrugged, an action he was repeating with increasing frequency as of late. “Maybe you should ask her yourself.” Twilight perked up. “Of course! Why didn’t I think of that before? I’m sure she would be happy to tell her most favored, most faithful student about something as important as this!” Grabbing a scroll and quill with her magic, she floated them over to Spike. “Spike, write this down and sent it to the Princess immediately!” Spike rolled his eyes, but took the pen and paper. Twilight began. “My dearest teacher, my continuing studies of magic have lead me to discover that we are on the precipice of disaster!” “Hold on…” Spike scribbled furiously. “Presi- presee-“ “Threshold.” Twilight appended. “Threh…” The baby dragon attempted to sound it out. “Brink?” The purple unicorn offered. Spike shrugged apologetically. Twiligh’s hoof met her forehead in a display of exasperation. “That something really bad is about to happen! For you see, I have found hints of a prophecy that says that the dreaded Nightmare Moon will soon return from her imprisonment! Something must be done if we are to avoid this terrible prophecy coming true! I await your quick response. Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle.” Spike continued writing for a few moments, and then finished with a flourish to hide the drops of ink he had spilled at the bottom. “Aand done!” “Great, send it.” Said Twilight. “Right now? But the Princess is going to be really busy getting ready for the Summer Sun festival tomorrow…” “Exactly! We don’t have any time to waste, it’s imperative that the Princess is told right away!” Spike grudgingly did as Twilight said, breathing out a wisp of green flame that devoured the paper and sent it floating through the air in a cloud of enchanted smoke. “There, it’s gone. But I wouldn’t hold your breath.” He warned. “Oh I’m not worried.” Twilight smiled. “In all my years as her student, Princess Celestia has never doubted me!” Hours later… “Argh! Why hasn’t she responded yet?” Twilight paced back and forth through her study. Spike cried out as his book fort collapsed, and he vanished in an avalanche of paper. Twilight sighed and levitated the books into stacks, freeing her assistant. “So have we saved Equestria yet?” The baby dragon asked sheepishly. “No Spike, I haven’t heard anything back from the Princess! I hope she at least read my letter…” The door swung open, propelled by the hoof of a white Pegasus in gold armor, one of the Palace Guard. Twilight jumped in surprise, and knocked a stack of books over on to Spike. “Twilight Sparkle?” The guard queried in a gruff voice. “Yes, that’s me.” Twilight was baffled by the intrusion. “Is there something I can help you with?” “Orders from the Princess. You are to pack all of your most essential possessions and depart immediately by ship.” Twilight’s bewilderment grew. “What? For where? And why? This is so sudden, how immediately did she mean?” The guardpony had little to offer in the way of explanation. “I do not know your destination, or why the Princess has ordered this. I know which ship to take you to, and that is all. She seemed rather urgent about this, and delivered the order to me herself.” Despite her confusion, Twilight knew she could not defy a direct order from the Princess. Hopefully she would get a full explanation later. “All right, fine, just let me get packed, I’ll only be a minute.” Several more hours later… Spike dozed on a pile of discarded books as the pegasus guard gently beat his forehead against the doorframe. Twilight still had yet to finish packing, a plethora of ongoing tasks and chores that would need taking care of in her absence vied for her attention and won, so she spent much of the time writing an exhaustive list. “Miss Sparkle” the guard finally interjected, after he had worn a sizeable dent into the wall, “The Princess did express a sense of urgency with her orders. I think everypony will understand if you don’t leave instructions for every contingency regarding the watering of your plants, given the circumstances.” Twilight looked up from her pile of notes. “You’re probably right, but I’m almost done. Just a few more things to add to the list, then I’ll be ready.” “It’s been several hours since I was sent to find you, at this point, I think we just need to go and stop worrying about things.” Twilight groaned and set her pen down. “This is just so sudden! There’s so much to take care of, and I just know I’m forgetting something!” The white pegasus stepped forward and lifted one of Twilight’s bags from the floor. “Whatever it is it can’t be important enough to warrant more of a delay. It’s time to go.” Twilight, not really listening, spun around to look out the window. “The moon!” Spike bolted upright in his paper bed. “It wasn’t me!” “The legends say Princess Celestia sealed Nightmare Moon in the moon itself after defeating her! That must be the key! I just need a little more time, I can find that book, and then we can leave!” She turned back to the guardpony, but he wasn’t looking at her. He continued to stare out the window, to where the moon hung low in the sky. “What are you…” She trailed off as she saw what was happening. The stars had aligned themselves around the moon radiating outwards, and even with just a glance Twilight could guess that they pointed to the main ley-lines running through Equestria. The guardpony put a firm hoof on Twilight’s shoulder. “Ma’am, we need to leave. Now.” She glanced back at him, and saw fear in his eyes. “You know something, don’t you?” “There isn’t time.” “I’m not going until you explain what you know! The Princess must have told you something!” “Miss Sparkle, you will be coming with me whether you are conscious or not. I have my orders, and if I have to drag you to that ship for your own safety I will, but I’m sure we’d both prefer it if you were able to make it on your own hooves.” Twilight frowned. “Are you threatening me?!” The guard snorted, but before he could reply, the ground quaked, vibrating as a gong struck by a hammer. Twilight snatched up her remaining bags and bolted for the door. “You make an excellent argument, sir!” The pegasus followed her out into the hall, easily keeping up with the bookish unicorn. Flapping his wings a few times, he lifted off and cleared her head, landing in front of her and leading the way. At the end of the hall, Twilight skidded to a halt. “Spike! I forgot Spike!” “I’m, *huff*, right here, *puff*, Twilight…” The young dragon gasped as he scrambled to catch up. “Staying right, *pant* behind you…” Twilight grabbed him by the tail and swung him up onto her back. Everything accounted for as far as they could tell, Twilight and the guardpony galloped through Canterlot, capital city of Equestria, down towards the docks. As they ran, the ground shook again, more violently this time, and the screams of panicked ponies rose up from all around. A few were taking to the streets, but most seemed to prefer to cower in the safety of their homes, surrounded by their friends and family who they had been partying with only minutes before. “Hurry, this way!” The guardpony lead Twilight down a series of back alley shortcuts, and they soon arrived at the Canterlot Port, where many ships were tied at the docks. From tiny vessels made to carry only a hooffull of ponies, to Princess Celestia’s personal grand liner, all the way up to the Sunrise, flagship of the Equestrian Navy. The trio passed by the warships without a second glance, but Twilight was a little surprised that they continued by the royal transports. Her pegasus guide took her all the way down to the furthest end of the docks, and gestured for her to get in to one of the rowboats used for traveling between the shore and ships out at anchor. Twilight secured her bags and Spike, who had fallen asleep again, as the guardpony untied the boat and took flight, towing it by one of the ropes out to sea. A thin mist rolled over the water, limiting visibility slightly, but the lights of Canterlot shone through. More ominously, the moon overhead glowed with an intense, cold light, looming over Equestria. Twilight shivered, only partially from the chill sea air. She must have dozed off, because the next thing she knew the guide rope plopped down into the boat, and the guardpony hovered just above the bow of the rowboat. “We’re here.” He pointed out to sea, where a thick bank of fog obscured an approaching dark form. “That vessel will take you where you need to go. The captain knows what to do.” The ship slid out from the mist, its low, sharp hull cutting through the water with ease. The sails were unlike any Twilight had ever seen, instead of billowing canvas sheets, they were held rigid by many smaller spars. To her relief, stylized sun marks were painted all over the vessel, the sign of an Equestrian ship. As it passed by the rowboat, hooks on ropes were dropped to lift it up even with the deck. Crewponies helped her over the side and onboard, along with her bags. Spike was carried off with Twilight’s luggage, taken over to the deck cabins where they would be staying. To Twilight’s surprise her Pegasus guide landed on deck and embraced her. “I’m sorry our meeting had to be cut off so abruptly, but it was an honor to meet you. Princess Celestia has told those of us who knew about this coming darkness so much about you. You’re our best hope, Miss Sparkle. The Princess trusts you with the future of Equestria, and so do we all.” “I- what? What are you talking about?” The purple unicorn was baffled. The guardpony let her go, and stepped back. “I know this is hard for you, it is for us all, but never forget, you aren’t alone. No matter what happens, wherever the sign of the sun still stands, you will be amongst friends.” He spread his wings, and lifted off from the deck. “Wait!” Twilight called after him. “You never told me your name.” The guardpony laughed. “You can just call me Swift.” With a powerful flap of his wings, he flipped over the side of the ship and took the rowboat’s guide rope in his mouth. As he pulled it back towards land, Twilight watched after him, more confused than she ever had been in her life. The sun never rose during the journey across the sea, but it was fairly obvious that the voyage took more than a single night. Something was preventing the sun from rising, and it had the crew on edge. The confirmation of her suspicions brought Twilight no solace; in this case she would have much rather been wrong. After an indeterminate amount of time the ship pulled in to the docks of a Zebraland port, where a delegation of tribal representatives waited to greet them. The unusually long night had them agitated, but they still welcomed the Equestrian crew and passengers with the hospitality they were famed for. Twilight was brought to the meeting hall of the city where the chieftains of the Zebra tribes who had pledged their friendship to Princess Celestia were gathered. Here they explained to her the great plan that had been concocted in secret, requiring the involvement of all of Equestria’s allies. Celestia had foreseen the return of Nightmare Moon, and not wanting to tear the world apart in apocalyptic battle with the dark goddess, she would choose a mortal to be trained in the ways of magic and combat by the greatest masters across the world. It was a lot to take in, but she would have to adjust to it on the fly. There just wasn’t time for her to gradually pick up on the skills she would need, so her training would be accelerated and harsh. Still, the Princess had entrusted her with this noble mission, and for Princess Celestia, Twilight would endure. Her training began here, in Zebraland, where she learned the basics of combat, outside of the few books on the matter she had glanced at. After the first set of lessons she collapsed into bed, with sore muscles that she hadn’t even known she’d had before. A rough approximation of days was kept track of through a system of hourglasses, and as they passed Twilight found that she could train for longer and was less exhausted each time. Spike spent the time playing with the young zebras and being pampered by scholars who had never seen a dragon for themselves, something he was not afraid to inform Twilight of as she toiled under the watchful eyes of her instructors. After one too many of these interruptions, Spike was made to train alongside her for a day. He was much more supportive after that. Eventually the time came for Twilight to leave Zebraland, and she had to say her goodbyes to the ones she had so briefly befriended. She waved her farewells as she and a pair of the most skilled warriors of all the tribes departed on hoof, Spike riding comfortably on her back. They galloped along the dry scrublands for what would have been days, had there still been such a thing, until they eventually arrived in the kingdom of the Water Serpents. Here they were accepted with the hospitality the Water Serpents were famed for, before Twilight was subjected to the rigorous elemental thaumaturgy training they were also famed for. Here at least a semblance of night and day was kept through the use of thousands upon thousands of enchanted lanterns that were lit and dimmed to represent the changing times. It never grew brighter than an orange-tinted twilight, but somehow the purple unicorn felt at home in it. Twilight’s training began with lessons in meditation, so that she could calm her mind in even the most chaotic of situations. Spike sat in on these lessons, at first acting as a distraction with his bored fidgeting, but later joining his pony friend on the bank of a slow stream, or on top of a grassy hill as they did nothing but quiet their inner turmoil. The final test of meditative ability took an entire day, requiring Twilight to sit alone on a raft in the market center as the Serpents went about their business all around her. This first aspect of her training completed, Twilight was then allowed to enter the temple of the Serpent Magi. There she met the eldest and most powerful of all the Water Serpents, whose mastery of the natural elements were unmatched by any mortal in the world. The lessons here built upon her meditations, teaching her to see magic the way the Serpents did, as an interaction of the five elements of fire, water, earth, wood and metal. Already a powerful, if untrained mage, Twilight took to these lessons with gusto, working until she collapsed into bed each night exhausted in mind and body, but happy with what she was doing. After training with the Water Serpents she and Spike journeyed to the Ursine Soviet Socialist Republic, the largest nation of Bears in the world, and it was there that Twilight was taught to grapple with both hoof and magic by the powerfully muscled Bear warriors. She also learned to laugh at their dark, almost fatalistic jokes, told in their strange reversed way of speaking. From there they were taken to Neighpon, a Pony kingdom far to the east of Equestria, ruled by an emperor who never showed his face. From there it was a short trip to the Dragon Wastes, the scorched desert home of the Dragons. When her time there was up, she was flown into the mountains that marked the eastern border of Equestria, where the Griffons made their aeries, while Spike stayed with his dragon brethren where he would be safe until Equestria was freed. Here the final steps of her training were completed under the watchful eyes of the Queen Mother of the Griffons, a fierce and proud warrior-Queen who was said to be a match for even Princess Celestia in physical combat. Several years had passed since Twilight had departed Canterlot on the eve of the summer sun festival, and she hardly resembled the bookish student she had been. Fit, strong and much more skilled in the practical applications of her magic, she felt that she was ready to fight against the legions of Nightmare Moon’s followers, however taking on the Mare in the Moon herself was still an intimidating prospect. Luckily while she herself did not know how her mentor had expected her to duel such a powerful enemy, Princess Celestia had planned ahead, and a small escort of Griffon warriors brought Twilight back in to Equestria under the cover of a storm, and for the first time she was able to see what had become of her home. The fires of industry, war, and the industry of war were ever-hungry; the glowing furnace maws deep under Canterlot gaping open, devouring every bit of fuel that was shoveled into them by the enslaved populace. Until recently, Equestria’s vast natural resources had gone unexploited for the most part, the ponies having little need for industry, but with the rise of Nightmare Moon, Queen of Equestria, God-Empress of all Ponykind , The Mare in the Moon, there was a sudden rise in demand. Legions of foul monsters conjured from darkness and evil required weapons and armor; stomping, clattering automatons powered by steam were forged from metal and enhanced with enchanted gems, all a part of the vast machine of war the dark goddess was assembling. Soon they would march out across the land, to eventually conquer the entire world. The smoke and fumes from the great furnaces and the metalworks they heated were piped away from the city, so that they would not cover the night sky, the grand tapestry of Nightmare Moon’s ongoing work. As a result, many of the outlying areas were covered in a perpetual pall of foul smog, dissipated only by the occasional strong wind. To the north of Canterlot, the Spiral Horn mountain range stabbed up from gently rolling hills, their steep sides giving enough of a resemblance to a unicorn’s horn that their name actually made sense, unlike some of the geographical features that had been re-named by Nightmare Moon upon declaring herself queen. The highest peaks were tall enough to have a dusting of snow, even in summer. With the chill brought on by years of unnatural night, they more closely resembled mid winter. At the very top of one mountain, unremarkable from the rest, an ancient stone monastery stood; solid stone walls weathering even the fiercest of storms. The altitude and uncontrollable weather made it impossible for pegasi to fly here, and the steep cliffs made climbing difficult at best, and deadly at worst. Nightmare Moon had not considered it worth her attention and effort, and so it had remained untouched through the years. Untouched, but not abandoned. As Twilight and her Griffon guardians approached the monastery, ponies in white cloaks rose from the snow where they had been hidden. Quick words were exchanged and the group was hurried inside, out of the biting wind and ice. Once indoors, the purple unicorn was introduced to the last free members of Princess Celestia’s loyalists, and the guardians of the final key in the Princess’s plan. Time was of the essence now, and their introductions were brief. The artifact they held had been hidden, but was reacting to Twilight’s presence, and would soon draw dangerous attention. If the confrontation with Nightmare Moon were to happen here, the results would be disastrous, and there would be unnecessary casualties inflicted by the powers unleashed. The duel would have to be initiated on their terms in order to have a chance of success. Above the glowing furnaces of Canterlot, but still beneath the city, the former guards and servants of Celestia’s palace toiled in sweltering heat radiated by the foundries. Here they hauled carts of barely-cooled slag from the forges, turned the wheels of great machines and chanted litanies of praise to Nightmare Moon that would never reach her ears. Nightmare Moon’s elite guard, the Shadowbolts, pegasi constructed from pure shadow, oversaw the laborers, providing the occasional cuff with a wing when they thought it necessary. In the center of the cavern a lone pegasus strained against a capstan on the bottom of a tall effigy of Nightmare Moon, the despot’s visage carved into purple-stained wood. Every shift he remained, constantly turning the statue to give the illusion that its tireless gaze swept over the workers. The white pegasus had been forced to work this pointless task years ago, most likely in the hopes that he would die of exhaustion. He obviously had other plans in mind, as he had survived the grueling task through sheer bloody-mindedness, even retaining enough spirit to give the slave drivers the occasional defiant glare. Despite his determination, his body had been worn down to nearly the breaking point, and his steps were slow and plodding. A steam whistle blew, echoing through the chamber and signaling a brief moment of respite for the workers. Grateful, the pegasus slumped against the wheel, making sure to keep an eye on the guards. A small filly, her tangled mane ragged and filthy from lack of care, approached him while carefully balancing a bowl of water on her back. “Some water for you, sir.” She said with a timid voice. With a sharp crack one of the Shadowbolts whipped her wing between the two ponies and knocked the bowl to the ground. “No water for this one!” She rasped with her harsh voice. “I’m sorry!” The filly bowed so low her nose scraped the dust before scurrying away. Frowning, the pegasus defiantly leaned down to the puddle where the water had fallen. The Shadowbolt snorted. “I said no water!” Her wing lashed out again, but it did not strike. Struggling, she turned to see what had grabbed her. The dark blue, almost violet eyes of a furious pony stared back into hers. “No more.” The unicorn’s voice was cold. The dark pegasus sneered. “Stay out of this and I might be so generous as to let you live.” The unicorn narrowed her eyes. “I am giving you a single chance to leave, never look back, and survive what is coming.” “Never, I am loyal to my Empress, and I will strike you down for your words!” The unicorn responded by headbutting the Shadowbolt and blasting her with magic, dissolving the shadowy mare’s form. More Shadowbolts rushed in, drawn by the commotion. They surrounded the lone pony, snorting and stomping threateningly. As one they rushed forward, intent on overwhelming their foe with a flurry of kicks and wing strikes. The purple unicorn vanished behind a wall of flailing limbs for a moment, and then a bright light burst forth, throwing the dark pegasi back and burning through them, leaving only rags. The slaves stared in open awe at the demise of their captors; unable to believe what they were seeing was real. The white pegasus chuckled softly as the unicorn approached him. “Took your sweet time getting here, didn’t you Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight studied his face before a look of recognition crossed her features. “Swift, what’s happened here? I saw the shadow over Equestria, but what did Nightmare Moon do to all of you?” Swift sighed and shook his head. “She’s enslaved the entire population, those who didn’t escape or hide that is, all of us are working in the mines, or those blasted foundries of hers. She’s stripping the land of its resources to fuel her war.” “War with who?” “Everyone. The whole world. She’s going to expand her empire until there’s nowhere left to go.” Swift paused as the filly from before brought him another bowl of water. “But you’re back, you’ve got a plan, yeah?” Twilight nodded. “I traveled around the world, honing my magic and learning to fight. I have been taught by the masters of every race in every land. But that’s not going to be enough. Princess Celestia left something for me, the final piece in her plan.” Twilight took a sphere of white stone from her saddlebags. It bore upon its side the carving of a star-shaped gem, but no other markings. “The Element of Magic!” She held it aloft with a thread of power from her horn. “The key to Nightmare Moon’s defeat!” A quick burst of power channeled into the stone created beams of light that lanced out to shatter the chains and shackles that bound the slaves. They gathered around Twilight in wonder, excitement and hope in their eyes. Only Swift looked skeptical. “Could it really be that easy? If that thing has the power to beat Nightmare Moon, why didn’t somepony just use it the night she returned?” “It’s not quite that simple, unfortunately.” Twilight explained. “The Element is very picky about who it will allow to wield it. Luckily Celestia somehow knew beforehoof that it would choose me, which is why she had you take me away from the capitol before Nightmare Moon’s return.” Swift gave a slight smile. “An ancient magic that can only be used by the chosen one to defeat the dark goddess? Sounds a bit like the stories I used to read growing up.” “Well this time it’s not a story.” Twilight helped Swift to his feet and turned to address the freed slaves. “Nightmare Moon will fall, and Princess Celestia will return to make things right. I promise you, I will not fail!” “Nice speech,” Swift nudged her forward as the ponies around her cheered. “But that’s not getting us any closer to overthrowing Nightmare Moon. You get going; I’ll get this lot out to free the other workers.” Twilight made her way up through the work cavers to the city proper, destroying Nightmare Moon’s shadow creations when she encountered them. She was horrified by the devastation she saw when she reached the streets of Canterlot, or those that remained at least. Where Princess Celestia’s palace once stood a spire of black stone had erupted from beneath the city, shattering the ground. The ruined buildings were abandoned; those ponies who had not been enslaved had fled to the surrounding kingdoms. The climb to the base of the tower was unremarkable, phantom figures rose in wisps of vapor from the cracks, but nothing attacked the lone unicorn magician as she approached Nightmare Moon’s citadel. An unguarded portal gaped open, fanged as if it were an oversized maw. With a start, Twilight realized it was actually the jawbones of an elder dragon, held open by thick pistons that could no doubt slam them shut with enough force to slice an intruder in half. Stepping past the still sharp teeth, Twilight ascended a gentle slope of the same black rock that the rest of the tower was made from. It had a smooth, flowing quality, as if it had been soft when it emerged from the heart of the earth and allowed to flow a little before solidifying. Combined with the cool, damp breeze smelling faintly of decay coming from further within, it made Twilight think of a massive frozen corpse. Gritting her teeth and ensuring that the Element of Magic was easily accessible, she continued forward, towards the court of Nightmare Moon. The slope became a spiraling stairway, corkscrewing up the interior of the tower until it reached a wide, round room open to the night sky. A multitude of stars stretched out above Twilight, shining points of cold, hard light arranged in a breathtaking tapestry of terrible, harsh beauty. Substance without a soul, it served only to show those below it how tiny and insignificant they were in the face of the night. The platform was arranged as a dark parody of Princess Celestia’s throne room, a deep blue carpet running along the black floor to a great obsidian throne decorated with delicate silver runes. The throne was unoccupied, but Twilight could sense a malevolent presence nearby. “Nightmare Moon!” She called out. “Show yourself!” Thunder rolled all around, a deep note that shook the entire tower, and for a moment Twilight feared she had walked into a trap. Then, the sky split open, and a crack like a grinning mouth filled with shadows disgorged a blob of darkness so deep it appeared to be a hole in space. The mass shifted as it fell and a pair of vast wings blotted out the starlight, tips clawing upward as if to tear the very stars from the sky. Four hooves shod in dark purple star-metal touched down, kicking up sparks of negative light when they touched the obsidian floor. A mane the color of a starless frozen winter night shifted in a breeze that wasn’t there around a needle-sharp black horn backed by an aura of darkness, as if it were eclipsing a void beyond shadow. Nightmare Moon opened her violet eyes, pupils slitted like those of a dragon’s, and gazed down at the tiny figure who challenged her. “Who dares summon me, the Mistress of Misfortune, the Dealer of Darkness, the Queen of Calamity, Nightmare Moon?!” Twilight Sparkle planted her hooves firmly and shouted her reply, “I am Twilight Sparkle, faithful student of Princess Celestia and lost daughter of the land you have pillaged! I am here to reclaim it and return Princess Celestia to her rightful place as ruler of Equestria!” Nightmare Moon threw back her head and laughed. “HAH! FOAL! No mortal can harm Nightmare Moon!” Twilight leapt forward, a wave of power from the Element of Magic slamming in to Nightmare Moon’s legs, tearing away at the aura of darkness that surrounded her. “WHAT?!” The dark mare whirled. “No… I recognize that stone! The Element of Magic? But how- no matter, you have not the power to wield its full potential! I will destroy you as I did that FOAL Celestia!” “What have you done with the Princess?!” Twilight charged herself with magic and launched herself at Nightmare Moon like a missile. “Am I not royal enough for you?” Despite her size, Nightmare Moon was fast, and warped her form to slide around Twilight. “Equestria is mine! And soon, throughout the world, the night will last forever!” “But you’re not powerful enough for that yet, are you?” Twilight rebounded off a pillar and soared up into the air to rain spears of light down on her opponent. “You can’t conquer the world by yourself!” “Clever girl.” Nightmare Moon snarled as some of the lances pierced her shadows, burning her. “But with you gone nopony will have the power to even touch me!” Twilight channeled all of her considerable power into the Element of Magic, causing the stone to ring in high-pitched tones. An aura of light in the shape of a giant hoof formed around her, stomping Nightmare Moon flat onto the throne room floor. Twilight landed before the fallen alicorn and readied her last reserves of power. “With this final blow, I banish you back to the moon from whence you came!” “You may have beaten me now, but I will destroy you in the future.” Nightmare Moon gasped. “There is no future for you.” Twilight’s horn sparked with light and magic, seconds away from finishing the goddess. “I disagree.” With a harsh screech, Nightmare Moon’s body twisted into a double loop, one half black and the other white. “What-?“ Twilight was cut off as a portal enveloped her. Nightmare Moon collapsed on the floor, groaning with exhaustion. “You will see me again, Twilight Sparkle, but next time, you will not be so fortunate.” Trapped within a churning vortex of time, Twilight’s mouth opened in a silent scream as everything came apart around her.

Foetohn

40

Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Spike,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Samurai Twilight

hiatus

<p>Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! (FiM/Samurai Jack fusion)</p>

everyone

2011-07-30T07:05:59+00:00

2011-07-30T07:05:59+00:00

Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! Samurai Twilight My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro studios Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network Episode 2: The Pony Called Twilight Twilight fell endlessly through the void between times, many colorful but ultimately inaccurate metaphors for her current situation presenting themselves as moments stretched into eternity and eternity became an instant. The novelty wore off quickly, and Twilight found herself desperately wishing it would end. As if in answer to her prayers, the time vortex split open and deposited her back in the material world. Relieved to have her hooves on tangible ground once more, Twilight took stock of her surroundings. She was in a building of some kind, abandoned from the empty and partially ruined look of things. The floor and walls were bare and grey, the windows shattered and the ceiling sagging in places. Whatever it had been in the past, it was not just a sad skeleton of a building. Twilight picked her way around holes in the floor and piles of rubble to look out the nearest empty window frame. Her mouth gaped open at the sight of the largest city she had ever seen, many times larger than Canterlot, made up of great towers like a forest of metal and stone. Boxy chariots whizzed through the air at dizzying speeds without having to be pulled by pegasi. There were so many lights Twilight couldn’t tell if it was day or night, and the sky was choked with hazy, orange clouds- so no help in determining if Nightmare Moon’s eternal night prevailed from that front. Several dark, blocky shapes approaching the building from a distance caught Twilight’s attention. Something about the smooth, unnatural way they moved worried her, and she began to search for a way down. A ruined stairway proved to be the only viable, albeit slightly perilous, option. After descending several floors, she began to wonder just how tall the tower was. No structure could have been built this large without magical support in the Equestria she knew, and as far as she could tell, her surroundings were mundane. This brought up the nagging question of where she was and what kind of place it was. A glance through one of the many holes in the walls showed Twilight that the floating objects were cylindrical with open vents on the bottoms. Sparks fell from the vents, and Twilight was filled with dread as she sensed that an immense amount of energy was building up within them. Leaping down the stairs three at a time, she wracked her brain for any ideas that might help her escape the building faster. Above the building’s roof a loudspeaker crackled to life. “The demolition of Nocturne City block D77 will now commence. Our life sign scanners have picked up- NOTHING! We don’t have any scanners installed, hah! If anyone is still in block D77, you’re getting demolished too. Have a nice day!” The speaker clicked off, and the cylinders began to emit a low hum. Twilight weighed her options, and decided against jumping out a window for the time being. While she could slow her fall somewhat with magic, it probably wouldn’t be enough to prevent injury. Still, as the hum from above became a rumble, she couldn’t think of any other way to escape in time. Most of what the broadcast had said meant little to her, but demolition was very clear. With a roar like an erupting volcano, the demolishers unleashed barely-contained rays of Vulcan fury upon the building, melting, burning and smashing the structure to bits. Even at the level Twilight was at the floor and walls began to crack, dust choking the air around her. With no exit in sight, the unicorn resigned herself to a long fall from a window. She was saved the trouble of jumping when the demolisher beams pierced through enough of the supporting walls and the building sagged, breaking into massive chunks that began to obey the inexorable call of gravity. Twilight nearly panicked as she lost her footing, but her years of training and discipline took over and she kicked off from the crumbling floor into a slow flip. A burst of magic propelled her between slabs of concrete and out of the way of jagged metal support beams, allowing her to ‘land’ on another chunk of rubble and push herself in another direction. Navigating a moving debris field in free-fall had never been a part of her training, but Twilight was able to apply the acrobatics practice and her analytical mind to the problem. Despite this, she still had quite a few more close calls than she would have liked, and wound up bruised, scratched and covered in dust as she worked her way upward though the crumbling tower. The demolishers shut off their beams, the laws of nature completing their job for them. From atop the settling pile of debris, Twilight watched them depart before turning her attention to the containment field surrounding the block. As the dust cleared, three odd figures outside the barrier came into view. One was a squat biped with no neck, resembling a giant potato with limbs more than anything else. Beside it was a creature that was snake from the neck, or what passed for a neck, down, with a rounded head and a ragged mane of hair. The third was, thankfully, a completely normal griffon. “Dang girl, that was totally hussizzle,” It took Twilight a moment to realize the short one was actually speaking to her. “You’s so totally forizzle you’re beyond brahmanizzle!” The snake-thing chimed in “You were all dassssh-a-matic and jump-e-ssssstatic!” “Yo, yo, were that for real girl?” The griffon’s speech was little better than the others. “We thought you was off the chain when our peepers espied you in yonder domicile with them demo-flyers creepin’ up.” “But you wasss all ssszzzam! Whop-ahm! Pchoooo!” The snake, who seemed to be spraying as much as she was saying, excitedly hissed. “An’ then you stuckizzle the landinnizzle! Just stantin’ there so chillaxinnizle, them boyz don’t even know what to do!” Twilight raised an incredulous eyebrow as the three continued to, presumably, praise her narrow escape from the building. “But yo, how you gonna decipher this conundrum before you girly?” The griffon tapped the force field with one claw. “Them demo-dudes ain’t gonna acquiesce to your transmission through this here barrier, no matter how chill you might be.” Twilight studied the shimmering curtain of light for a moment. “Well, if I surround myself with a properly-tuned field of magic…” Her horn glowed, and she became softly luminescent as she stepped forward, passing through the wall with a little effort. “There, that did it.” Her three fans stood agog, rendered speechless for a moment. But only a moment. “Shazizzle! You just got more and more tricks up the hizzle!” “You’ssss jusssst a trick-a-matic ssstuntss-a-delic!” “Uh, thank you, I guess.” Twilight said. “If I might ask, where exactly am I?” “Girl, you’s in the gutter levizzle of Nocturne Citizzle sector D7!” The short, hairy creature seemed a bit less excited at this. “The ssssmeliessst” The snake’s spitting seemed almost purposeful this time, at least she aimed it out of the way. “Most excrement-ridden” The griffon frowned. “Crowdedizzl-est industrializzle and residential creep on the planetizzle!” Twilight shook her head. “I don’t entirely understand, but I have a lot of questions and not a whole lot of time. Who is in charge here? I need to speak with them.” The trio laughed uproarisly, as if she had just told the funniest joke they’d ever heard. “Oh girly, you don’t see Nightmare Moon! Nightmare Moon sees you!” The griffon gestured to the side of a nearby building with one wing. Twilight gasped. The entire wall was dominated by a mural, animated through some enchantment, of the dark alicorn eating a sandwich of some kind before drinking a greenish fluid from a cup with all signs of enjoying it. A name she didn’t recognize flashed over the image before the whole scene repeated. Looking around at more of the city, she could see more murals, and non animated posters as well, all bearing Nightmare Moon’s image. “She’s the Mistrizzle of Misfortune.” “The Dealer of Darknessssss!” “The Queen of Calamity!” “NO!” Twilight cried out. “How can this be?!” “Don’t know.” The three shrugged, or in the case of the snake woman, looked clueless. “Just always beenizzle that way.” “This- I-“ Twilight stammered. “But-“ “Yo girl, you’s lookin’ a mite bit indisposed.” The gryphon seemed genuinely concerned. “What sssshe needsss isss a little liquid refresssssh-a-ment!” The snake pointed with her tail to a nearby door, which was to Twilight’s eyes, exactly the same as any other. “Wordizzle! That joint be the bussizzle happenizzle! They hook you up, girlizzle!” Twilight stepped up to the door with some hesitation and knocked four times. A thin metal flap near the top slid open, followed by a grunt of frustration before another closer to the bottom slid open. A bloodshot pair of eyes peered out at her. “Yeh? Whaddaya want?” A gruff but also slightly squeaky voice addressed her rudely. It sounded a bit like the owner had a naturally high-pitched voice and was trying to sound intimidating. “Ah, I was told this was a place I could find refreshment in.” Twilight glanced warily up at the higher slot, worried she might see a second pair of eyes peering down at her. “Yer? An’ who d’ya fink you ‘re?” Twilight glanced back to her trio of fans for help. “I don’t have any credentials!” “Yo Mac, our girl here’s the hussizzle! She chill, we’ve got her backizzle!” The hairy man made an odd gesture with his hand, and for a moment Twilight thought he was making a poor attempt at magic. The doorkeeper snorted in irritation and slapped the peepholes shut. With an audible grunt accompanied by the shriek of un-oiled hinges, it hauled the metal door aside. A solid wall of sound assaulted Twilight’s ears, blasts of what could have been musical notes accompanied by throbbing bass so heavy it felt like physical blows. Flattening her ears against her head, Twilight winced and made her way in. The three creatures who had greeted her outside hadn’t prepared the displaced unicorn for the crowd that awaited within the establishment, beings of all shapes and sizes imaginable and more rubbed shoulders, traded intoxicated punches and sucked down various beverages. Some walked on two legs; some on four and a few had more or even none. More… shapely examples of certain species danced inside glass spheres or in cages suspended above the crowd, thrusting and gyrating in time with the deafening music. The doorkeeper himself was a wall of living stone, a mountain on legs with a light coating of lichen. Twilight was so caught up in the new sights she didn’t realize that her mouth was hanging open and that she was openly staring. A few of the more temperamental clients took notice. “What’re you staring at?” A heavily-muscled biped with slimy tentacles for hair demanded. “Weirdo.” “Yeah,” a second voice responded from its stomach. To Twilight’s surprise the creature’s head detached itself from the body and slithered on to the counter. The body’s arms uncrossed to reveal a lumpen face in its center. “Weirdo.” “I-I was just- I mean I wasn’t-“ Twilight stammered, totally at a loss. The overwhelming new sights, overpowering music and unfamiliar environment were putting her on a course rapidly approaching sensory overload. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“ “You can apologize better than that!” The stocky ‘body’ creature stomped up to her. “With your blood!” A meaty fist struck the side of Twilight’s head with enough force to send her stumbling back into the side of one of the cages. The dancer within, a six-legged pony-like creature, paused her dance long enough to get a good look at Twilight as she regained her footing. Twilight stood and faced the burly creature. “Please, I didn’t mean to offend, I’m new here, this is all new to me.” The round, tentacle creature barked with laughter. “It’s too late for that, horsie.” Twilight gave diplomacy one more try as her antagonist donned a pair of metal-studded gauntlets. “I don’t mean anypony harm, nopony has to get hurt.” “Hah! You should spend less time talking and more time running!” The creature swung its fist at Twilight once more, but this time, she was not there. A flash of magic from overhead caught its attention, and it looked up in time to see the blast of fire Twilight threw at it before its gauntlets were burned to ash and its hands scorched. As it snarled in pain, its partner put a tentacle up to its mouth and whistled. Heavyset, headless thugs from all over the bar, each identical to the one who had attacked Twilight shouldered their way through the crowds to surround the unicorn. They bore a motley collection of crude hand weapons, jagged bits of metal made for chopping and stabbing. High above the heaving mass of dancing, drinking and brawling club patrons, an insectoid DJ slapped a segmented limb against a control panel and the music changed. A fast, aggressive beat filled the room, the dancers changing their movements to match it. The thugs took this as their cue, and leapt as one towards Twilight. People didn’t come to the club just to drink or enjoy the company of the dancers, some of the more discerning clientele recognized it as an excellent place to conduct their business hidden by the rather intense club atmosphere. Such individuals or groups could pay a minor fee to make use of insulated booths that helped to tone down the overwhelming flood of music. One such booth was occupied by a massive hybrid of a man, a fish, and a lizard, all of them bad-tempered. He guzzled down a pitcher of fermented fungus squeezing and belched. In front of him sat three ponies, two colts and a mare. “So, what d’you say? D’you think you can help us?” The first colt asked. He had an amber coat and mane, with green eyes under a wide-brimmed Stetson. The fish man grabbed the pony by the collar of his vest and began to shout. “G’FLOBBAH FUT’ARGH N’TMAGGAN M’OO-NON P’TEO GHOOFUU T’SOFEYO!” He released the colt’s vest and stormed out of the booth, leaving the door partially open behind him. “Ah don’t think he’s gonna be helpin’ us.” The pony disappointedly straightened his vest. “Eeyup.” The other colt, a large, well-muscled pony with a red coat and dull orange mane intoned as he casually chewed on a sprig of wheat. “Well, what’re we gonna do now?” The third pony, a mare with an orange coat and blonde mane, asked. “We’ve asked nearly everybody ‘round these parts.” The sounds of a slightly larger than usual brawl from across the room caught their attention. “Hey, what about that pony?” Brutish and simple as they were, the attackers were intelligent enough to fight as a group rather than attack one at a time, forcing Twilight to dodge and weave around multiple attacks at once. Luckily for her they were unskilled and relied on brute force. If nothing else, she could have used her superior agility to simply allow them to exhaust themselves or possibly trick them into striking one another, but that would be a waste of time she was sure she didn’t have. Besides, one or two of the thugs had crudely-devised projectile weapons built in to their armored gauntlets, which they fired indiscriminately. They might not have cared, but Twilight was worried about the risk to any bystanders- innocent or otherwise. Remembering her basic combat training, she formed her magic into a thick but nonsolid shield that would catch and slow the projectiles instead of ricocheting them around the room. Twilight dealt with the melee weapon carrying thugs using carefully controlled spells to disarm them and give them painful but not life-threatening injuries, mainly a collection of minor burns and bruises. The relative ease with which she did this soon had them hesitating to attack, hoping that one of their allies would step in first. When none of them proved brave enough to, the burly creatures melted back into the crowd, nursing various injuries. Their tentacled leader snarled in frustration and scuttled off along the bar. “Wow!” The Stetson wearing pony watched the scene with obvious admiration. “D’you think we could get her ta help?” “Hmm. Guess you could always just ask. But be careful Braeburn.” The big colt had dropped his wheat stalk while watching the fight, but pulled a fresh one from somewhere. “First sign o’ trouble an’ you git right back, y’hear?” The mare cautioned. “’course I will cousin!” Braeburn straightened his hat and stepped out of the booth. “Ah’m always careful!” “An’ that’s what worries me.” The mare said as he walked away. Twilight shook bits of shrapnel from her mane and looked for a place to sit. It had been a rough day so far and a drink would not be amiss. She was interrupted by a polite cough from behind. “’scuse me miss, could I have a moment o’ your time?” The speaker was a, amber colt about her age wearing a brown vest and matching hat. Twilight eyed him suspiciously, glad to see another pony but wary of anyone she encountered in this strange place. “Now ah don’t mean you no harm, ah’m not lookin’ to cause ya trouble.” Twilight sighed. “I’m sorry, today hasn’t been going well for me. I’m a little on edge, and being attacked hasn’t helped.” The colt’s eyes widened a little. “Hey, that’s old Equestrian you’re speakin’! It’s pretty rare to hear anybody speakin’ it these days!” “Everypony speaks it where I come from.” Twilight shrugged. “You’re not from around these parts, are you?” The colt brightened up. “Why don’t you come sit with me an’ my cousins, we’ll explain everything!” Twilight hesitated, and then nodded in agreement. “Great! Right this way!” The colt lead the way over to an enclosed booth where two other earth ponies sat. Such a mundane sight was very welcome in Twilight’s eyes after all she had encountered. “My name is Braeburn, and this is AppleJack and Big Macintosh.” Braeburn introduced himself before gesturing to his two companions. Big Macintosh nodded politely. “Howdy! It shore is nice t’ meetcha, miss-?” Applejack greeted Twilight with far less restrained enthusiasm than the big colt. “Twilight. I’m Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight endured a powerful hoofshake from the mare before sitting down at the table. Braeburn shut the door and sealed the booth, cutting out most of the background noise. “If you’d like somethin’, just use the screen in the middle of the table there, drinks are on us.” Twilight eyed the center of the table, which had some kind of runic interface glowing on its surface. An exploratory poke with her hoof produced a change in colors and a beep. Encouraged by the lack of disaster, she prodded a few more of the runes until the interface chimed and became covered in a green banner. “Uh, you sure ‘bout that sugarcube?” Applejack looked concerned. “Why, did I do it wrong?” Twilight looked up, embarrassed that she had been so engrossed by the display. “Um, no, it’s just, oh nevermind. It’s all right if that’s what ya wanted.” The group subsided into an awkward silence as they waited. A short while later, a three-eyed biped- Twilight made a mental note to start learning the names of these alien species- tapped on the door before opening it. “Your refreshments.” She placed the drinks on the table before each pony; a curving and fluted bottle alongside a simple glass with ice in it for Braeburn, a fizzy drink so purple it nearly glowed for Apple Jack, and a tiny glass with a paper umbrella and a fruit skewer on the side for Big Macintosh. Twilight’s drink was in a metal box that steamed slightly. The server carefully set it down and donned gloves before opening it, taking out a thin crystal phial filled with pink fluid and a thick-sided crystal glass half-filled with a darker pink liquid. “Let this one sit for a few minutes after mixing it before you drink it. Remember, the management is not responsible for anything that results from you drinking this.” With those ominous words, she glided from the booth, shutting the door behind herself. Apple Jack stared at Big Macintosh’s drink. “You ordered one o’ them girly frou-frou drinks again, didn’t ya?” Big Macintosh sighed. “Eeyup, an’ ah’m gonna enjoy it too.” “Hah!” Apple Jack laughed. “That’s mah brother for ya, all big an’ tough on the outside, but likes his frilly drinks when he can get ‘em!” “Ah don’t see why it’s so funny.” Big Macintosh took a careful sip from his glass. “So, ah, you two are siblings?” Twilight asked as she eyed her drink with suspicion. “Yep! An’ Braeburn over here is our cousin, ain’t that right Braeburn?” Braeburn finished pouring his drink into his glass. “Yep! We’re all proud members of the extended Apple family! Best and oldest agricultural providers in all the world!” He beamed with pride as if he had done it all with his own four hooves. “And we’ve managed to keep our farms outta Nightmare Moon’s grasp fer as long as anypony can remember!” Applejack rivaled Braeburn’s look of pride with all her might. “But that could all change,” Big Macintosh cautioned, “if we don’t stay vigilant.” “Yeah, about that.” Twilight was grateful for the chance to interrupt. “I’m still a little confused. What’s happened in all this time? Where I come from is nothing like this.” “Well, where d’you want us to start?” Braeburn began. “Far back as anybody knows Nightmare Moon’s ruled the world. Some people say it can’t have been longer than a thousand years, but she’s got a stranglehold on schoolin’ and history, an’ she always claims it’s been since the dawn o’ time.” “So there’s no denying it then,” Twilight sighed “she must have sent me to the future or something. Although…” She thought for a moment. “An extreme-duration stasis spell would have the same effect…“ She stopped when she saw the lost expressions on the other pony’s faces. “Sorry, go ahead.” Applejack continued where her cousin left off. “Even all the world isn’t enough fer her, so she opened th’ world up fer ‘trade’ with all the races o’ the galaxy. ‘course that’s just a trick an’ when they come ta see what Equestria – she named the whole planet that after the homeland of ponykind – is all about, she swindles ‘em outta everything they got! ‘cus o’ that we’ve got all sorts o’ mindless goons, unsavory mercenaries an’ who knows what else hangin’ ‘round.” “Kinda inconsistent if y’ think about it.” Big Macintosh chimed in. “Claimin’ ta have ruled th’ world forever an’ then acknowledgin’ that ponies had ta get their start somewhere. But she’s unchallenged ruler of th’ world, so I guess she can be a mite inconsistent if she wants.” “Which brings ta mind somethin’ that’s been botherin’ me, Twilight.” AppleJack pointed to Twilight’s flank. “Nightmare Moon claims that th’ marks on our flanks are ‘Pony Identification Points’ that she first made with her awesome powers. They’re supposed ta show our place in society. How come you have one if you’re not from ‘round here?” “Where, or rather when I come from everypony gets theirs naturally when they discover their special talent. It’s been like that since before Nightmare Moon returned.” Twilight worked up enough courage to undo the stopper in the phial she had been given and poured the pink fluid into the glass. It bubbled slightly, and intoxicating fumes rose from the surface. “Which is another thing she’s lied about, before she ruled Equestria she was sealed in the Moon by her sister, Princess Celestia-“ she trailed off. “What’s wrong Twilight?” Braeburn put down his drink. “It’s just- I guess it finally hit me that if this is the future- if Nightmare Moon rules the world- then I failed.” Twilight’s nose drooped dangerously near the surface of her drink. “Princess Celestia was counting on me, and I let her down! And Spike… oh Spike, what must he have thought of me when I lost?” Braeburn, Applejack and Big Macintosh looked uncomfortable. “It’s all my fault.” Twilight pushed her drink aside and dropped her head to the table. “I’m sorry, you don’t want my help, I’ve done enough harm.” Applejack gently patted her shoulder. “Come on now Twilight, plenty ‘a people have fought Nightmare Moon an’ lost. But ya gotta count yer blessin’s, y’ survived, right?” “You gotta buck up an’ learn from yer mistakes.” Big Macintosh’s deep tones were reassuring. “Truth be told, your humility is a good sign. T’would be discouragin’ if you pointed th’ blame elsewhere.” “That’s right! We’ve all had our… encounters with Nightmare Moon and her deplorable minions. And sometimes it didn’t turn out so good for us, but, we gotta keep on keepin’ on, for th’ sake of everypony left.” Braeburn finished off his drink in one gulp. “So what d’ya say Twilight Sparkle? We came here ta find someone with the guts and strength ta help us keep Nightmare Moon’s goons from overrunning Apple Orchards and taking it ta feed her armies. So far everybody’s turned us down, but, maybe, could we count on you?” “But what can I do? I’m just one pony, and I’ve tried and failed before.” Twilight looked up into Braeburn’s hopeful face. “The Apple family’s got numbers and the will ta fight, but we don’t have any trainin’. You proved yerself against that gang, if you could show us a bit o’ technique, an’ help us get organized, we could hold out against Nightmare Moon’s looters.” Applejack prodded Twilight. “An’ no-one should hafta stand by herself.” Twilight lifted her head a bit. “So you really still want my help?” Applejack smiled reassuringly. “Yep, an’ if yer still gonna fight Nightmare Moon ya gotta start somewhere, right?” “I guess you’re right, sitting around feeling sorry for myself won’t accomplish anything.” Twilight straightened up and took a large swig from her drink. Applejack and the others looked on in amazement and concern as Twilight’s face turned a deep red, then a bright pink. Her eyes twitched, and sparks flew out of her horn. She coughed up a small cloud of smoke, and then collapsed face-first onto the table. Braeburn gave her an experimental poke with one hoof. Twilight sat bolt upright, practically crackling with energy. “Right! Let’s go!” She opened the booth door with her magic and herded the other three ponies out with one hoof. “No time to lose, let’s get moving!” A certain six-legged pony, or half pony, as it were, watched the four go, carefully masking her interest behind wild dance motions. When they reached the front door, she hit a concealed button that lowered her glass ‘stage’ into the floor, to soon be replaced for another. Stepping out of the clear bubble, she grabbed a plain robe from a hook and shouted to the many-armed creature in charge. “I’m goin’ on break.” It nodded to her, and she exited the club through a discreet back door. Pulling her robe tight around her neck, she trotted through deserted and filthy back alleys, passing ridiculous product advertisements featuring Nightmare Moon; dodging the occasional sanitation drone and scrambling across infrequently maintained bridges through and over major traffic lanes. Eventually she arrived at her goal, a Supplicant Transport Station. These crystal-topped buildings housed teleportation units that could be used to gain access to Nightmare Moon’s court, security around them was light, more interested in preventing sabotage than unauthorized use. Anyone could use the teleporters, but Nightmare Moon reserved the right to vaporize anyone she didn’t like. The dancer, Spanglehooves, as she was known on stage, materialized in the reception chamber and groaned when she saw the long queue that had formed. Hopefully the dark empress would be in a vaporizing mood that would clear up by the time she got to the front of the line. As luck would have it, she apparently was, because the line soon reversed, supplicants tripping over one another in their hurry to flee Nightmare Moon’s wrath. Spanglehoof crouched in the scant cover offered by a courtesy bench (complete with a meter coins had to be fed into in order to retract the deterrent spikes for a limited time) and waited the stampede out. Once she was left alone in the rather bare reception chambers, she stood and made her way into the grand court of the Nightmare. A rich, deep purple carpet stretched over a sea of the darkest obsidian that swallowed all light beside the faint, ghostly reflections upon its surface. Quiet rumor was that the floor was actually a window into the deepest pits of the netherworld, and that the reflections were actually souls imprisoned by Nightmare Moon. The carpet ended in the center of the vast chamber, leaving supplicants without even the slightest illusions of being able to hide from the terrible gaze of their goddess. Beyond the end of the carpet, on the other side of a flat expanse of floor that may as well have been a rift in the fabric of space, the grand throne of Nightmare Moon crouched like a barely-restrained feral animal. All elegant but fierce curves wrought from silver and lapis lazuli, it was studded with purple and blue gems that gave the impression of an eldritch beast covered in unwinking eyes. The Mistress of Misfortune herself lounged upon it, polishing a delicately armored hoof with a beam of destructive magic from her horn. Spanglehoof prostrated herself before the seat of darkness, no mean feat for a pony with six legs, and awaited the goddess’s favor. After a few seconds that seemed to occupy years, the dark mare spoke. “You are either incredibly brave or profoundly stupid to remain in my presence.” Nightmare Moon never shifted her gaze from the minute imperfection in the surface of her hoof. “Whichever it is, if you seek to waste my time you will suffer for it in the pit of hate!” Spanglehoof swallowed back her fear. “My Empress, I bring great news-“ “What news could be considered great to the immortal Nightmare Moon?” The Dealer of Darkness glared out of the corner of her eyes at the insignificant creature that cowered before her. “Representatives of the infamous Apple clan were in town, and they have recruited a unicorn warrior to their cause.” The six legged half-pony risked a glance upwards. “WHAT? FOALS! How dare they continue to defy me!” Nightmare Moon leapt from her throne, stamping her forehooves on the glassy floor. “Show me!” The surface clouded, and an image took shape upon it. Nightmare Moon frowned. “That looks like a-“ Applejack, Braeburn and Big Macintosh stood by a dumpster in awkward silence as Twilight was rather loudly sick on the other side. The drink had given her a manic energy only long enough for her to lead them out of the club, down the street and realize that she didn’t know where she was going. The aftereffects were not pleasant. “Ah’m sorry Twilight.” Braeburn looked sheepish as Twilight staggered back into view. “We shouldn’t’a assumed you knew how ta use the drink console.” “We just figured you knew what you were orderin’.” Applejack handed Twilight a napkin to clean her face with. “It’s- it’s ok.” Twilight felt rather like the universe had mugged her brain and left it lying in the gutters. On the positive side everything seemed to be in razor-sharp focus. On the negative side these razors were all pointed directly into her eyes and ears. “Just never let me do that again. Now, where were we going?” “Ah’m not sure where you were takin’ us, but our vehicle’s parked over this way.” Big Macintosh lead them to a multi-leveled parking garage where a sleek flying chariot like the ones Twilight had seen earlier. Nightmare Moon chuckled darkly. “So, foalish pony warrior, you have finally returned! It has been a long time, but now you will pay for my pain in the past with your pain in the present! Ahahahahaha!” As she laughed, the image shifted to show an army of black-armored insectoid robots activating and marching out from a factory. The dark tide of Nightmare Moon’s army issued forth, prepared to sweep the land clean of any who would oppose the Queen of Calamity. Most of the trip passed in a blur for Twilight, except for the parts where she asked Big Macintosh to pull over so she wouldn’t be sick on the interior. She was still feeling a little queasy from the drink, and moving so fast at such high altitude wasn’t helping. After what felt like a lifetime they slowed and approached a concrete landing pad, where a small group of earth ponies waited. As soon as they touched down, Applejack jumped out of the vehicle and embraced the welcoming party. “Howdy y’all! We’re back, an’ we got someone ta help!” Twilight staggered out of the vehicle, tripped over the doorframe and smacked into the dirt, face-first. There was an uncomfortable pause. She looked up at the assembled ponies. “S-sorry, I’m not used to going so fast…” “Ah shoot, that’s our fault again Twilight.” Braeburn helped her up as Big Macintosh locked up the vehicle. “We keep forgettin’ how new all this is to ya.” He turned to the ponies gathered before them. “Everyone, this is Twilight Sparkle. She’s agreed ta help get us in ta shape ta fight Nightmare Moon’s goons!” A hearty cheer rose from the group and Twilight was lead towards a veritable forest of apple trees. She found herself walking alongside a light orange filly with a large pink bow in her rose mane. “Hi! Mah name’s Apple Bloom! Applejack’s mah sister, an’ Big Macintosh’s mah brother!” Twilight smiled patiently as she listened to the little filly explain her entire family tree and everything about her family’s trees. The other ponies interjected with the occasional fact or to point out something Apple Bloom had missed, but for the most part she managed to impress Twilight with her knowledge. By the time they reached the barns and houses, it felt like she was a part of the family. “They’re coming! They’re coming!” The moment was shattered by a panicked shout from a pony running from the other end of the farm. “Calm down Caramel, who’s coming?” Big Macintosh questioned the yellow mare. “Nightmare Moon’s army! It’s a whole swarm of drones!” Everypony gasped, and Applejack had to shout to be heard. “Hey, listen ta me! Would everyone BE QUIET FER A MOMENT?!” The hubbub died down and all eyes turned to her. “Thank you. Now, everyone, we’ve talked about this, you know what ta do. Start preparin’ and we’ll join you as soon as we see what we’re up against. Twilight’s gonna show us how ta fight more effectively, and if we all stay calm an’ focus, we’ll get through this. Alright?” The ponies murmured their agreement and split up to various parts of the farm. Apple Bloom gave Twilight a hug before departing. “She’s an adorable little filly, ain’t she?” Apple Jack smiled as her sister trotted off towards the houses. “An’ now you know what all we’re fightin’ for. Time ta see what we’re fightin’ against; it’s a bit sooner than ah’d hoped, but we’ll make do.” A quick climb up a watchtower gave a good view of the land all around the orchards. Twilight was amazed at how vast the Apple Family’s property was, and noted how different kinds of fruits had been planted in groups to stagger the harvests. To the south an ominous cloud of dust peeked over the horizon. Braeburn raised a pair of binoculars to his eyes and set his jaw grimly. Applejack nudged him. “What’ve we got Braeburn?” “Biggest swarm o’ combat drones I’ve ever seen, even bigger’n the one that… took Appleloosa from us.” His voice had a hard edge to it. “It ain’t good, but I’m not backin’ down. Not now, not ever.” “Ah understand Braeburn, we all do, but this ain’t th’ time ta be rememberin’ old grudges.” Twilight made a mental note to find out what they were talking about when they had time. The purple unicorn narrowed her eyes and watched the gradually rising plume of dust, kicked up by thousands upon thousands of scurrying metal feet. They would be upon the farm by dawn.

Foetohn

40

Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Spike,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Samurai Twilight

hiatus

<p>Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! (FiM/Samurai Jack fusion)</p>

everyone

2011-09-08T06:17:54+00:00

2011-09-08T06:17:54+00:00

Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! Samurai Twilight My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro studios Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network Episode 3: The First Friend Click A pair of high-powered lenses with variable settings held to the eyes allowed for a clear view of something that would otherwise be an indeterminate smudge on the horizon. Alternately, an ‘eagle eye’ spell could achieve the same effect, with the bonus of some really cool looking runes hovering around the user’s head. Click A thick line across the horizon became a heaving mass of dark shapes kicking up a massive cloud of dust in their wake. Click The amorphous mass gained detail, the fading light of the sunset glinting off of razor sharp claws and multifaceted eyes. Black carapaces blended in to one another, making an estimate of numbers nearly impossible. Click Braeburn put the binoculars down and turned to Twilight. “There’s a lot of them drones out there, you sure we can handle ‘em all?” Twilight turned and winced as she got a closer view of Braeburn’s nostrils than she ever could have wanted. She dismissed the spell and blinked. “I’m sure of it, Braeburn. We just need supplies and a plan.” Back at the farmhouse, a rustic building hundreds of years old dwarfed by numerous silos, barns, garages and other buildings needed for Apple Orchards to operate, Twilight and select members of the Apple Family held a war council. A large piece of paper laid out over a table provided an adequate surface to map out the farmland and sketch out defense plans. Twilight deftly wielded a pen using telekinesis, jotting down quick notes behind Applejack and Big Macintosh as they drew out the map. There was a brief pause as Apple Bloom was sent out of the room for making doodles of herself singlehoofedly fighting the robot army on the map, and then the council continued. “The drones will approach from this end of the farm,” Twilight indicated the southern side of the map “which, luckily for us, gives them only two options for approach.” The southern end of the property was high, rocky ground ending in steep slopes just shy of being able to be called cliffs that loomed over the fields. A stream had carved a narrow valley through the barren ground and emerged level with the orchards, providing a much safer entrance. “They can either cross the open ground here and risk the steep descent, or they can take the valley and bottleneck themselves. We need to make it our first goal to force them into that valley by making the open ground too dangerous.” “If we could lay down somethin’ like land mines an’ make a few pitfalls…” Big Macintosh began. “Yeah, but we don’t have any fancy hardware like mines.” Applejack interrupted. “So it don’t do us no good ta bring ‘em up.” Big Macintosh chewed his wheat sprig for a moment. “Well, it’s just a matter of puttin’ a pressure sensor an’ a detonator together. If we could whip up a few dozen in the next…” He cleared his throat “ten minutes or so would that be helpful.” Everypony stared at him. Applejack was the first to break the silence. “Big Macintosh, is there somethin’ you want ta tell us?” The large pony looked a bit sheepish. “Me an’ the boys may have assembled a, uh, few mines a while back. Stricly fer experimental purposes o’ course, we weren’t plannin’ on usin’ ‘em.” Granny Smith, eldest living member and matriarch of the Apple Family let out a hearty whoop. “We’ll give them scummers what for!” Applejack sighed. “Well, ah suppose we gotta use what we can ta defend our land, an’ ah can’t object ta blowin’ up a bunch o’ mindless robot drones.” Big Macintosh did some quick calculations in his head. “Ah reckon me an’ the boys could have them mines out an’ set up in a few hours. We could dig some deep trenches an’ such ta funnel them drones into the valley at the same time.” “Excellent! Go ahead and get started on that, we’ll be out to join you once we’ve got the next step of the plan.” Twilight turned her attention back to the map. “What do we have to thin the numbers of the drones once we get them into the valley?” “Plenty ‘a heavy vehicles fer haulin’ an’ diggin’ ‘round here, ah’m sure we could take th’ safeties offa some an’ use ‘em as catapults.” Applejack turned to a blond-maned blue pony. “Cider, you think you could take charge o’ that?” The mare nodded and headed out in the direction Big Macintosh had gone. Granny Smith piped up again. “We got a lotta Scumble in th’ brew’ry right now, it’d be a turrible waste but if’n ya light’t up i’should burn real hot!” “I’m sure I’m going to regret asking this, but what’s Scumble?” Twilight warily asked. “It’s made o’ apples.” Applejack explained. “Mostly.” Granny Smith gave a wide, toothless grin. “An’ we c’n refresh ‘rselves at th’ same time!” “Don’t be sippin’ too much o’ the goods now granny, leave some fer the drones!” Applejack laughed. “Rotters better ‘njoy it!” The old mare gestured in the general direction of some of her descendants. “C’m on, work t’ be done y’ lazy ponies, up’n at’m!” The ponies rolled their eyes, but two of them followed her out. “That should take care of enough drones for me to fight the survivors here, right where the valley opens up into the orchards.” Twilight indicated the spot on the map. “With any luck, they’ll be slowed down enough that I won’t get surrounded.” “Woah there missy, “ Applejack frowned. “You can’t be seriously considerin’ goin’ out there all on your lonesome!” “I don’t have any other choice” Twilight gave Applejack an apologetic look. “I can’t let any of the drones get through. Who knows what they might do to anypony they find?” “An’ that’s why ah’m goin’ out there with ya!” Applejack said. “An’ ah’m not takin’ any objections from ya, it’s mah family an’ mah land, ah’m gonna stand an’ defend it!” “But you don’t have any training; look, I know you want to defend your home and I understand, but it won’t do your family any good to go out and die!” Twilight had feared this would happen. “If ah hafta die ta ensure mah family has a place ta live an’ stays out of Nightmare Moon’s control, then ah gladly will.” The blond mare stood resolute. “An’ ah’m not gonna let another pony go out an’ face death in mah place.” “Dying for your family’s sake is all well and good, but it’s better to live for them!” The unicorn shook her mane in frustration. “I can handle myself, I’ll be fine, but I can’t look after anypony else while I’m fighting.” “Twilight.” Braeburn put a restraining hoof on his cousin’s shoulder as she started to reply. “We’ve all lost too much ta Nightmare Moon’s war ta back down, if we have ta face pain an’ death so we can spare our families more sufferin, we will.” “But you’re not- you aren’t warriors. You’ve done enough setting up the defenses, the front line is my place. You don’t want to-“ Braeburn cut her off. “If it’s not our place than where is?!” He pounded a hoof on the table. “Ah’ve already lost Appleloosa an’ enough family! Ah’m not standin’ back when ah could do more!” Twilight was taken aback by the sudden intensity the young colt displayed. “Braeburn… what happened at Appleloosa?” Braeburn took a few deep breaths to calm himself. “Ah- ah’m sorry Twilight. It’s a bit of a sore subject. We lost a lot o’ good ponies t’ the drone army, one just like the ones attackin’ us now. Granny Smith an’ I are the only survivors.” “We may not be warriors like you, but we’re strong, an’ we got somethin’ ta fight for.” Applejack added. “You’ll need someone watchin’ your back, an’ if you watch ours we won’t ask fer more’n that.” Eventually Twilight acquiesced, and Applejack and Braeburn joined her in preparing to face a horde of evil robots. Because of the massive number of enemies, they would need armor, and so they scoured the farm for scrap metal and unused machinery to disassemble and reforge into protective barding. They worked late into the night, pausing only to rest a short while and eat before resuming their work. The ponies who would be staying behind at the farm did their best to fortify the buildings in case anything got through, never voicing the thought that if any of the drones were to make it past the defensive line, it would probably be because the three fighters were dead. As a final touch, Twilight made war banners for the three of them bearing the ancient Equestrian sigil of the sun, the symbol of Princess Celestia’s followers. In the last few hours before dawn, while the last of the preparations were being made, Twilight had Applejack and Braeburn join her on the eastern side of the farm to watch the horizon gradually lighten as the dawn approached. Even after centuries of rule, Nightmare Moon could only maintain her everlasting night over her palace. She had yet to solve the problem of most crops needing sunlight, so instead she kept the days to their minimum length and extended the nights as much as possible. It was this knowledge that gave the three ponies solace as they mentally prepared themselves for battle- Nightmare Moon was not omnipotent or infinite, she still had her limits, and so their fight was not a hopeless one. Big Macintosh approached them after the defense preparations were done, and had to be talked out of joining the fight. He and Applejack went off a little ways, but Twilight and Braeburn could still hear their raised voices. They passed several awkward minutes in silence, pretending to be engrossed by the sight of the apple trees around them. Braeburn coughed and fiddled with his hat. Twilight counted leaves. Eventually Applejack returned without her brother, and the three ponies made their way across the farm to the valley where they would face the swarm. The ground trembled under the drumbeat of a thousand claws, the disorderly march of the horde filling the air with a cacophony of clicking, humming and screeching. The chorus of mechanical noise was suddenly punctuated by the deep boom of a hastily buried explosive going off, followed by the clatter of shrapnel raining down into the ranks of drones. More explosions followed, obliterating a mere handful of robots while dozens more had their ebon carapaces shredded by jagged fragments of metal. The unified mind of the swarm analyzed the casualties and determined there was no need for a response, the swarm would continue on. The headlong charge gave the drones little time to react to new threats, and so the first ranks found themselves unexpectedly falling down into deep pits and trenches with no way to stop. The swarm mind contemplated this new obstacle for less than a second before diverting the main body of drones into the valley that ran through the center of the plain. The rest would take a slower pace, carefully avoiding the pitfalls and trenches as best they could. Twilight watched in silence as the drones poured down the valley walls in the distance. They approached and then passed a line of flags set in the ground, and Twilight gave a quick nod to Applejack and Braeburn, who both sat at the controls of modified excavators. The powerful digging arms whirled, the devices meant to limit their speed to safe tolerances removed, and flung great boulders into the path of the swarm. The rocks smashed into and rolled over the front line and continued on, cutting swaths of destruction through the tightly packed robots. Without pausing to admire their hoofwork, the two earth ponies jumped from the excavators and moved to activate a second pair, and then a third. The drone horde was now scattered and ragged in places, gaps forming where they were forced to pass around the boulders and remains of fallen drones. Still, they pressed on, the uncountable mass washing forward by sheer weight of numbers. It wasn’t until they passed a second line of flags that Twilight moved to act. An incendiary spell flew from her horn, small and compact it was little more than a hot spark, but it was enough to ignite the fuse of a barrel set into the valley wall. The flame reached the barrel’s contents, and the extremely alcoholic fumes rising from it. Fifty gallons of the Apple Family’s finest Apple Scumble exploded in a green fireball with a dull whumph, reducing the nearest drones to slag and scorching more. Twilight flung more sparks down the valley, setting off a series of barrels placed in a staggered line. Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring the sight of the drones but not the overwhelming sound of their advancing claws. The horde broke through the debris close enough that the insectoid features of individual drones could be made out. Applejack and Braeburn joined Twilight at the mouth of the valley, steeling themselves to clash hoof upon claw, flesh against steel. The drones reached the final trap, a wide trench dug across the valley and lined with crude but sharp spikes made from leftover scrap. Here the swarm mind finally stopped the headlong charge, and commanded a change of action. One by one the remaining members of the swarm, still a numerous horde, stood upright on their rear claws, holding their foretalons out like swords. As if disdainful of such a paltry obstacle, they marched forward, falling upon the spikes until the bodies of the fallen formed a bridge for their comrades. Still advancing at no more than a swift walk, they bore down on the three ponies who stood in their way. Twilight reared into the air and slammed her hooves into the ground with a loud cry, blasting the drones with a wave of concussive force. Applejack bounded forward and spun around, bucking the lead drone hard enough to shatter its carapace. The drone flew back to trip up those behind it, allowing the strong mare to strike them again, stomping and kicking any that got within her reach. Braeburn hesitated for a moment, then leapt into the fray, using all four hooves to attack the drone’s multifaceted eyes and unarmored joints, disabling them with precise strikes. Light shone from Twilight’s horn, wrapping itself around the pony warriors and giving them strength and resilience beyond their normal limits. Drawing upon more of her vast potential, she poured liquid fire into the nearest drones and tossed them away to explode upon their fellows. Bolts of electricity arced from her horn to bore holes in any drone that dared approach her, their smoking carapaces piling at her hooves. The more she fought the easier it became as she allowed more and more of her immense power, one of the qualities that had prompted Princess Celestia to choose Twilight as her closest student, to flow through her. Though limited by their lack of magic, Applejack and Braeburn made a good account of themselves, their physical strength and the determination to defend their home driving them to greater feats of destruction against the drones. As the sun rose higher into the sky, so did the piles of wreaked robots, monuments to the will of the defenders. Unbreakable as their wills may have been, their bodies were not, and the protracted battle began to take its toll on them. Numerous cuts and gashes where the talons of their foes had made it past their defenses oozed blood, sore muscles and tender bruises hampering their movements further. In contrast the drones experienced no fatigue, their lessened numbers doing nothing to decrease the fighting skill of each individual. Twilight’s reserves of power exceeded her control even in the best of situations, so she always sought to limit herself to useable bursts of magic. However as her concentration waned with her growing exhaustion the power built up on its own, without her bidding. If the battle was not ended soon she could wind up losing control and casting spells at random. The situation called for very judicious use of her power and more reliance on physical attacks. The drones numbered merely in the dozens now, but they could still easily surround the ponies and bring them down in a crush of metallic limbs if given the chance. Applejack, tired as she was, still had the ability to shatter a robot’s compound eyes or snap off a segmented limb with a single kick. Never relenting, she had driven forward until she was separated from Braeburn and Twilight by enough space for the occasional drone to slip between them. Even at the risk of being cut off and overwhelmed, she refused to back down, aiming her kicks to throw one drone back into another, causing them to fall in a tangle of claws and carapaces. She leapt up and brought her hooves down on top of them, stomping the robots into scrap. Braeburn struggled to hold his own against the drones; he lacked Applejack’s strength and endurance, and there was only so much his agility could make up for. Still, he fought on as best he could, fending off the robots with sharp kicks. It was inevitable that his guard would drop, and a swift talon darted in to strike at his face. His head snapped back on reflex, just fast enough to prevent more than a shallow cut along his jaw, but not fast enough to avoid the backside of the claw as the drone pulled it back. His vision swam and the world spun around him in slow motion. Suddenly, he was looking up at the robots from the ground, his legs refusing to respond. “Braeburn! Hang in there cous!” Applejack bucked the nearest drone onto the one that had struck her cousin and tried to fight her way over to him, only to find her path blocked by more robots. “Consarn it! Move you metal-hided horseapples!” She belted out a litany of curses at the machines that stood in her way, accompanied by more vicious kicks. Twilight shot the drones around her back with narrow beams of energy and stepped over to protect Braeburn as he shakily pulled himself to his hooves. “Are you all right?” She asked him. “I-I think I am.” He swayed a bit, just in time to give Twilight a clear shot at a drone that was moving in to attack. “That-that’s a real neat trick you’re doin’ there Twi- makin’ it look like there’s two a’ ya.” “Just hang in there!” Twilight hoped the colt didn’t have a concussion. “We’ll finish this quickly!” A quick look around contradicted this, the remaining drones were fighting with increased savagery, as if the will binding them together had become more concentrated with less robots under its control. The unicorn frowned and gritted her teeth. There was a way she could end the fight, but there would be a cost, albeit one she was willing to risk in order to destroy Nightmare Moon’s minions and protect her companions. All it would take was a moment of relaxing her control, enough to release enough power to destroy all of the drones. Then she would have to reign herself in, cutting off the power behind the spell before it grew too much. Easy. Like starting a forest fire and then extinguishing it by hoof “Applejack, get ready to duck when I tell you!” Twilight began to draw on more power, gathering it as tightly as she could. Her horn shone with a golden light that went from radiant to piercing in seconds. Applejack glanced at her nervously, but couldn’t spare more than a moment of attention from the drones. Some of the robots tried to attack Twilight and interrupt her spell, but the sheer pressure of the magic she was holding on to pushed them away. When she could hold the spell back no longer, and she shouted to Applejack. “Get down!” Applejack threw herself flat on the ground a moment before the searing beams of light shot out from Twilight’s horn, ripping through the drones’ carapaces and scattering them in pieces. The beams split, becoming smaller and more numerous, a fractal tree of deadly light. Even after all the drones had been impaled the light continued to spread, needlelike branches blending together to form a nearly solid dome. With a cry of pain Twilight managed to bring the spell to an end, and the beams of light shattered like glass, falling in shards that melted away to nothing. She sat down hard on the broken ground, panting with exhaustion. Applejack was in a similar state as she staggered over to the other two ponies, but she wore a triumphant grin. “We did it! Ah can’t believe we managed ta take ‘em all down!” She offered a hoof to Twilight, who shook it. “An’ it’s all thanks ta you, Twilight! Why, if we hadn’t a found ya…” Twilight smiled weakly. “Ah, well, you know, I couldn’t ignore a fellow pony in need. And you two did a lot too, your determination is inspiring.” “Well shoot,” Braeburn said from his position on the ground. “We weren’t about ta let you fight ‘em all on your own! It was an honor ta-“ He was cut off by a high, panicked scream from the direction of the farmhouse. “That was from the farmhouse!” Applejack whirled around. “Oh no…” Behind them, past the valley mouth, a trail of churned up ground and torn tree bark indicated where the drone’s vanguard had made it past the defenders. They would have had plenty of time to reach the farmhouse and wreak havoc. Big Macintosh stood firm on the farmhouse porch, blood running down his legs from numerous cuts. One drone lay at his feet, sparking feebly, but five more circled him, just out of reach. When he turned to engage one, another would dart in to slash at his unprotected side, forcing him to stay on the defensive. Various members of the Apple family peered out of the windows and door behind him, whispering nervously. It was only a matter of time before Big Macintosh was struck down, or one of the drones found another entrance. The robots grew agitated, responding to some silent order. As one, they jumped into the air, scything talons reaching for the large pony in their way. Big Macintosh braced himself, ready to give his life if necessary, but a glowing bolt of incendiary magic intercepted his attackers, scattering them. Before they could recover, a white unicorn mare with a mane and tail of red flame charged into them. With a cry of fury, she lashed out with her hooves, leaving melted craters in their dark armor. She toyed with them, striking them with glancing blows that ripped away their armor and spun them around, exposing their more delicate innards to the roasting heat she radiated. Plastic and metal liquefied as she focused a burning gaze upon them, ceramics cracked and smoked, and the drones squealed as they fell into smoking piles. Only one remained, damaged but surviving by virtue of fleeing as soon as the wrathful mare descended upon them. It ran across the fields in a shambling gait, compensating for a missing leg. “No.” The avatar of flame spoke with a deadly finality, turning her attentions to it. “There is no escape.” Whips of fire burst out of the ground around the robot and entangled its limbs, tipping it over and slamming it down into the dirt. The tendrils of flame rose up over it; their tips bending back down as if eagerly seeking to tear into its carapace. The unicorn leisurely walked up to the stricken drone and pinned it down with one hoof. She looked straight into its compound eyes and snarled. “I know you’re watching me, Nightmare Moon. You must know I’m here, after all this time. You stole a thousand years from me. My entire life, everything I knew is gone because of you.” She pressed her hoof down, cracking the drone’s armor. “Do you think I’m going let you do the same to anypony else?” She seared the drone’s eyes with a gout of flame, but left the body intact. “I will find you again, I will fight you, and I will defeat you.” The robot gave one last dying spasm as a speaker within it crackled to life. “Good luck.” The unicorn growled and stepped away from the drone, then turned her back on it. The flames darted down, impaling it over and over until it was nothing more than unrecognizable scrap. The assorted members of the Apple Family stood outside the farmhouse, watching the unfolding scene with a mixture of awe and trepidation. Applejack and Braeburn had returned shortly after the fiery mare had shown up, and they stood on either side of Big Macintosh, all three ponies supporting one another. As she approached them, the unicorn swayed and the fires surrounding her went out. Twilight’s coat returned to its normal shade of purple, and she fell forward, to be caught by Braeburn just before she hit the ground. She looked up at him and groaned. “It’s over… thank Celestia.” She passed out with a sigh, causing Braeburn to stagger under the unexpected weight. Several cousins, aunts and uncles helped get the four wounded fighters inside, while others went to make sure no fires had caught in the apple trees. The cellar doors burst open, and Granny Smith marched out, a metal tube with a hose crudely jammed on to one end in her hooves. She was followed by Apple Bloom who was struggling under the weight of a small barrel attached to the hose. The old mare cackled wildly, but stopped when she saw the distinct lack of attackers. “Horseapples.” She said, turning back to Apple Bloom. “Looks like we’re late to the party.” “Aww.” Apple Bloom looked disappointed. “Ah wanted mah flamethrower cutie mark.” Twilight Sparkle regained consciousness late the next day, in a soft bed with sheets smelling faintly of apple blossoms. Gentle light streamed in through the open window, illuminating a simply furnished room. For a few precious minutes, her mind was free of any thoughts of battle, or the past now lost to her. Cocooned in warmth and sunlight, she found herself able to truly relax for the first time in recent memory. She gradually became aware of a pair of eyes watching her intently from the foot of the bed. Twilight chuckled as she recognized the rose-colored mane and orange eyes. “Hello Apple Bloom.” “Hi!” The filly jumped up on to the bed, careful to not step on Twilight. “Are ya feelin’ all better now?” “Mm-hmm.” Twilight nodded. She wanted to lie here, secure and warm forever, but the protestations of her empty stomach would soon drive her from the bed. “I’m a bit hungry I suppose.” Apple Bloom perked up. “Well why didn’t ya say so sooner?” Twilight decided against reminding the filly that she had only been awake for a few minutes. “We’ve got lots of stuff ta eat! I’ll go downstairs an tell ‘em you’re awake!” The young pony leapt from the bed to the door without touching the floor and galloped out, falling down the stairs in her excitement from the sound of it. Twilight sighed and stretched, groaning at all the aches and pains she discovered. Her whole body felt like one large bruise, and she could feel several bandages covering the sorer areas. In spite of the jabs of pain it caused she rolled over and slid out of bed, taking a moment to steady herself. Now that she was upright, she realized that she had a splitting headache focused around the base of her horn. She had pushed herself a lot further than she should have yesterday, and she was paying for it now. Still, it was worth it to protect her new friends. She followed the muffled sounds of Apple Bloom’s excited, nonstop talking down the hall to a narrow stairway. Joints and muscles protesting the whole way, she worked her way down one step at a time until she reached the ground floor. Twilight found her way to a large, well furnished room where Applejack, Braeburn and Granny Smith sat. She could see a kitchen through a wide doorway, where a couple of patient-looking mares endured Apple Bloom’s ‘help’ in their cooking. Applejack and Granny Smith greeted her enthusiastically, and Braeburn attempted to stand, but the elderly mare glared him back down. “Don’t go standin’ up unnecessarily ya foal, you’re still recoverin’!” “Yes’m.” Braeburn blushed slightly and laughed. Granny Smith waved Twilight over to a chair that she collapsed into gratefully. The earth ponies explained how the farm had been left relatively untouched, and with only four injured care of the orchards could continue without interruption. The scrap from the destroyed drone army could be put to use or sold, so in the long run the attack had turned out to be a boon for the family, thanks to Twilight’s assistance. She was a hero to them now, and some of them had wanted to throw together a huge celebration in her honor until cooler heads prevailed and pointed out that she would need some time to recover. For now they would put their lives back together and breathe their thanks to Celestia, who they now had a tangible reason to hold in reverence once more, beyond the vague hope of a light that could outshine Nightmare Moon’s darkness. Twilight Sparkle spent three more days at Apple Orchards recovering and helping to gather and sort the remains of the fallen robots. Granny Smith and Apple Bloom seemed determined to use their jury-rigged flamethrower on something, so Big Macintosh and Twilight worked on it in secret, making it much less likely to explode. She also gave the more able members of the family basic instruction in fighting, so that in the future they would not have to depend on outside help or a mere three warriors. They asked her to stay longer, but it was agreed that now that Nightmare Moon knew where she was that it would only increase the risk of attack. On the fourth day she packed what few possessions she had into a saddlebag along with as many provisions as her friends could convince her to take. She found a large farewell party waiting for her outside, as well as Applejack carrying her own set of saddlebags. “Ah tried ta talk ‘em outta it, but it seems they’re throwin’ a party fer us anyways!” The mare grinned and winked. “So ya might as well enjoy it while ya can!” “Oh no no no, you’re not leaving your family to come with me.” Twilight shook her head. “They’re going to need you here I’m sure.” “Now now Twi, this ain’t negotiable! We all talked it over, an’ decided ah was the one ta go with ya!” Applejack nodded to Braeburn. “Mah couz wanted ta be the one ta go with ya, but we reached an agreement.” Braeburn looked at the ground and grumbled. “She beat me at hoof wrestlin’” “And why don’t I get a say in this?” Twilight frowned. “Cus you’d say no.” Applejack gave Twilight a hearty pat on the back. “An’ you helped us. Now it’s mah turn ta help you.” Twilight still looked skeptical. “As ah said before, nobody should have ta fight by herself.” “An’ that’s why ah’m comin’ too!” Apple Bloom proudly marched up, bearing the weight of a saddlebag far too large for her. “Oh no you don’t Apple Bloom.” Applejack stopped her sister. “We need you ta stay here an’ defend the farm.” “Eeyup.” Big Macintosh scooped the filly up and placed her on his back. “Besides, you’d scare all the baddies away. Gotta give those two somethin’ ta do.” Apple Bloom sighed. “Oh all right, if ah have to.” After the party, AppleJack and Twilight left the farm, accompanied through the orchards by the entire Apple Family for one last thunderous cry of farewell. The two travelers waved back until they were out of sight. The world stretched out before them, groaning under the oppression of the nightmare queen. Two ponies against untold numbers of shadowy minions and brutish thugs; but the sun was high, the air fresh, and they were still alive. A grand journey awaited. “So,” Applejack turned to Twilight. “Where we goin’?” “Er” Twilight thought for a moment. “I don’t actually know.”

Foetohn

40

Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Spike,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Samurai Twilight

hiatus

<p>Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! (FiM/Samurai Jack fusion)</p>

everyone

2011-08-25T03:40:25+00:00

2011-08-25T03:40:25+00:00

Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! Samurai Twilight My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro studios Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network Episode 4: Shadow Games Nightmare Moon, the Mistress of Misfortune, the Dealer of Darkness and Queen of Calamity, the bringer of night, commander of the multitudinous shadow armies, who singlehoofedly wiped out the gibbering hordes of feralbeasts and brought the world to its knees, had met her match. She sat glowering on her ebon throne, very purposefully not looking in the direction of her frustrating but worthy foe. In turn, her enemy, at this point lucky to not have been blasted into its constituent atoms, stood on a simple stand, displaying a test pattern. For the better part of an hour, the widescreen television had resisted all efforts to be properly integrated into the throne room’s scrying pool. A six legged half-pony mare entered the room from one of the many discreet side passages usually used by servants. A former club dancer going by the stage name ‘Spanglehoof’, her given name was in actuality Moondancer, and she carried a large bowl of popcorn in with her. She frowned when she saw the test pattern on the screen. “Still haven’t gotten it to work?” She set the bowl down and went around behind the screen. After a few moments of muffled grunting and swearing she clicked something into place, and the test pattern vanished, to be replaced by a blurred, indistinct image. Nightmare Moon sat up in surprise. “How did you do that?” Moondancer carefully shuffled her six legs around a stool and sat down on it. “You had the cables plugged in backwards.” “Which-“ “All of them.” The half-pony mare picked up a remote with one hoof and pushed a few buttons on it with another. The picture quality adamantly refused to improve, however, so she turned to the alicorn on the throne and shrugged. Nightmare Moon grumbled under her breath threateningly but sharpened the image with a burst of magic. Moondancer had shown up in her palace one day to deliver news of one of Nightmare Moon’s greatest foe’s return, and had stuck around ever since. Technically the Queen of Calamity hadn’t dismissed her yet, and the sheer audacity required to hang around the palace of the most powerful being on the planet, treating it like one’s own home was impressive to say the least. For now she was tolerated, and given run of most of the palace. Besides, her presence served as a distraction from the humiliating loss of a drone swarm days earlier. Nightmare Moon reassured herself that she was still in control of her life and turned her attention to the screen. Moondancer was flipping through various locations in the world as if she were surfing television channels, passing scenes of incredible devastation, awe-inspiring landscapes, bustling cities and a monkey scratching itself. Nightmare Moon snorted in irritation and levitated the remote away from her. The mortal mare grumbled, but let the goddess have her way. A scene that flashed by caused her to stop abruptly and choke with rage. Flipping back through channels she found the sight of two ponies walking along a dirt road, a purple unicorn and an orange earth pony. The Dealer of Darkness clenched her teeth and growled before suddenly becoming calm. With a malicious grin she brought a communicator up from behind the throne. “Now that I know where those pretentious little FOALS are, I can send them a greeting party!” Moondancer stuffed a hooffull of popcorn into her mouth and turned up the volume. “Ok, so no secret identities or uniforms, but how ‘bout a team name? Somethin’ cool ta make us sound inspirin’!” Applejack had become temporarily lost in a world of ideas, and failed to notice Twilight’s exasperated stare. “An’ to intimidate our enemies!” “I really, really don’t think that’s necessary.” Twilight had hoped that Applejack’s enthusiasm for the idea of being wandering fighters for good would be sated by action, but for the past few days they had been left with nothing to do but walk and talk, and the earth pony could do both without tiring. “Ah suppose yer right.” Applejack didn’t look completely convinced. “Better ta’ let our actions speak fer themselves, right?” “Something like that.” Twilight rolled her eyes and continued walking. A distant rumble from overhead caught her attention, and she looked up. High above her a dark triangular shape flew through the sky, a white trail of vapor behind it. As it passed overhead an oblong bundle detached from its underside and began to fall. The two ponies scrambled backwards as the teardrop shaped metal thing slammed into the ground at rock-shattering speeds, throwing up a huge cloud of debris. As the dust settled, the object unfolded like a sinister metallic flower bud and a massive humanoid figure easily twice the height of a pony encased in heavy plates of ceramic and metal armor stomped out. It unslung a thick-barreled rifle from behind its back and spoke in a loud voice distorted by a speaker grille. “ARE YOU THE PONY KNOWN AS TWILIGHT SPARKLE?” Twilight winced and nodded. The figure turned to Applejack. “AND ARE YOU THE PONY KNOWN AS APPLEJACK?” Applejack grinned despite the pain from the giant’s loud voice. “I shore am!” She turned to Twilight. “Told ya we shoulda come up with a team name by now, then he’d only have ta ask once!” The armored figure hefted his gun. “I HAVE BEEN SENT BY NIGHTMARE MOON TO BRING AN END TO THE PETTY ANNOYANCE YOU HAVE CAUSED HER.” He took aim at Applejack. “PREPARE TO BE-“ He was cut off as Twilight ripped the gun from his hands with her telekinesis and smacked him in the face with it. Applejack turned around and bucked him hard in the groin, causing a raucous clang when her hooves collided with his armor. The giant laughed. “YOUR PETTY ATTACKS CANNOT-“ Twilight interrupted him again by swinging the gun in a wide arc to strike the side of his helmet with a resounding crash. She continued to hit him, ringing his suit like a badly tuned bell. He groaned and staggered, giving Applejack the opportunity to join in by kicking him in rapid succession. The armored man fell back under the assault, retreating into his drop pod. With a final incoherent shout he closed it up around himself, locking his assailants out. Applejack and Twilight stared at the metal pod for a moment, and then looked at each other. They both started to giggle, then nearly fell over as the laughter overtook them. After a moment to regain their composure, they continued down the road. Nightmare Moon seethed with rage upon her throne, cursing the mercenary’s incompetence. The pitiful foal, allowing himself to be defeated so easily! She was definitely never going to hire him again. Moondancer tossed a kernel of popcorn up into the air, and before she could catch it in her mouth the Mistress of Misfortune had snatched it away, chewing on it as if she had a personal grudge. “Send in the next bounty hunter!” Applejack and Twilight had made little progress down the road before they were interrupted again, this time by a crackle of energy and five bright lights flashing into existence before winking out just as quickly as they had appeared. In their wake they left five humanoid creatures in brightly colored matching bodysuits riding atop hovering vehicles. There was a strange, flimsy quality about the vehicles, as well as the helmets they wore, almost as if they had been made from cheap material solely for the purpose of appearances. The five figures leapt from their mechanical mounts and struck ridiculous poses, forming up behind the one in red, who put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest. The ones in pink and yellow crouched beside him, arms pointing up in the air, and the two in green and blue leaned out from behind the one in red, arms pointing outward. Both ponies stared at them blankly. The figure in red was the first to break the silence. “We are Wonder Team Phantom Five! The most elite team of bounty hunters in all the world!” He continued to boast of his and the team’s accomplishments, while Applejack turned to Twilight. “See, ah told ya we need a team name. These guys have one!” She nodded to the one in red, ostensibly the leader. “But this one shore does need ta SHUT UP!” She punctuated the last words with a swift kick to the man’s groin. He doubled over and fell to the ground with a whimper. “Seriously sugar cube, you talk too much.” The man in yellow leapt forward. “How dare you assault our leader while he was giving his speech!” Any further objections were flattened as Twilight lifted the woman in pink and used her as a bludgeon to knock him over. The unicorn dropped the girl into a tangled heap with the yellow warrior and turned in time to see Applejack kick one of the vehicles into the man in green, bowling him over and wreaking the machine. The last of the team, a thin man in blue, looked at his fallen comrades and then up at the two ponies who had effortlessly defeated them. A dark stain spread across his pants, and both ponies grimaced. “If ya sit down real quiet like an’ don’t git up until ya can’t see us no more we might let ya off with just losin’ yer dignity.” Applejack winked to the humiliated warrior. He complied, and shuddered as the pair walked by him and down the road. Applejack managed to hold her laughter back long enough to make a dignified exit before breaking down into hearty guffaws. Twilight wasn’t quite as amused, but chuckled nonetheless. Nightmare Moon had switched from swearing under her breath to beating her head against the wall in frustration sometime during the extremely one-sided fight, which left Moondancer in control of the royal hotline to anything-the-glorious-monarch-may-desire. She had already ordered a pizza, two containers of ice cream and an old Equestrian romantic comedy. As an afterthought she hired another mercenary to go after Twilight Sparkle. It would provide some entertainment while she waited for the rest of her order to arrive. From the vantage point of a smooth hilltop crested by the road Applejack and Twilight could see a small town, little more than a handful of buildings surrounded by a wall built up around a crossroads. It was still some ways off, but if they kept up a reasonable pace they could reach it by sundown. Twilight doubted they would make it without interruption, two spontaneous bounty hunter attacks in such a short time was highly suspect. She was proven correct when she suddenly found herself nose to nose with what could only be described as a rat man who appeared seemingly out of nowhere. He was grinning from ear to ear, revealing a mouth full of yellowed, pointy teeth, and his eyes had a manic light to them. He began to chuckle, mad giggles spasming past his lips. Twilight backed away nervously. “Um, can I help you…?” “Look out, Twi!” Applejack shouted as the rat man brought up a pair of crossbows held in his fleshy forepaws. Twilight leapt to the side and scrambled for the scant cover provided by a convenient shrub. Applejack dove the other way and hid behind a half-buried boulder. The rat man unleashed a storm of needle thin darts from his weapons, his insane laughter and constant twitching reducing his aim to abysmal at best. This didn’t seem to bother him at all; on the contrary, his lack of success seemed to drive him to greater spasms of uncontrolled firing. From the relative safety of her hiding place, Applejack called out to Twilight. “What’re we gonna do ‘bout this one, Twi?” “I’m open to suggestions!” Twilight cringed as a dart rattled the brush in front of her. The hail of darts ceased abruptly, and the rat man spoke in a high-pitched squeak. “Aha! I’ve caught you now! Can’t get away from me so easily this time!” Twilight cautiously pushed a branch aside and peered out at her assailant. He was staring down the end of his nose, gripping his whiskers with a shaking paw. His comments seemed to be directed at his own snout, rather than either of the ponies. His face twitched and his eyes bulged slightly, confirming Twilight’s suspicions that he was completely and utterly insane. “I know you’ve been following me! I’ve seen it, out of the corner of my eyes! And now I’ve finally caught you in the act!” He giggled and hopped from one foot to the other. “Caught you caught you caught you, heheheheheHEHEHEHEEEEEEE!” His laughter rose to an excited squeal and he started to dance. Twilight leaned out from behind the bush and nodded to Applejack who was peeking over the rock she had hidden behind. They quietly snuck off, leaving the gleeful rat alone with his whiskers. Once they were a safe distance away Applejack let out a nervous laugh. “Ah thought we weren’t gonna make it for a moment back there. Good thing that rat feller had such a case ‘o the crazies.” “Yeah…” Twilight frowned in consternation. “But all these attacks so quickly has me worried.” “Ya mean it’s not normal?” Applejack tilted her head. “Ah kinda figured it came with the whole travelin’ hero deal.” “Not usually.” Twilight shook her head. “It’s not like I have a whole lot of experience with this, but I’m pretty sure these events are anomalous.” “Huh, well, Ah am enjoyin’ mahself today, but Ah suppose it’d get ta be annoyin’ after a while.” Applejack shrugged and continued on “We’d best be getting’ a move on if we want ta reach that town by nightfall.” “Right.” Twilight glanced at the setting sun, keenly aware that Nightmare Moon must be the one behind the assassins. They had avoided trouble for the most part up until now, but it seemed that their enemy had caught up to them at last. She desperately hoped she had the strength to defeat the empress of night a second time. Nightmare Moon turned away from the sizeable dent she had worn in the palace wall and glared at the pizza delivery robot. It had not been programmed with the capacity for fear, but it was feeling it nonetheless. Moondancer came to its rescue, accepting the pizza from its outstretched hands and tipping generously with money she had appropriated from the treasury. Nightmare Moon transferred her terrible gaze to the six legged half-pony, but it was ignored in favor of scarfing down the first slice. In swift progression more couriers arrived, bearing ice cream, a selection of lavishly jeweled spoons and a carefully preserved movie disc from Equestria’s history. Nightmare Moon passed annoyance, frustration and into acceptance as quickly as they entered, deposited their deliveries and left. She took a seat on her throne and levitated a tub of ice cream and a slice of pizza from where Moondancer had left them. She had barely taken a bit of the pizza when she saw the latest mercenary ignore his targets in favor of shouting at his own whiskers. Moondancer dove to save the ice cream as it fell to the floor, abandoned by Nightmare Moon as she teleported from the room. Applejack and Twilight looked up at the sky in consternation as dark clouds heavy with the promise of doom rolled in, crashing in to one another with inexorable force. Purple lightning shot between them and waves of thunder crashed over them like waves breaking on a cliff. A vast swath of the sky vanished, replaced by a black void of starless night. As the light faded in the face of this behemoth shadow, the land itself seemed to shrink back, trees and hills crouching low as if to avoid this doom. The rolling night finally opened wide enough to reveal the cold, pale face of the moon, the dead light it shed only serving to highlight the darkness and deepen the shadows. This ominous showing was only the prelude to the main event however, as the clouds were torn apart, rent by some invisible hand, or hoof. It was from these gaping wounds in the sky that a liquid shade flowed, twisting and undulating into patters that made the eyes ache and the mind recoil in horror. Great drops like tar splashed to the ground and oozed together, flowing up into the shape of a tall and stately mare, both horned and winged; her form so dark it could only be seen as a void against all else. Two eyes, pupils slitted like those of a great dragon’s, irises a green deeper than the purest emeralds flicked open contemptuously, daring the world to show the least bit of ingratitude for the privilege of being beheld by their cruel gaze. As her ebon form gained definition, Nightmare Moon, the Mistress of Misfortune, the Dealer of Darkness, the Queen of Calamity, addressed the unicorn who stood defiantly before her. “FOALISH pony warrior! For too long you have been a irritant to my otherwise-“ She was interrupted by Applejack clearing her throat. She turned to glare at the earth pony. “What.” “Howdy, mah name’s Applejack.” Said Applejack. “I know who you are.” Nightmare Moon turned back to Twilight. “As I was saying- FOALISH-“ “Ah just wanted ta make sure Ah’m gettin’ the recognition Ah deserve.” Applejack interrupted again. Nightmare Moon seethed. “If you are quite done…” “Ah’m a member of the Apple family, in case ya couldn’t tell.” The earth pony continued unabashed. “You know, the last group ‘a ponies to stand against ya.” “I am well aware of-“ “An’ who kicked the collective flank of yer robot army with some timely assistance from Twilight Sparkle.” Applejack seemed partially oblivious to everything around her as she spoke. “An’ now we’ve beaten yer goons an’ you have no choice but ta take care o’ things yerself!” She grinned cheekily. “Oh yeah, an’ Ah’m bein’ a distraction.” “WHAT?!” Nightmare Moon whirled, suddenly acutely aware she had lost track of the other pony. A burst of magic from above caught her attention, and she looked up to see that Twilight had teleported high up into the air, and was now falling towards her. The unicorn had her elemental stone out and levitated in front of her, magic flowing through it to form a triangular blade of radiant golden light around her. She charged straight down at Nightmare Moon, running as if the air beneath her hooves was solid ground. With a cruel laugh, the dark goddess swatted Twilight aside with contemptuous ease, sending her crashing to the ground amidst the shards of her failed spell. Applejack leapt forward to attack, but her kick collided with what felt like a stone wall, her hooves clashing against a shimmering barrier. “FOALS!” Nightmare Moon reared triumphantly. “I have not spent the past thousand years idle! I have been exploiting this world’s resources and gathering power! While you skipped the years and did not change, I have only become stronger! You have no hope of victory now, especially since you lack the other Elements of Harmony!” Twilight’s ears perked up. That sounded familiar, and incredibly important. If she could get Nightmare Moon to divulge more information, then perhaps she could counter the gap in power. Of course they key was to keep her talking without giving away the fact that she didn’t know what she was talking about. Twilight gritted her teeth and threw herself at winged unicorn, conjuring spears of light. “Maybe we do have them, and we’re just holding back! Did you consider that?” Nightmare Moon snorted. “Oh yes, the two of you went out and retrieved all five of the missing Elements in the past week. Pull the other leg, it has bells on.” She brought a guillotine blade of shadow down on Twilight’s spears, shattering them and causing the unicorn to run into the flat of the blade face-first. Applejack tried another kick, but Nightmare Moon seemed to be able to block them without even trying. “Ah’m just wastin’ mah time, aren’t Ah?” “Indeed you are, FOAL! Your paltry strength is nothing before me!” Flicking her tail like a shadowy whip, she flung the earth pony away. “No mere physical attack can harm me!” “...only the powerful light magic of the Elements can.” Twilight said, shaking dirt from her mane as she stood. “And that’s why,” She created a suit of armor from magic around herself. “You’ve been avoiding letting my touch you. Because for all your power there’s still something greater!” She charged straight at Nightmare Moon, horn glowing as she readied another spell. Nightmare Moon threw a wall of dark spines between herself and Twilight, wicked thorns the size of sword blades. With a brief flash, the young unicorn vanished, and reappeared behind her opponent. Charging forward again, she closed the distance between them faster than any spell could be cast. Nightmare Moon’s body shifted, flowing around Twilight in an attempt to avoid coming in contact with the glowing armor that surrounded her. The purple unicorn relaxed her control on the magic, and the protective barriers flew outward with a crack of thunder. The fel goddess howled in pain as beams of light lanced through her. Swirling into the air on a column of darkness, Nightmare Moon’s rage boiled through the air. Great bolts of purple lightning arced from her horn to scorch the ground and shatter stones, throwing around clouds of dangerous debris. “FOALS! THIS HAS GONE ON LONG ENOUGH! I SHALL FINISH YOU, AND RID MY EQUESTRIA OF YOUR PRESENCE!” A shard of darkness so pure it glowed with negative light began to form at the tip of her horn; a spell so intense that it created a howling maelstrom of power around it. The wind whipped at Applejack and Twilight’s hair, tugging at them as if to draw them in. “THIS ENDS HERE!” The fragment of power cracked, and the crack continued into the air around it, a tortured shriek accompanying it. “BEHOLD THE WRATH OF THE PIT OF HATE!” A wave of silence rang out, washing out all sound as a pulsing mass of warped magic burst forth, half-formed eyes filled with gibbering mouths sliding into view before vanishing as quickly as they came. Great jagged pillars of shadow stabbed down to the ground before exploding, tearing deep rents in the earth. Blasts of lightning and spheres of balefire filled the air, falling in a deadly hail. The spell exhausted itself, and Nightmare Moon looked down on the ruined land beneath her. A smoking tableau of craters and ash, she nodded in satisfaction. Nopony could have survived that, even with the protection afforded by one of the Elements of Harmony. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to check. She was distracted by a discreet ring of phantom chimes in her ears, the sound of one of her underlings contacting her. Turning away from the destruction she had wrought, she opened a window of magic through which she could see a bespectacled, pale human man, his frail body supported by a mechanical harness. He spoke haltingly. “Ah, my mistress, I have called, you because of an important, yes, an important matter.” “Get on with it.” Nightmare Moon said. “I don’t have time to listen to your prattling, Schreber.” “Ah, yes, yes my mistress.” The man adjusted his spectacles. “There has been, a breakthrough in our most ambitious, our most ambitious project.” He allowed a faint smile to cross his face. “I believe, you may wish, to see it for, yourself.” A final glance down at the ground confirmed that nothing appeared to be moving. “Very well then.” The Mistress of Misfortune’s horn glowed as she prepared to leave. “My business is finished here anyways.” It was some time before anything stirred within the area devastated by Nightmare Moon’s power. A soot covered pony’s head emerged from one of the deeper craters, accompanied by a loud chorus of coughs. Shaking dust and ash from her mane, she groaned and hauled herself over the crater’s lip. “Are we dead yet?” she moaned. “That” a voice replied from below “is a distinct possibility.” Applejack sighed and stuck a hoof back down into the crater. Twilight reached up and took hold of the proffered leg, and tried to climb up. The earth pony slid along the loose ground and back over the edge of the crater, dropping down onto her unicorn friend. They lay in the cloud of debris kicked up by their fall, coughing and sneezing. “Maybe we should just try later.” Twilight said. Next time, on Samurai Twilight: The rush of wind in her mane, the blood singing in her veins, truly, this was what it meant to be alive. If only she could bottle that feeling, and hold on to it forever. Or maybe sell it at a good price. Yeah, that could work… A flash of light and the crack of an ionized bolt shooting past her broke her from her reverie, reminding her that she really ought to get a move on. The Hunt waited for nothing, once it was started, you ran, and you didn’t stop if you wanted to hold on to that sensation of living… Episode 5: The Hunt A/N: Hey everypony, sorry this chapter took me so long. My computer completely died on me, forcing me to use a much less reliable backup. Hopefully I can get back into the swing of things and get chapter 5 out soon. Thanks for reading!

Foetohn

40

Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Spike,Alternate Universe,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Samurai Twilight

hiatus

<p>Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! (FiM/Samurai Jack fusion)</p>

everyone

2011-09-22T05:04:49+00:00

2011-09-22T05:04:49+00:00

Long ago in a distant land, I, Nightmare Moon, the shape shifting mistress of darkness unleashed a never-ending night! But, a foalish pony warrior, wielding a magic stone stepped forth to oppose me! Before the final blow was struck, I tore open a portal in time and flung her into the future, where my darkness is law! Now the foal seeks to return to the past, and undo the future that is Nightmare Moon! Samurai Twilight My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic belongs to Hasbro studios Samurai Jack belongs to Cartoon Network Episode 5: The Hunt Diamond Dogs are hulking, bestial creatures little less than the height of a human that are not noted for their eloquence of speech, mental acuity or personal hygiene. They are however valued for their ability to unquestioningly follow orders, and to only follow the orders of certain people once they’ve been hit over the head with a big stick enough times. The personal hygiene problem hasn’t yet been solved by any means. For all of their negative qualities, Diamond Dogs have one major positive aspect that cannot be ignored. They are not Dig Dogs. The Dig Dog is an offshoot of the Diamond Dog species, with even less intellectual capacity, more highly developed musculature and natural halitosis that could drop an ox at ten paces. The blue Pegasus restrained in the center of the room really wished the Dig Dog guards were that far away, but they persisted in single-mindedly following their orders to keep her secure. Suppressing a gag at the rancid smell that wafted over her, she tried to remember the events that had lead up to her incarceration. After a few moments she gave up, recalling only an indistinct haze filtered through several nights of hard partying. The squeal of rusty metal hinges caught her attention, and she looked up to see the holding cell’s door slowly forced open by a grumbling Diamond Dog. It gave her a blank look before fishing a grubby slip of paper from a pocket of the ragged vest it wore. Clearing its throat and spitting a gobbet of something green into the corner, it read aloud. “Dear bracket insert prisoner name here bracket comma.” The ability to read marked this Diamond Dog as near genius-level intelligence for its race. “You are being held for various crimes against Rift City comma the Nightmare State and Her Illustrious Majesty Herself colon Nightmare Moon.” Its bored tone and surprisingly good pronunciation indicated that this was not nearly the first time it had read the speech. “You will be brought before a blah blah BLAH! Don’t care about the rest! Dig Dogs! Bring prisoner along for judge to sentence!” The Dig Dogs unhooked the chains that linked her hoof cuffs to the floor by snapping the links (they had secured her there by bending them into the right shape) and dragged her forward, not waiting to see if she actually came along willingly. Trotting to keep up, the Pegasus nearly tripped over her manacles several times. With her wings bound to her sides, there wasn’t much she could do to attempt escape, so she bided her time. The Diamond Dog lead them down a plain concrete hall to a large waiting room, furnished with chairs designed for maximum discomfort. The Dig Dog guards were relieved of their charge, much to their charge’s relief, by a burly centaur in armor. The Pegasus gave him an appraising glance and grinned. “Hey there, Rainbow Dash, at your service.” As the centaur, who had never given his name, clamped a thick metal collar around her neck, Rainbow Dash reflected that the trial could have gone worse, but only if a spontaneous musical number had started up in the middle of it. The provincial governor’s daughter had been there, whom Dash had danced with (and maybe a little more). The same went for the governor’s wife. And the governor. In retrospect seducing all three of them at one party was probably a bad idea. Her list of crimes had read like somebody’s shopping list, clinical and brief, without going in to the juicy details of everything she had done. It was a shame really; there had been some impressive ones. In the end it was determined that she fell in to a sort of grey area between a swift execution and a slow one by labor. This of course didn’t matter, because every criminal in Rift City got the same sentence. The Hunt. The Hunt was an old tradition, going back a lot further than Dash actually cared about. The unfortunate criminal was released in the city and given a brief head start. After that, bounty hunters and lesser psychopaths were given the signal to begin their hunt, and a grand chase across the city would begin. The hunter or team who brought down the target would receive a prize taken from the entry fees for The Hunt, along with bragging rights and a lot of free drinks at the local bars. If the target was able to escape the city, the prize money would become a bounty placed on their head, and The Hunt would simply find a new victim. The heavy and rather uncomfortable collar fastened around her neck was a recent addition to keep things more interesting. A technician waved a metal wand over it and muttered an incantation that sounded suspiciously like random mumbling, and Dash felt the cold fingers of an enchantment clamp down on her mind. The effect was immediate; her wings went numb and felt like they were made of rubber, as she tried to stretch them they refused to cooperate and flopped about at her sides. “You know you could have just asked.” Rainbow Dash told the Hunt official present “I totally promise I wouldn’t cheat and just fly out of the city or something lame like that. Really.” The official, a rotund beetle standing on its hind legs, ignored her. Dash considered stepping on him, but decided against it when she glanced back at the Dig Dogs standing by the door. At least she had a chance of escaping with the hunters, if she harmed the official the guards would reduce her to interior decorating. “Zhe Hunt iz nearly ready to begin.” The beetle intoned, his mind clearly elsewhere. “If zhe partizipant doez not have any furzer questionz?” “Yeah,” Dash said. “I actually have one. Can I take a bathroom break? Like, for a few years until everyone forgets about me?” The official snorted, no mean feat for a beetle, and waved the Dig Dogs forward. “Take ze criminal zcum to ze releaze point!” “You’re off my Winter Solstice card list!” Dash shouted as she was dragged outside. “This Jade Line razor train will be arriving at Rift City Terminus in ten minutes. Please ensure that your belongings are secure and your travel passes are at hand. Thank you for choosing the Jade Line for your transport needs. Jade Line- endorsed by Nightmare Moon through an offhand comment!” Twilight Sparkle nudged her companion awake as the cold voice of the train’s PA system alerted her that they had little time to make themselves scarce. Both were wanted criminals, and lacked travel passes. Applejack stirred, and mumbled something that was probably a curse. Twilight poked her again, and then smacked her a few times with her own hat. The orange earth pony sat up with a groan and eyed her unicorn friend with a look of suspicion. “If Ah didn’t know any better, Ah’d suspect you were havin’ fun.” She said with a yawn. “Is it time ta get off the train already?” “Yeah, and we’re going to have to move quickly, they gave us less warning than I hoped for before our arrival.” Twilight stood and stretched before sliding the metal door of their narrow compartment open and glancing out. Satisfied that the hallway was clear for the moment, she hefted her saddle bag and slung it over her back. Applejack scrambled to do the same, and they stepped out into the car’s grubby passageway. “So, remind me again, what part of this seemed like a good idea to ya?” Applejack whispered. “Cus Ah’m not too shore ‘bout the sneakin’ out o’ the train while it’s movin’, climbing under the car an’ then hidin’ there while we pass through the checkpoints.” “It’s the only way we’ll make it into the city without fighting our way in, and that would draw too much attention.” Twilight carefully checked the next door. “Nightmare Moon might still think we’re dead, we have to use that to our advantage for as long as possible.” She slid the door open, letting in a chill breeze and the rumbling sound of the razor train’s wheels on the tracks. The car they were in was linked to the next by a narrow, flexible walkway made from metal slats on chains. It looked far too flimsy to safely support the weight of even a single pony- but luckily they would not need to use it. Both ponies leaned over the edge of the platform and looked at the complicated underside of the car. Applejack gulped. “You’re entirely shore ‘bout this?” “Decreasingly so.” Said Twilight. Rainbow Dash was unceremoniously kicked out of a hovercar’s side door to land roughly on the pavement of an empty street in Rift City’s industrial sector. Giving the parting car a last rude gesture, she brushed herself off and gave her wings an experimental flap. They twitched weakly, and then flopped to her sides, useless while the interference collar remained around her neck. With a grumbling sigh, the grounded Pegasus set off on foot, hoofing it to the relative cover of a mass of rusted pipes. “Think Dash, come on.” She muttered to herself. “If they let the mercs start too close there’d be no sport in it, but they aren’t gonna give you too much of a head start. If I were planning this out, where would I put them…” The sharp clang of a projectile ricocheting off of a nearby pipe followed by a muffled crack from the distance answered her question. Diving around to the other side of the pipes, Dash looked around desperately for an escape route. Another shot tore a nearby sign from its post, this time she was listening for it, and the Pegasus took a guess at where it had come from. Flicking her tail out of cover, she watched the area where she thought the shots were coming from. The moment her tail became visible a shot rang out, chipping the pavement a short distance away. Dash hadn’t caught the muzzle flash, but the gouge in the street was clearly lined up with the general area she had expected. The shooter was so far away the odds of a shot actually hitting her were low, but they were useful for forcing her to keep her head down and stay in one place. Cursing her bad start and the temporary loss of her wings, Rainbow Dash looked for an escape route. The street was completely deserted, nobody wanted to hang around when the Hunt was getting started, and even automated vehicles would have been re-routed. A truck to hide under and stow away in out of the city would have been highly convenient. As it was, a headlong sprint across the road and into the narrow alleyways of the industrial complex would have to do. Dash kicked a hoof out on one side of the pipes she was hidden behind, then pulled it back and ran out from the other side as a bullet shattered against her shelter. A second shot actually came close enough for her to feel its wake through the air, but she made it into the shadow of the factory intact. More than two miles away, a dark skinned human woman raised her head from her rifle’s scope. She brushed an errant strand of her long black hair away from her face, and raised a radio to her mouth. “Your turn, sis. Target is headed your way.” “All righty then.” A coarse female voice replied. “Time to show these amateurs how it’s done!” Rift City was large but relatively isolated; being located on top of a large chasm from which useful gasses vented as well as conveniently close to a large mine did much for its industry, but the frozen wastes surrounding it did little for its tourism. Still, the novelty of the chasm and the lucrative business opportunities it presented ensured that the city thrived. To keep its inhabitants comfortable and safe, a massive dome had been constructed over it, limiting growth outward and upward, but ensuring that buildings didn’t have to be exposed icy winds. Keeping in line with this, the most common transport into the city was the Razor Trains, rail cars sealed against the cold and built with thin, bladelike designs to provide minimal wind resistance as they sped along the tracks. As each train entered the city it was carefully inspected by armed guards in case saboteurs sought to damage the dome or industrial facilities. Inspection duty was a dull, cold and thankless task, which lead to many guards being less thorough than they should have been. If the guards had actually checked the undersides of the cars beyond a cursory glance, they would have seen two ponies clinging to the hanging cables and pipes, practically frozen in place. They didn’t, however, so the train continued on into the station, passing through the thick wall of the dome. Once the train had stopped, Applejack pried her numb legs from her hiding place and dropped to the ground, landing unsteadily on her hooves. Twilight followed a moment after, landing firmly on her face. The unicorn pulled herself to her feet while her earth pony friend shook life back into her frozen legs. Carefully sneaking along under the edge of the station platform, they found a place to scramble up and casually blend with the crowd heading into the city proper. Applejack cautiously whispered to Twilight. “So what now? How’re we gonna tell if one o’ those elements is here? It’s not like we can just walk up ta someone an’ say ‘hey, you know where we might find a magic rock ‘round these parts we could use ta defeat the supreme ruler of the planet with?’” “I’m… not actually sure.” Twilight admitted. “It’s more of a suspicion than anything concrete. The Elements of Harmony are a power opposed to Nightmare Moon’s, right? So it stands to reason that even if she wanted to find them, they’d be protected somehow. I did a little digging, and it turns out Nightmare Moon has never visited Rift City in person, even though it’s an important source of resources for her armies. There must be a reason for that.” “Maybe it’s ‘cuz it’s out in the middle o’ frozen nowhere.” Said Applejack. “If I were her, I wouldn’t want ta ride one of those cramped trains just ta get out here. Anyhow, that still don’t explain what we’re gonna do now that we’re here.” “If there’s something here, it’s probably down in the chasm. We can ask around and find out if there’s a way to get into it.” A press of bodies bottlenecked by a doorway made conversation difficult for a few minutes, but once they were free of the crowd Twilight spoke again. “First we should probably find a place to stay.” Bounty hunters lay scattered around the street in various states of consciousness, most of them bearing hoof-shaped bruises or dents. A solitary blue Pegasus stood in the middle of the street, panting as she took a moment to regain her breath. These were the inexperienced and foolish hunters, the ones in such a hurry to claim the bounty they raced to be the first to fight her. The wiser, more experienced hunters would be waiting, letting other people go first and be beaten, and waiting for her to get worn down. It would only get harder from here on out. Rainbow Dash gave her wings yet another test flap, only to find they were as useless as ever. She obviously wasn’t the first winged quarry of the Hunt. One of the bounty hunters stirred, so she gave him a sharp prod with a hoof to remind him to stay down before trotting away, alert for any hunters smart enough to lurk in the shadows. “Hey, frag-face. Up here.” A voice called out to her from a low rooftop. Dash looked up to see a human woman stood pointing a wide-barreled gun down at her. Wearing a black shirt and ragged jeans, she was dressed too lightly for the chill climate of the city, but seemed not to care. Her burgundy hair was done up in a ponytail, and her face bore a wolfish grin. “Hey there, my name’s Rainbow Dash.” A lifetime of working her way out of tight scrapes had taught Dash that if you weren’t already dead, there was still time to talk. “That’s a nice gun. Or maybe you’re just happy to see me.” The woman snorted. “Given how much your flank is worth, I’d say I’m pretty frakking happy to see you right now. Gonna haul you in in pieces, one for every place you’re wanted.” “Aw, not even going to buy me dinner first?” Dash teased, flicking her mane back to disguise the fact that she was scanning the area for an escape route. “Nah, you’ll make more of a mess if your stomach’s full.” The hunter laughed. “And don’t think I don’t see you looking for a frakkin’ way outta here. It’s no use anyways, my partner’s got you covered from a frakkin’ mile away.” Something clicked in Dash’s memory. “Wait… the sniper’s your partner? And you look kind of familiar… oh man, this is so awesome! You’re the Scourge Sisters, aren’t you?” The woman’s grin turned up at the edges a little, beginning to almost resemble a real smile. “A fan? Cool, maybe you’d like an autographed bullet, right between the eyes.” “What a great line!” A woman almost identical to the first except for a set of tribal tattoos on her arms stepped out from a wrecked doorway, a sleek pistol in each hand. ”I’ll have to steal it!” Before either the hunter on the roof or the Pegasus could react, she snapped off two quick shots with one pistol, hitting the woman on the roof. The unfortunate hunter fell with a cry, dropping her gun to the street below. “I’m flattered that you’re imitating me, but aren’t you a little too old for dress up?” She ignored Dash, who took the opportunity to dart off into a narrow gap between buildings, and picked up the fallen gun. “You let her get away.” The voice from the woman’s radio was flat, making a statement of fact without accusation. “Whatever, I can catch her later. Just something I wanna check.” She picked up the fallen gun and examined it. “If this is what I think it is… it is! It’s a Godwyn Industries Bolter! These things are so cool!” “And if we manage to bring in the prize, it will be like Winter Solstice Eve come early.” A hint of reproach crept into the voice. “Which won’t happen if you spend all your time drooling over every gun you come across, Mel.” “I hate Winter Solstice Eve. Bad memories from my childhood.” The hunter, Mel, checked the bolter over, counting the rounds in the oversized clip and reloading it. “I should make my own holiday...” “Why do I put up with you?” As Rainbow Dash ran through the city, making sure to keep as many buildings between herself and the sniper, she reflected on her marginal increase of luck. Hunters turning on each other in pursuit of their quarry wasn’t unheard of, but it was a rare occurrence and always nice if it let you get away. She didn’t think for a second that she had truly escaped yet, the Scourge Sisters, the real ones at least, were well known for brining in bounties long thought lost. It was going to take more than a simple distraction to get them off of her tail. A shot struck the pavement in front of her, and she tripped up in her panicked attempt to stop. The sniper had a clear view of the entire street ahead, making it suicide to try running down it. The only consolation was that without her partner nearby shooting the target was a big risk, as another hunter could recover the body and turn it in for the prize. She would most likely try to herd Dash to a place where her partner could catch up on foot and guarantee they got the credit. Of course if she was skilled enough she could shoot to just injure her quarry and slow her down. The smart choice would be for the Pegasus to allow herself to be herded around for now, and look for a later chance to escape. Dash threw herself forward and charged headlong down the street, legs carrying her as fast as they could. Her reckless charge must have surprised the sniper, because she made it halfway before another shot hit the ground a short ways away. She began to jink from side to side, the extreme range making accurate anticipation of her moves impossible. The street terminated at a T-shaped intersection, the cross street leading to another part of the industrial sector one way, and the more heavily populated residential and commercial sectors the other way. Dash turned right and continued running full-tilt, heading to the population center. More people meant more cover, and the hunters would face heavy fines and possible criminal charges if bystanders were harmed by their actions. They couldn’t do much to Dash at this point except increase the bounty on her head, so she left the safety of the uninvolved citizens to the hunter’s sense of professionalism and good aim. She had bigger things to worry about. The most upscale lodgings in the city had instantly been out of consideration when Applejack and Twilight considered where they might stay, because of a lack of both funds and ID that wouldn’t send up warning flags of criminal activity. They had been forced to discreetly canvas several locations, moving down the scale of class and finances until they found a hotel between the industrial and commercial sectors that was cheap and didn’t ask for ID. It was fittingly run down and smelled a bit like burned potatoes, but neither pony was planning on spending much time there. Applejack gave the room a dubious glance and raised an eyebrow at Twilight. “There’s only one bed.” “Um, yes.” Twilight said, unwilling to step in and be the first to test the carpet’s consistency. “The larger rooms were needlessly expensive.” “Well that bed is hardly big enough fer even a single pony, ‘an Ah’m not gonna sleep on this floor.” Applejack prodded the carpet with an exploratory hoof and found it to be passably inoffensive. Twilight sighed. “Maybe we can sleep in shifts then, it’ll only be for a few days anyways.” A door slammed open down the hall, causing both ponies to jump. Twilight dove to one side and Applejack leapt into the room to avoid a blue Pegasus who charged straight past them, ran through the room and dove through the window. Hot on her heels was a human woman with an almost comically large gun in her hands who was shouting and swearing almost incomprehensibly. The two ponies looked at the hole in the wall where the window had been, then at each other. “I say we go tell the manager what happened and then go get something to eat.” Twilight said. “Sounds fine ta me.” Applejack replied, stepping out into the hall and closing the door. “Ah really hope that sort o’ thing ain’t normal ‘round here.” “I imagine it would make it really hard to sleep.” Twilight laughed. “And kind of cold. Although I suppose that would explain why the window popped out of the frame so easily.” “Ah hate ta think that this buildin’s that shoddy. That sort o’ thing don’t help a body sleep at night too well.” They reported the broken window to the bored looking receptionist, who gave a vague promise of something possibly being done about it, and headed out into the city once more. They stopped at a roadside stand to buy sandwiches made with something called ‘soylens viridians’, which tasted passably like some sort of indeterminate edible thing, and Applejack assured Twilight was for the most part more nutritious than it tasted. As they walked away, a blue Pegasus mare jumped down from a balcony above and landed on the metal trailer. Shouting a quick apology, she leapt down to the street and galloped away. “Huh” Applejack wondered aloud. “Wonder why she ain’t usin’ her wings.” Twilight’s reply was drowned out by a loud thud as a human woman fell from the same balcony the Pegasus had come from and rolled off the stand’s roof. The owner, a skinny human man with a tic in his left eye, leaned out of the service window and shouted at her as she ran down the street after the pegasus. “Are you insane?! Stay off of my trailer!” Two Dig Dogs in armor hit the trailer roof with a deafening crash, bringing the stand down around the owner. “My sandwich stand! You maniacs, you crushed it!” The man was livid, standing in the middle of his ruined food stand and shaking his fist as the Dig Dogs stumbled away in the wrong direction. “Crazy.” Applejack mumbled around her sandwich. “That Pegasus seemed kind of familiar…” said Twilight. “Wasn’t she the one who broke the window in our room?” “’s why Ah said it was crazy.” Applejack swallowed a large bite. “Kind of a weird coincidence. Ah wonder why they’re chasin’ her.” “They’re practicing a musical!” A blue-skinned creature with one eye and more arms than any other feature piped up cheerily as he walked by. “Just kidding, that’s the Hunt! It’s a thing we do here to attract publicity.” “An’ what is this Hunt thing?” Applejack asked. “Just what it sounds like, bounty hunters competing to take down a single target.” The creature waved the arms on one side of its body. “I gotta get going, if the Hunt’s moved in to this district things are gonna get messy real fast.” Appejack shook her head sadly. “Turnin’ huntin’ people in ta sport? There’s somethin’ wrong with this city Ah tell ya.” “I was thinking more of the bounty hunters.” Twilight admitted. “If one of them recognizes us and word might get back to Nightmare Moon that we survived.” “Ah horseapples.” Applejack intoned. “We’re gonna have ta sneak out o’ the city again, aren’t we?” A few times Rainbow Dash felt a pang of regret at wreaking someone’s livelihood as she lead her pursuers on a rampage through the more heavily populated districts of the city, but she had a plan and refused to just give up. Nobody had ever really opposed the Hunt, at least in large enough numbers to even be noticeable. The city’s justice system wasn’t so corrupt as to start pulling random citizens in on trumped-up charges to throw them to the Hunt, and most criminals weren’t in a position to publicly protest. There was a way to get the citizens of Rift City riled up about the Hunt, but it was more than a little risky and would more likely than not make her even more of a wanted criminal. That was fine; she wasn’t planning on staying in this city any longer than she had to. You couldn’t put The Dash on trial for having a little fun, or a lot of fun as it was in most cases, and expect her to just go along with it! Her plan was simple: cause as much trouble and destruction in the commercial sectors of the city, preferably the expensive kind of trouble, and get the citizenry to direct their rage and frustrations at the Hunt officials for not preventing it. It would have been easier with the use of her wings, but she was no slouch on hoof, and easily kept a comfortable distance from her pursuers. A few more bounty hunters and Dig Dog enforcers had joined in the chase, but only Mel of the Scourge Sisters had managed to stay with her the entire time. Leaping over an ornamental fountain, she carefully kicked the water-spouting cherub on the top in the face so its head broke off. At this point she had to admit to herself that after trampling several hotels, stores, restaurants and one sandwich stand she was just having fun. Spying a flower shop, she ducked in through the front entrance and shouldered her way through the back storage rooms and out the back door, a single red rose held carefully in her teeth. Dash came to an abrupt halt in front of a café where a grey Pegasus mare with a blonde mane was eating a muffin. She dramatically presented the rose to her. “Though we have only met today, I feel as if our hearts have been bound together from the dawn of time!” One lime colored eye swiveled up to meet Dash’s rose-tinted pair. The grey pegasus’s other eye wandered disconcertingly to one side. Dash forged ahead regardless. “I present this single rose,” She quickly side-stepped a bola thrown from across the street which went on to wrap a waiter up along with a tureen of soup “As a sign of my undying pledge to always love you!” One of her wings chose an inopportune moment to spasm randomly, allowing the next bola to hit her, but not with the right angle to tangle around her. Instead, it smashed in to the table and obliterated the half-eaten muffin in a spray of crumbs. “Curses!” A short green man carrying a comically large bola cannon shouted from his vantage point atop a van on the other side of the street. “Stand still and let me catch you!” The blonde Pegasus turned her attention to the bounty hunter who had ruined her meal. “Hey! You!” Her wandering eye snapped to the fore to bring her full focus on the little man. “You’re gonna pay for that!” The little green man scoffed. “You must be joking! The mighty and illustrious-“ “FOUR-NINTY-NINE PLUS TAAAX!” As battle cries went, it wouldn’t go down in history as one of the greats, but the Pegasus behind it certainly put enough feeling into it. Dash fled the chaotic scene, hoping the fight would distract her pursuers long enough to make up for her delay. Attempting to hide aboard one of the departing razor trains wasn’t an option for AJ and Twilight this time, security within Rift City was much tighter than it had in the stations outside. Luckily there was a slightly less secure motorpool with plenty of vehicles insulated against the biting cold environment on the other side of the dome. Most of them were simple trucks made more for their hauling capacity than speed, or maintenance ATVs that could only carry a single rider and a toolbox. More useful to them were the heavy, six-wheeled rovers intended for longer treks out into the wastes. Unfortunately special permission was required to use these, and neither earth pony nor unicorn was willing to waste their time and risk their cover talking to some administrative drone about permits. Sneaking past or knocking out the guards would have to suffice, along with the hope that they could actually get a vehicle running once they made it there. Oddly enough the motorpool was completely deserted when they arrived. Even so, they slunk through the doors cloaked by subtle spell from Twilight that muffled the sound of their hooves on the concrete floor. They found the guards a little ways in, spread out on the floor and all bearing hoof-shaped bruises. “Looks like we aren’t the first ponies here.” Twilight observed. “Keep an eye out for trouble.” “Can’t say Ah mind havin’ the hard work done for us,” Applejack nudged one of the unconscious guards with her foot as they passed by. “but Ah’d rather not have ta fight whoever did this.” “Come on, if we’re lucky they’ll already be gone.” Twilight trotted over to the first wasteland rover in the line and probed it with her magic. Gentle lights played over its sides and around the doors for a moment, and then all of the locks clicked open at the same time. “Handy.” AJ scrambled up footholds never intended for hooves beneath one of the doors. “Bet you got yerself in a whole heap o’ trouble learnin’ that trick.” “I may have gotten in to one or two places my teachers didn’t want me to.” Twilight giggled at the memories. AJ opened the door and started climbing into the cab, but stopped halfway in. Across from her a blue Pegasus with a rainbow-striped mane was doing the same. “Hey there, Rainbow Dash, at your-“ The Pegasus started. “What’s taking so long, why’d you stop?” Twilight pushed her way up beside her earth pony companion. “Oh, hello.” Dash grinned. “You fillies headed my way?” “Depends.” Twilight forced her way up into the cab and reached back to help AJ up. “Which way would that be?” “Wherever the winds of the heart may guide me!” Dash hauled herself up alongside the other ponies. “But mostly away from the explosions.” “What explosions?” AJ asked suspiciously. Right on cue a set of doors on the opposite end of the motorpool exploded inward, shrapnel pinging off the sides of the assembled vehicles. Dash slammed the door behind herself and made her way up to the driver’s seat of the rover. “Those explosions, which are gonna be followed by a bunch of really annoying bounty hunters in a minute.” She rummaged around beneath the steering column for a moment and came up with a pair of wires. “Ok, let’s hope these are the right ones, ‘cus I have no idea what I’m doing right now!” The frayed ends of the wires came together with an impressive spark, and the vehicle’s antitheft alarm went off. Dash looked sheepish as Twilight rolled her eyes and AJ closed the remaining door. The blue Pegasus dove into the front console once more, but Twilight beat her to it, sending a beam of faint purple light into the tangled mess of wires. “Tell me what I’m looking for.” She said “These things are kind of new to me.” Dash shrugged. “I’ve never actually hotwired a car before. I can usually get my hooves on the keys first.” AJ sighed. “These things use a SH type 66 fuel cell engine. You’re lookin’ for a thick yellow an’ black striped wire. Give it a little jolt o’ power fer a few seconds an’ it’ll start up.” Twilight and Dash stared at her for a second, then turned back to the mess of wires. After a few moments Twilight sent a spark of magic into it and the vehicle grumbled to life. The Pegasus took the wheel, and the unicorn turned back to AJ. “How did you know how to do that?” She asked, more curious than judgmental. “We had a similar rig on the farm.” Said AJ as she strapped herself in to one of the seats. “That was uh, lackin’ in the traditional startin’ mechanism department. So we had to get creative.” Comprehension dawned on Twilight’s face as she followed suit in the seat beside AJ. “It was ‘salvaged’ goods, right?” “Somethin’ like that.” AJ muttered. “Hey, Rainbow Splash or whoever you are, you got a plan for keepin’ them bounty hunters off our tails?” “That’s Dash!” Came the reply. “And unless they can run really fast, they aren’t gonna be able to keep up!” “What about the other vehicles?” asked Twilight. “Tried all of them already.” Dash revved the engine and the rover lurched forward, towards a set of bay doors that was opening with painful slowness. The smoke from the wreaked door on the other side of the garage was clearing, and whoever was coming through would be arriving soon. “This is the first one that should still work.” “But there must be at dozen different vehicles in here!” “Yep, told you this was my first time doing this. Hang on, it’s gonna get bumpy!” Six tires squealed on the pavement and the rover shot forward, clipping the doors on both sides, replacing the squeal of rubber with the screech of metal. Then they were free, bounding along the rough permafrost surrounding Rift City. “Yeehaw!” AJ whooped, while Twilight looked slightly ill. “Ah yeah!” Dash turned around with a wide grin plastered on her face. “I knew I could do it! You fillies just leave this to the Dash and everything will turn out-“ A thunderous crash accompanied by the groan of rending metal drowned her words out. Behind them, a massive draconic shape covered in thick plates of armor tore its way free of the remnants of the doors and charged after them, roaring in berserk fury. “Oh crap!” “Oh crabapples!” Dash swore a little more colorfully than her companions and stomped on the accelerator as hard as she could. “A bucking Meta-Dragon?! They sent a Meta-Dragon after us?! Who are you two?!” “Just drive!” AJ shouted. “What the hay is that thing?!” Twilight turned herself all the way around in her seat to get a better look. “It’s a big, nasty robot that wants ta eat us! Do ya need ta know anythin’ else?!” “Why does a robot want to eat us?” “You shore that’s the right question to be askin’?!” “No, you’re right, I should be figuring out how to stop it.” Twilight furrowed her brow. “Just because it’s big and tough doesn’t mean I can’t find a way to…” “Well,” said AJ “You know what they say. ‘The bigger they are…’” “…the bigger the spell you have to use on them!” Twilight struggled free of her safety belts and opened the side door, letting in a bone-chilling wind. “That’s not exactly how th’ saying goes.” AJ rolled her eyes and grabbed on to Twilight’s tail to keep her from falling out of the rover. The Meta-Dragon was gaining on them, flapping its wings to give itself enough lift to take exaggerated steps that passed over the bumps and hills the ponies’ vehicle had to navigate. Twilight’s horn began to glow as she drew on her vast reserves of power and channeled them in to a spell. A tiny star-bright nova formed at the tip of her horn, bright red light seething with destructive energy. The Meta-Dragon roared once more, and Twilight gave the barely-contained magic a pinpoint opening to seep through. A searing beam of needle-thin flame swept out from the purple unicorn’s horn with a sound like tearing silk, igniting the air around it and leaving phantom lines in the vision of anyone looking at it. The beam cut off with an audible snap, and the Meta-Dragon’s roar became a scream. The spell had raked across its open mouth, cutting cleanly through its lower jaw and scoring the armor of its neck plates. It faltered, but regained its composure and resumed the chase. “It ain’t gonna stop comin’ ‘till it’s dead, Twi! You gotta finish it off!” AJ shouted over the rushing wind. Twilight concentrated once more, this time shaping the red spark into a flat disc with jagged edges. The aura of power around her horn stuttered, and the spell escaped, tumbling through the air towards the robot chasing them. Twilight gasped and reached out with her magic, stabilizing the disc in time to shear through one of the Meta-Dragon’s wings, causing it to go tumbling to the ground in an avalanche of steel. AJ pulled the exhausted unicorn back into the rover and shut the door. “Whoo! That was some impressive spell-slingin’ right there Twi! Good thinkin’ with that wing!” Twilight laughed nervously. “I was aiming for the neck…” Mel the bounty hunter stood in the wreckage of the former motorpool and swore softly to herself. At the sound of a footstep behind her, she spun around, recently obtained gun at the ready. A dark skinned woman with long black hair and a long-barreled rifle slung over one shoulder regarded her with a bored look. “You let her get away.” She said for not the first time today. Mel growled. “They sabotaged all the rovers and that damn dragon smashed the ATVs. What was I supposed to do, sprout wings and fly after them?” Her partner sighed and held up an electronic device. “No, but you can make up for it by getting us a ticket out of here. At least one of us had the presence of mind to put trackers on all the vehicles.” “I’m not a damn psychic, I can’t predict the future!” Mel grabbed the tracker and glared at its screen. “And if you’re so capable on your own why don’t you get us a spot on the trains yourself?” “Mel.” The sniper put a hand on Mel’s shoulder. “Shut it Tiana! I’m gonna find the nearest bar and start a fight after a few drinks. Don’t interrupt me.” Next time, on Samurai Twilight: Crystal grass crackled under their hooves like shards of glass, their steps leaving a trail of pulverized shards. This was a truly alien landscape, one touched by a power not of this world. The three ponies felt a deep sense of dread within their hearts that told them to run away and never look back, and yet they also felt something deeper calling them. As they passed a stand of fractal trees wrought from crystal like clear water, a dry breeze rustled their branches with a sound like a hundred wind chimes… Episode Six: The Singing Forest

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:54:07+00:00

2011-07-10T22:54:07+00:00

I watched the clouds above shift over the night sky, obscuring the beauty of the stars that sprinkled the sky like sparks. My official job description was to sit at my telescope and observe the stars and the various phenomena associated with them. How was I supposed to do that with clouds everywhere? Asking anypony on the weather teams, especially Rainbow Dash, to clear the sky wasn’t an option. They wouldn’t listen to me. I suspected that it had something to do with me refusing to speak to the mayor about my house. She’s had a problem with me because my house looks out of place in comparison to all of the other wooden structures that stand next to it. It’s like somepony took a chunk of Fillydelphia and dropped it right in the middle of Ponyville. It was built with a plurality of solid, candy-colored bricks, each either a pure red or green, and each layered one on top of the other in an alternating fashion; as such, it readily stands out amongst its neighbors. It’s gaudy, it’s eye-catching, and it’s absolutely Fillydelphian in every way. I trotted up to my home with a smile on my face. My neighbors were absolutely livid that I chose to keep the house after my father’s death. The mayor’s tried several times, with subtlety befitting one of her position, to get me to move, or to at least remodel the house, but this house is special. My father built this house, brick by brick, and created what was surely a masterpiece, a work of art that called back to his stomping grounds in West Fillydelphia where he was born and raised. Any sort of tampering with his work would be unthinkable. It’s a part of his legacy, a remnant of a bygone era where he was king of the contractors and lord of the architects. It’s also unthinkable that I’m missing what was sure to be a beautiful night. I hurried through the darkness of my home and raced up the stairs to the roof, my back weighed with what felt like reams of paper, all of it encompassing the full measure of my work. Luna’s return revitalized my research, what with the chaos that Nightmare Moon caused celestially. The irony was sweet, but the extra workload wasn’t. Nightmare Moon’s sudden appearance, after a period of a thousand years, had sent the stars into disarray. That offered a pony like me whole strings of opportunities to study the movements of each celestial body, and an opportunity to score a nice fat research grant. After all, I’m sure Luna would’ve liked to hear that the very things she brought out at night were moving and shifting radically out of place. Of course, I couldn’t collect those bits until I finished a good portion my research, and I couldn’t finish my research until I was allowed a good view of the stars. Perhaps now you can understand my predicament with Rainbow Dash and the weather teams. Still, the stars aren’t the only sight to be seen at night. I walked up to the telescope on the far corner of my roof and sighed. I wouldn’t get any work done, but I’d try to at least enjoy myself. Through the lens, I could make out parts of the moon not yet veiled by the clouds. In the distance were landmarks that towered over the horizon, like the mountains. The towers of the royal palace in Canterlot burst through the backdrop of snow capped mountains, almost shimmering as gentle strokes of moonlight pierced through the clouds and parted the darkness around the city. I shifted the telescope far to the left. The Everfree Forest looked as imposing as ever, and at night it took an almost ethereal form. Almost. I used to swear that something powerful was growing in the forest. I’ve since retracted that in favor of the theory that it’s the forest itself that is growing, both in power and in size. That place is the stuff of nightmares. My musings about the Everfree Forest were interrupted when I felt my horn tingle. Moments later I heard something crash and break downstairs. That meant that my break-in detection spell was working. Somepony was in my house, in the middle of the night, uninvited. The nerve of some ponies... Fear wasn’t exactly one of the first things that came to me. The intruder was harmless, for the most part, and I knew exactly what he wanted. “Stacks!” I yelled through the darkness. No response came forth. Stacks is the most stubborn foal I’ve ever had the pleasure of being friends with. He’s twice my size, twice as smart, and twice as rich. We play card games, board games, and drinking games all the time. He goes about his work in the day, I go about mine in the night. We are the best of friends. Of course, our friendship didn’t stop him from breaking into my house in the middle of the night looking for a place to sleep off the insane amounts of alcohol in his system. Letting him in my house whenever he got a little tipsy was a courtesy that I extended to him, but only because I feared that he might forget where his own home was. My house is conveniently located across the street from one of the local watering holes, making it easy for him to find. The things I do for friendship. “Stacks, I know you’re here!” “Ugh, y’don’t haffa yell, Shunny.” he slurred from behind the couch. I rolled my eyes and circled around to get a better look at him. My eyes are well accustomed to the dark, allowing me to see things almost as well as I can during the day; the benefit of years prowling the dark for the perfect stargazing sites. Stacks was sprawled out on the floor, clutching a keg of mead like it was his most prized possession; his only possession, even. His shaggy green mane was even rattier and shaggier than usual, and his pale yellow coat was covered in discolored spots. Some looked like hickeys, others like bruises. He didn’t seem to be in much pain, though alcohol can serve as an effective painkiller in the right quantities. My eyes easily traced his path of destruction back to a broken window near the back door. “Was the front door too hard to find? I mean, it’s not even locked.” “...It was dark.” “Dark enough that you couldn’t find the entire front side of the house?” “...I’m drunk.” I shook my head with a sigh. “You’re paying for that window.” “S’long as you don’t kick me out.” he mumbled with a wave of his hoof. Yeah, best of friends. I moved over the back door to survey the damage my intoxicated friend had inflicted on my home. Stacks had broken through cleanly. The glass had been shattered, fragmented, but most of it simply dropped to the floor. I doubted any glass shards had actually pierced Stacks’ skin. Regardless, I resolved to check him in the morning, just to make sure he was alright. __________ I went to sleep that night, only to awake feeling like utter manure in the morning. This morning, in particular, was bright and ungodly and hot. The blood under my skin felt like it was boiling in the heat, and my tongue rolled around in my mouth like a ball of sandpaper. Something sizzled in the background, and I briefly wondered if it was just sound of my eyes frying in the heat. “Hey Sunny, you awake yet?” It was Stacks. He poked his head into the doorway of my bedroom and waved a hoof. “You okay Sunny?” “Yeah, I’m fine.” A lie, but a necessary one. I tried not to think back to the time Stacks had tried to nurse me out of a fever. Too late. Stacks, although a magnificent artist and a social mastermind, is by no means a doctor or a scientist. About a year ago I was stuck outside in the rain when I had traveled several miles outside of town to one of my favorite stargazing sites. I managed to catch a nasty fever during my trek back home. Bedridden, I had no idea what horrors awaited me. Stacks had tried putting leaches on me to suck out the fever, covered the walls of my home with scented oils to drive away ‘evil fumes’, rubbed my back with special herbs that actually turned out to be poison ivy, soaked my clothes in peppermint oil, lit all of my rare and exotic plants on fire, ordered obscenely expensive wines under my name, and threw a party at without my permission to ‘help soothe the body with a happy environment’. The horror, oh the horror. “Glad to hear it, cause I’m making breakfast. You want in?” “Depends.” I said warily. “What are you making?” He grinned. “Fried kelp. It’s so legit, you don’t even know.” I groaned. Stacks had this thing about eating healthy that was almost borderline obsessive. He made alcohol the only exception to his diet, which didn’t surprise me. Stacks loves his alcohol, and cutting off all ties with it would’ve crushed him. “Can’t you just make normal food? Like a hay sandwich. Or a fruit salad. Or hell, just a salad!” I complained. “I’m hurt, Sun Spot, I really am. I went out of my way to cook for you and this is how you treat me?” He asked, putting a hoof to his head in mock indignation. “Some friend you are.” I smiled slowly. “Shut up.” Stacks disappeared from the doorway as I jumped out of bed. With a nod of my horn I touched the room with my magic; a cleaning spell invoked with a thought’s command. The sun’s rays were still unbearably hot, but my eyes did seem to be getting used to the light. “There’s some apples in the fridge if you’re hungry.” I heard Stacks yell from downstairs. “Oh, and I took the liberty of looking through your mail. You’ve got a letter from a secret admirer.” I cursed internally and bolted for the kitchen. Stacks was on the floor, clutching his gut in an attempt to hold back the laughter that threatened to roar out of him.. On the counter lay an opened pink envelope and a folded piece of white paper. I barely caught the scent of lavender over the nauseous fumes of burning kelp. “That letter wasn’t for you!” I yelled angrily. He snorted and shut off the stove, letting his fleshy green food sit on the pan to cool. I grabbed both the letter and the envelope with my teeth and stormed out of the room. I plopped down on the couch and opened the letter carefully, inspecting the handwriting up close. Delicate calligraphy filled the page, each line painstakingly written in perfect alignment with all the others. Not a letter was out of place, not a single drop of ink wasted. “Somepony must’ve put a lot of effort into this.” I thought aloud. I had given the paper only a cursory glance when Stacks came into the room with a plate of his disgusting kelp. He took a seat next to me and pointed at the letter. “You do know that Rarity wrote that, right?” “Stacks!” “Don’t you ‘Stacks’ me.” He took hoofful of kelp and shoved it into his mouth. One of the slimy green things hanged from his mouth as he spoke again. “Anypony with half a mind could’ve figured that out. I mean, I don’t know a pony out there who is as obsessive as her when it comes to being neat and tidy. And I don’t know many other ponies who even talk, or write, like her.” “Yeah but you didn’t even give me the chance to figure it out for myself.” He snorted again. “Like that even matters.” I gave him a half-hearted glare before turning back to the letter. “It says here that she wants me to meet her in the...” My words trailed away as I sunk into disbelief. There was no way she could be serious. Not in a thousand years. “Oh no.” Stacks stopped his manic chewing to give me a questioning look. I gulped. “She wants to meet up tomorrow night in the... the Everfree Forest.” “...Ouch.” “I know.” No words came after. We remained silent, neither of us able to break away from the weight of my plight. I wasn’t about to ask him whether or not I should go, because he’d probably respond with a corny one-liner like “Do what your heart tells you.”, which wouldn’t be helpful in the first place. I knew that I was going to go, I knew that I had to go. “This is my chance to finally get the mare of my dreams, you know? ” “Oh yeah! Weren’t you crushing on her for, like, two years?” He managed between laughs. “You sent her flowers every week last year until you found a whole dumpster filled with the ones you sent.” “You don’t have to remind-” he cut me off with another round of laughs. “Haha, remember when you sent her a love note, and it came back to you stamped ‘return to sender’ on top?” “You said you wouldn’t bring that back up!” “Oh, right. I forgot. Sorry.” He smiled again. “Not.” I wasn’t going to win an argument with him, so I left. I dropped the letter, grabbed my saddlebags, and left. There was business to attend to in town, business with the mayor. My research was damn important, and I wasn’t about to let some huffy bureaucrat delay it any longer by refusing to tell her teams to clear the skies at night. Before I walked through the door, however, I saw Stacks turn back to his kelp with a certain animation that almost tricked me into believing that he actually liked that stuff. Almost.

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:14:01+00:00

2011-07-10T22:14:01+00:00

That day, it had been unbearably hot indoors. Outdoors, however, it felt like I was being slow roasted by the heat of the day. No longer did my blood boil beneath my skin, it all but evaporated. The town hall was within sight, the only thing between me and it being a pony that I’d hoped to avoid for a little while longer. Before I even had a chance to think about running away, our eyes met, and she advanced on me, eyes furrowed in that classic Twilight Sparkle glare. “Oh. Hey... you.” I said, backing away slowly. “You? You!? Where in the world have you been?” She yelled, continuing her advance. I smiled sheepishly, but that didn’t placate her. “Look, Twilight, I know you’re a little mad but-” She cut me off before I could finish, pointing at me with an accusing hoof. “A little?! I’ve been putting off my own research just to help you with your stupid project and you go ahead and ignore me for two weeks! How am I just a little mad?” I cringed. Reds and oranges began to bleed into her eyes until they looked like two small, glowing suns. Just looking into them made me tear in pain. Twilight Sparkle is one the brightest ponies I know, and her skill with magic is unmatched.When I hit a few roadblocks in my research, I immediately thought about seeking her help. Stacks may be smart, but the study of celestial bodies isn’t exactly in his intellectual comfort zone. I came to her one night, calculations in hand and a head full of questions, and the next thing I knew everything was all better. I just looked at the paper in my hands, surprised that, with her help, everything suddenly made sense; every single star had been properly aligned according to the shifts I’d recorded. The night after that, I came back to her with more questions, then the night after that and the night after that. Let me be clear. I am not a mind-reader. If there’s a spell out there capable of giving a pony that ability, I wouldn’t know about it. All I knew was that she was furious with me now, and that was something to be scared of. I felt a few tears spill from my eyes. She stopped, no doubt thinking that I was crying because of her words. I took advantage of that quickly, sniffling a little for added effect. Now I was on the offensive. “Twilight... I’m sorry. The truth is, I haven’t been able to complete my research because the sky’s been covered in clouds at night. Just clouds, clouds everywhere and not a star in sight.” I sighed, rubbing my fake tears away with a spare hoof. “I’ve had a few conversations with the mayor about this, but she keeps blowing me off because of a previous disagreement we had about my... my father, and it’s taken so much out of me, and, gosh...” I looked into her eyes, each an orb bubbling with regret. “I’m sorry.” I repeated softly. That got her. “Sunny,” She began, tamer than how she’d started. “You don’t have to be sorry. I’m the one who should be sorry. I was just so angry at you for delaying my own studies that I didn’t take into account the things that you’ve been going through.” She seemed to light up at that. I wondered if there was a magic spell that could make light bulbs appear out of nowhere. That way I’d at least be able to keep track of how many epiphanies a week Twilight had. The number was surely in the hundreds. “You know, this would make a great letter to Princess Celestia.” “That’s great, and I hope the letter goes great, but I really need to get going, Twilight.” I craned my neck to look around her. The mayor had exited the town hall and was headed in the direction of the marketplace with a pair of ponies. “I promise to have the next leg of my research done and in your hooves as soon as possible, but right now-” “Yeah, sure. No problem, Sunny.” She allowed me to pass with a smile and a nod. I nodded back. “Thanks. I’ll see you later, Twilight!” That was close. The conversation hadn’t gone quite as expected, but at least I’d bought myself some more time. Twilight isn’t exactly a pony wiling to forgive and forget right away. She enjoys giving a good lecture or two before deciding that you’ve had enough of a tongue-lashing. I moved at a half-trot, cutting through the wall of street vendors to my right to catch up with the mayor. For an old pony, she did have one hell of a stride. I did manage to catch up a few minutes later, though. The mayor looked like she was talking with Derpy Hooves, Ponyville’s very own mailpony. I’ve only ever seen Derpy in passing glances overhead. She’s not allowed to fly low during deliveries after that last incident with the muffins and the cart. Needless to say, a few buildings were severely damaged. I don’t think Blues ever really recovered from that, either. Derpy must have finished all of her deliveries for the day, but if she did, then why was the mayor giving her a package? Derpy flew off a few moments later, and I seized the opportunity to corner the mayor. She looked surprised, but it didn’t take long for that to turn to disdain. “Oh. It’s you.” “I’d hoped that we could be civil and fair about this.” “That depends.” She started, her expression tightening into a frown. “Are you ready to move?” “You can’t honestly expect me to move! That house is-” “Yes, yes. I know. It’s your father’s legacy. But I’ve already offered to compensate you for the loss.” She didn’t get it. “This isn’t about the money! This is about me keeping what I have left of my father.” The mayor tried to say something, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. The words were forming by themselves, the frustration I felt demanded to be expressed. I needed to make her know, to make her understand. “My father lost two of his cousins in a fire that destroyed a good portion of Fillydelphia almost twenty years ago. Back in West Fillly, he started helping out with some of the reconstruction projects, and he saw that the fires that had swept through there had turned some of the bricks green, so when they started rebuilding those homes, they reused some of those green bricks. Nopony bothered changing the colors because the discolored bricks became a badge of honor. You were a pony that, despite the odds, despite the unparalleled destruction and chaos, survived and thrived in an environment almost completely consumed by the greatest fire Fillydelphia had ever seen.” My rant was drawing a crowd. Ponies were staring at me, whispering things about me. The mayor was beside herself. A combination of shock and outrage flashed across her face. I almost smiled at that. “My father built that house as a memorial to the cousins that he had lost. He built it alone, with his own two hooves. He built it strong and tough and capable of lasting a lifetime. And now you want to take it away from me, the one gift that my father ensured would stay with me until I joined him in death.” “That’s not really fair. I’m not trying to-” “Oh, but you are, mayor. You’re forcing me to choose between my livelihood and my father’s legacy, and, Celestia damn you, I won’t stand for it!” I hadn’t intended to cause a scene. I just wanted her to leave me be already. The realization that my rant hadn’t won any points with her struck me rather quickly after that. She looked just as angry as I did. “You... you... How dare you- don’t you run away from me, Sun Spot!” I ran as fast as I could, pushing past the crowd in whatever direction would get me out of there the quickest. I dashed past Rarity’s Boutique, over a small bench, and into the park. I stopped just short of a hut in the distance came into view. The hut was smaller than my house, but looked cozy enough. It was surely far more comfortable than a shack, though that was a debate my father would’ve ran into the ground. “Dad...” I whispered softly, letting the wind carry my regret to him in the afterlife. Despite my best intentions, I had failed. The mayor wasn’t going to let up, and I certainly hadn’t done anything to help. The breeze was starting to pick up. To this day, I’m not entirely sure what happened next. Something called out to me, on the wind. A reply from my father? A guardian angel? My imagination? All of them are plausible and yet none accurately express the exact compulsion that came over me. As the wind whispered back into my ears, I froze up. Then I looked up and stared into the sun. _____________________ When I came to, the first thing I noticed was the piercing smell of disinfectant and the faint smell of blood. The first cough hurt me. The next dozen shook me to the core. Somepony must’ve heard me hacking up a storm, because soon enough a mare ran into the room and called for somepony to hold me down. I panicked when I felt two sets of hooves press down on me. My eyes opened, and I locked eyes with one of the nurses restraining me. Her purple eyes widened as tinges of red began bleeding into my vision. I screamed and flailed and cried dark red tears while the nurses struggled to control me. Somepony else came into the room during the struggle. “Dude, you gotta calm down!” “S-stacks?” That was the opening the nurses needed, I guess. They pushed me against the hospital bed even harder than before while another pony stuck a needle in me. A sedative, and a powerful one at that. Blissful unconsciousness came within seconds. My next encounter with the world of the living came at a much slower pace than the sudden surge in lucidity that I had just... Well, since the last time I was awake. I swam in and out of consciousness before finally settling into a state of semi-lucidity. I still couldn’t see, not because of whatever I’d done to my eyes but because of the thick bandaging that kept me from opening them. “Hey Sunny.” I heard Stacks say from my left. His voice is distinguishable because of the way that it booms when he speaks. A baritone, if there ever was one. “I... don’t want you to lie to me, Stacks. How do I look? Am I scarred for life? Is my picture perfect face ruined forever?” “No, you’re still as average as ever, Sunny. Though, your eyes-” “How are they?” “Don’t freak out, Sunny.” “Just tell me, what happened to my eyes?” ” Dude, just wait for the nurses to come. They can explain it better than I can. “ “No no no no. This... you’re lying.” I pounded my hooves against the bed in anger. I was blind. I had to be blind. My life was over. “Sunny, don’t be like that. It’s nothing permanent.” He paused. “At least, that’s what the nurses think.” “That’s what they think?!” “You’re dangerously close to freaking out.” “Maybe that’s cause I’m an astronomer who’s about to lose his eyes. How in Celestia’s name am I supposed to use a telescope now? How am I supposed to finish all of those equations now? How am I supposed to get that research grant now?” In truth, the money didn’t really matter. My father had left me with control of his real estate empire, which I delegated control of to his financial manager. He also left me with several bank accounts, each containing enough bits to last a pony a lifetime. I wanted the grant because I wanted to be self-sufficient. My father did not coddle me as a child. Despite our wealth, I was given a proper upbringing with an emphasis on hard work as the best means to an end. That grant was supposed to validate me, to make me remembered not for being my father’s foal, but for being the pony that discovered the widespread movement of the stars. “Take a chill pill, bro. I’m not the one you should be ranting at, and I’m not the one who decided to stare into the sun for hours.” “What.” I said more than asked. “I couldn’t have stared into the sun for that long.” “Oh, but you did. Hours, they said. Unbelievable, I said.” I could tell he was smiling. He had to be smiling. “So I’m blind?” There was another pause. I guessed that he was shaking his head, so I pointed to the bandaging. He sighed before continuing, “Not really. I mean, I don’t know much about your condition, but, again, the nurses told me that it wasn’t permanent.” “Damn...” “Well, look on the bright side. Now you can spend more time with your buddy Stacks.” “That’s not much of a bright side.” Somepony else walked into the room. Stacks addressed her as doctor, which piqued my curiosity. The only doctor I’d seen was a white mare with a pair of soft red eyes and light pink hair. The nurse who held me down had the loveliest eyes, both a rich royal purple, and a navy blue coat. “Er, hello, Mr. Spot. My name is Doctor Redheart, if you didn’t know that already. Tell me, how are you feeling?” “Great, considering I’m bucking blind.” “Sunny, don’t talk to her like that!” Stacks hit me with one of his oversized hooves. I tried to pretend like it didn’t hurt. “If it wasn’t for her, you would’ve lost your eyes permanently.” “Careful. We don’t want him to get too agitated.” She said. He’d found his new soul-mate. Right. “About that. Stacks tells me that I’m not permanently blind.” “You aren’t. Though we aren’t sure if the glowing is permanent.” “What.” “See, Sunny?” He asked, tapping me with a hoof. “I told you that it wasn’t permanent. And you were about to freak out over nothing.” The nurse approached me and carefully removed the bandages. It took her a short while to slowly peel off the bandaging, but off it went. Behind my eyelids I could see the world brighten, though I kept them closed until the last layer of medical gauze was removed. Tentatively, I opened my eyes. This time, I didn’t cry rivers of blood, nor did I feel the intense, burning pain associated with blood flooding into my eyes. Stacks grinned. “That is probably the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” “A mirror. Get me a mirror.” The nurse fumbled around with one of her pockets before producing a compact mirror. Staring back at me were two glowing silver eyes. They really did glow. It was faint, but there; actual light radiating out my irises. “Oh man.” “I know, right?” “Rarity’s going to freak when she sees me.” “No way, Sunny. Fillies love talented young stallions with glowing eyes. It’s practically a given.” The nurse coughed politely to reign the conversation in. “I’m sure all the fillies will go wild when they see you, but they are going to have to wait until we clear you.” “And how long is that going to take?” I asked nervously. “A few days.” “But I’ve got a date tomorrow!” “I’m sorry, Mr. Spot, but we can’t, in good faith, let you walk out of here without first giving you a full checkup and making sure those eyes of yours don’t fail when you get out there.” I shared a look with Stacks. He got the message. My date with Rarity was destiny, and it would not be denied to me, not by some doctor.

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:15:40+00:00

2011-07-10T22:15:40+00:00

Breaking out of the hospital was about easy as easy can get. All Stacks had to do was pick a lock or two. Then, we were off like a couple of bandits, internalizing the light-hearted, boyish joy we felt. I’d wager that the night had never seen a pair like us before. We were almost like kind of ponies you’d read about in books as foals. Dashing young stallions taking the world by storm, making their own rules and playing by their own terms; ponies who spent every waking moment enjoying life because life wasn’t going to give them a damn inch. The difference between us and the ponies in the storybooks was that they could live free and adventure forever. Time would catch up with us, the weight of the world was going to end up on our shoulders at some point. It was inevitable. But at least we could enjoy the time from here to there. The novelty of our rather clean getaway died after a while. Stacks decided around then to amuse himself by making noise; lots of noise. “Dun dun dun dun dundundundun! Dun dun dun dun dundundundun. Dun dun dun dun dundundundun! Doodeedoodee-” “If I have to spend another minute of you making noise in what you call theme music, I may just make myself deaf instead of blind.” Stacks sighed that heavy kind of sigh that comes only through disappointment. He turned to me and said, “Sunny, you’ve gotta relax. S’not even your first date and you’re already acting like some jelly-legged foal.” I admit it, I may have had a bruised ego, but I didn’t let it show. “I’ve only ever dated twice, and both times were disasters.” I said with my best poker face on. Stacks didn’t look like was laughing, though he did seem curious. That’s the thing with Stacks. You’ll always know what he’s thinking, but you never know what he’ll do. It’s weird, and it’s not something you can explain easily. “I was sure that Volt was the perfect mare for you. I mean, she was good-looking, funny, and damn good at her job. I thought you’d like her.” “I did.” I broke eye contact to stare at a particularly interesting rock lying over on the side of the road. “We were picnicking under the stars just outside of Ponyville when we saw a meteor shower, more like a storm though, and she loved it. There were streaks of golden light cascading down from the heavens as hundreds of meteors burned themselves up upon entering the planet’s atmosphere. And just as the meteors began to let up, the field around us suddenly bloomed. A whole field of moonlilies just bursting to life out of literally nowhere. Can you believe that?” “Then what?” “When I took her home, she leaned in for a kiss, but before I could even do anything her dad opened the door, roared at me, and clocked me so hard I went flying into a bunch of thornbushes.” “She lived with her pops?“ “Apparently. That dude looked old enough to be her dad.” I rolled my shoulders in a half-hearted shrug and moved on. “Alright, so what happened with that other filly. What’s her face?” “Who? Lacey?” “Yeah. I thought she was into you.” I sighed. “Me too.” “Well?” he asked expectantly. “What happened?” “I think we dated for all of five minutes when she asked me to get us a couple of drinks. I got the drinks, and when I came back I saw her walking out the door with some other pony. The next day I overheard one of the gossips say that she moved out of town, overnight no less, to some place up north. Stalliongrad, I think.” Stacks boomed with laughter, not particularly concerned that he was waking up the entire neighborhood or that it was at my expense. If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought that all I was good for was getting Stacks to laugh. Good thing I know better. “Pfft, don’t worry about it bro. You’ve got a chance to make up for all of that with Rarity.” He gave me a few painfully reassuring pats on the back. I gritted my teeth and smiled. “All you have to do is put the moves on her.” I dreaded asking him, but my curiosity won me over. “The moves?” Stacks froze, which freaked me out far more than I was really willing to admit. His head turned slowly, revealing a ridiculous and over the top look of shock and disbelief, melting away my aforementioned fear. “You don’t know the moves?” “What moves?” “THE moves!” He put a hoof to his forehead, shaking it melodramatically. “I can’t believe no pony’s ever taught you the moves.” “What moves are you talking about?” “THE moves!” He replied exasperatedly. I felt like knocking some sense into that thick skull of his, but I didn’t; mostly because I didn’t feel like having my hooves ripped off and shoved down my throat. “Okay, stop. Right now. We’ve gotta do this, Sunny.” He grabbed me and looked me in the eye. I could see his emerald green eyes reflected my own wispy silver ones, and despite the light flooding into his eyes, he held me firm. “I’ve gotta learn you up some of the moves.” “No way, Stacks! You’re freaking me out. And besides,” I looked around, deciding that this part of town was a good a place as any. “This is your stop.” “What?” “You heard me. You’re staying here, and I’m going to the Everfree Forest to have my date with Rarity.” He looked hurt. I could actually see tears collected and falling down his cartoonish expression of anguish. It was all I could do to stop a smile from creeping along the edges of my now crumbling poker face. “I... can’t come?” He asked the question seriously, but really, how was I supposed to take a question like that seriously? “No, you can’t come. Weirdo.” “B-but, why?” Oh Celestia, now his lips were quivering. “Because it’s a date between me and Rarity, not a date between me, Rarity, and Stacks.” “Bros don’t leave bros hanging, bro. You’re leaving me hanging.” I kept a lid on my frustration, but it was hard to with Stacks giving me that look. I mean... that damn look. “Dude, shut up. You’re not coming and that’s that.” “Hey, I busted you out of a hospital. The least you could do is take me with you.” He switched gears, his expression settling on something close to disappointment. I thought I caught a whiff of entitlement too underneath the simmering anger. “No.” “Fine, but at least let me teach you the moves.” “No!” I backed away quickly before turning and breaking out into a full gallop down the street. “Sunny, you’re breaking my heart!” I heard him call out behind me. I didn’t bother looking back. I made all haste for the forest, both to avoid being late for my date and to avoid Stacks. Stacks loves the Everfree Forest. He, in particular, loves the freedom that it enjoys. The weather is random, the creatures and critters run freely, and the presence of pony magic is completely absent. It is a haven for creatures like Manticores and Cockatrices, and a place beyond the control of Princess Celestia. In his words, “No one pony should have all that power.” He distrusts the princesses because everypony thinks that they’re literal goddesses to be worshiped. “What makes them better than me?” He asked me one day, fuming at the mix of awe and fear that everypony else felt during Celestia’s trip to Ponyville. “The fact that they’re omnipotent?” I guessed. He gave me one of the fiercest glares I’ve ever seen and walked away. I’ve never seen him that angry about anything before, so naturally it scared me half to death. He did apologize for nearly blowing up at me over the whole princess thing, but I’ve always been wary of getting Stacks angry since then. He’s my best bro, and I’d hate to see my best bro fall into a rage more terrifying than the little that I had actually seen. The only reason he’ll avoid going in there is because he thinks that if he does go in there, he’ll never come back out. Not after what happened to Flower Wishes. Flower Wishes went into the forest to collect a few rare herbs a few months ago. No pony saw or heard her for a full 24 hours, not until the screaming started. It was during a lunar twilight when we heard her screams fill the night. Everypony had to have heard her. She just kept on screaming and crying and dying for an hour, and no pony did a damn thing to help her. No pony left their homes, no pony even bothered talking about it. She was given a quiet funeral with an empty casket and quickly forgotten. Death is bad for business, you know. But Stacks never got the memo. I’ve seen him head over to the cemetery whenever he’s in a mood. It’s not often, but it does happen. Regardless, his aversion to the forest gave me the chance I needed to get in quickly before anyone noticed. I took the same dirt path out of town to that same cozy little hut that lied on the outskirts of the Everfree Forest. The lights were off, so I assumed whoever was inside was just asleep. Somewhere near the edges of my vision I saw a flash of purple and white. I turned and caught sight of what had to be Rarity’s mane flowing in the wind. It disappeared behind a thicket of trees and into the darkness of the forest proper. I gave chase immediately. I couldn’t let this opportunity go to waste. I was convinced that if I did, I’d regret it forever. _______________ My eyes, previously well tuned to the dark, were far more powerful with the extra light now filtering into the world around me. I could pick out minute details from the darkness around me far easier than I imagined anypony else could. Moths fluttered in the breeze while their honey-making brethren buzzed, hard at work collecting nectar from the beautiful jungle flowers that bloomed here. Above me was the thickest canopy of trees in Equestria. The forest canopy blocks out nearly all light, creating an environment as dark as any cave. Birds swooped down from the branches lying overhead, surprising their prey with a vicious overhead assault. They sing to each other from the safety of the tree branches, adding to the life of the forest. The understory of shade tolerant shrubs and ferns and fungi stubbornly grew here, using torrential downpours to make up for the lack of direct sunlight. In some places, wherever the tree canopy was broken by the terrain, the brush actually impeded my progress forward. I was forced to take the beaten hunting paths that some of the larger predators take, though with much hesitation. I wasn’t particularly eager to meet any of the nocturnal predators that had made these dirt roads. Deeper and deeper into the forest I went in search of my purple-maned beauty. Every once while I’d see a hint of her passing or hear a faint giggle off in the distance, but never did I catch a full glimpse of her. Not until I’d reached a small grove somewhere deep in the middle of the forest. Rarity, with her back turned to me, leaned over to pick up a few Forget-Me-Nots. It hit me as I rushed to her side. I was lost. I’d only noticed how far I’d suddenly realized that I didn’t know how to get back. I didn’t bother looking for landmarks or even keeping track of my position through the stars. Of course, the tree canopies made it hard to do that, but I did have more than one opportunity to do so. When I turned back to Rarity, she was but feet away from me, teeth gingerly holding a fragile blue flower. I recoiled in surprise, and felt terrible for it. I hate surprises. In my life, surprises only mean that I’ve either gotten hurt, or something terrible’s happened. Surprises are horrible, and the only use for them is to inflict some measure of pain on somepony else. It’s part of the reason why I keep my birthday a secret from Pinkie Pie. If she did hold one for me, my heart would probably stop out of shock or I’d fall down a flight of stairs or something. The risk is too great for a pony like me. This surprise wasn’t all that bad, though. Rarity was gorgeous, a sight that I wouldn’t mind dying with. She practically glowed, despite the nigh-total darkness that hung heavy on the air. As she walked, her poise practically off the charts, the petals of the flower fell off, one by one. They swam in the breeze, swaying to and fro until they disappeared into the underbrush. Rarity stopped a few feet from me, dropping the flower stem without a second glance. She cocked her head and gazed contentedly into my eyes. I spoke first, before things got awkward. “So... I got your letter, and I came here like you said. Um...” “You have such pretty eyes.” “Uh, what? My eyes? Yeah, I thought you might like them.” She smiled. “It’s a shame that your mane clashes with them.” “...What?” She was on me faster than I thought possible. She struck me, slamming both of her hooves onto my head. I dropped like a rock, dazed and in pain. Rarity didn’t stop there, however. She jumped gracefully onto my back, keeping me on the floor before I even had the chance to try and pick myself up. She leaned ever so slightly over me. “I know just the thing. Hold still darling, this may hurt a bit.” The light from my eyes reflected off a thin strip of steel that disappeared beyond my field of vision. A moment later I felt pure and unadulterated pain run down my spine. I thrashed and flailed and bucked, trying to dislodge her, but she didn’t budge. “How bucking heavy is a mare like Rarity anyway? There’s no way she weighs more than me, no way in Hell!” I thought as I screamed. She stopped only when I had completely run out of breath. The torture had dragged on and on until the sensation of razor sharp steel slicing thin, wiry flesh became all that I knew, all that I could expect. Time became measured in the moments she spent working her blade on my back. Joy became the precious few seconds in between her cuts. Death became my best friend. Rarity leaped off of me once she’d finished and allowed for some space to admire her work. “Yes, perfect! I knew red was the right color. It really offsets all of that gray.” I crawled forward, teeth gritted as I fought the pain to get my limbs moving. I was trying to escape, but nothing worked. My legs would not move as fast as I wanted them to. Rarity simply walked around me, a bloody letter opener in her teeth. “Why are you... is it because of the flowers? Did you not like them? Or the letters? Was it something that I said?” I asked. She just smirked around the steel in her mouth. The tips of her hooves, mane, and tail were stained with blood. My blood. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? I was being stupid, and I promise I’ll never bother you again. I swear on it, by Celestia, I swear, okay?” I asked desperately, shaking from head to hoof in fear. Tears were streaming down my face, blurring the approach of what I had once thought was an angel. She leaned over me again, this time drying my tears with her luxurious purple locks. “Oh, darling, you’ve nothing to be sorry for. It’s not your fault you were born like this.” She cooed, rubbing some of the blood dripping down my back into my mane and coat. “But I can fix this. I can fix you.” “No more... Please, no more.” I begged. She ignored me. “Now, let’s do something about this face.” She slapped me a bit harder than I think she meant to. “I think a nice shade of blue would really help balance out the red.” She swung around me, propping herself on my back, digging her hooves into my open wounds. I prayed that she would tire of my screams and just slit my throat. Killing me seemed more and more like an act of mercy compared to this. But, instead of cutting me open some more, she wrapped her two front legs around my throat in a hug. At first, I didn’t know what to think. Then I realized what she was going to do. A nice shade of blue... “Rarity, no!” I managed before she denied me the ability to breathe. I tried to shake her loose, but it was no use. I was weak, and she was strong. Too strong. The words in my head seemed impossible to articulate with all of that primal fear and my lack of air, but I said them anyway, somehow. “You... aren’t... Rarity.” “And you aren’t going to stop me, not when the fate of the universe in coming is at stake. You will not deny me my new home.” She whispered harshly in my ear. Darkness took me soon after that. ____________________ Imagine my surprise when I regained consciousness. This was one of those rare surprises that didn’t actually suck in every way. I’d survived. I felt alive. I was alive. Of course, that was practically begging the question, but I allowed myself to simply appreciate the fact that I was alive of all things. My eyes fluttered open, unhindered by the bright light of the morning. I was laying in the same hospital bed that I’d been in when I first came to the hospital. This time, however, I was strapped securely to the bed. I wasn’t sure if it was because of all the cuts on my back or because of the fact that I had snuck out of the hospital at night, but I couldn’t really care less. Even if I wanted to move, I couldn’t. Not without tearing open a few of the nastier gashes. Stacks was sleeping peacefully by the window, his hooves tied together around an empty bottle of bourbon. I couldn’t believe that he just drank it all and didn’t leave a drop for me. At this point, I could’ve used a drink or two. Instead of getting angry about it, though, I just closed my eyes and soaked in the sheer wonder of it all. I was alive, and it felt damn good to be alive.

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:18:11+00:00

2011-07-10T22:18:11+00:00

Stacks is truly one of the worst friends, and one of the greatest friends, a pony could ask for. I asked him how I had survived my encounter with Rarity in the forest, and he told me that he had had me followed by Snips and Snails. Snips managed to run back into town and tell Stacks about Rarity trying to kill me. Stacks then followed Snips back into the forest and saved my life. Rarity hadn’t seen Stacks coming from behind, and it only took one blow for her to join me in oblivion. The story itself is still pretty unbelievable. Snips, with his stubby legs and lack of focus, seemed like the least likely person to find his way out of a forest, then back in, without getting lost. When asked about that, Snips just said he’d taken a shortcut. Pursuing that line of questioning just seemed... pointless, I guess. I didn’t bother. I didn’t have to. Snails managed to get a few pictures of the whole thing with that old camera of his. He’s actually a pretty good shot, despite what some ponies may say about him. I just couldn’t believe that Stacks was dumb enough to pay two mentally disabled foals to follow me into an extremely dangerous forest so he could get pictures of me and Rarity, and that his stupid plan had actually ended up saving my life. Stacks called it luck, but I don’t believe in luck. I believe in the power of coincidence. There are countless ways of interpreting what seem to be random occurrences, but I believe they aren’t random at all. Stacks’ poor decision making had simply worked in my favor that day. A perk of being friends with Stacks, wealthiest pony in Ponyville. I’m the second wealthiest pony in Ponyville, which is great because one of the greatest perks of being rich is being able to afford all the expensive, magical treatments that I need. Doctor Redheart had to call in a specialist from Canterlot to magically heal all of the damage I suffered during my little “date” with Rarity. I had to wait a few days for him to get here, but his treatment worked like a charm. Of course, the good doctor made it quite clear afterwards that I was one of the worst patients she’d ever had. So far, I’d landed myself in her clinic twice in the same 24 hour period, which was, might I add, a personal record. I didn’t care much for her griping, though she did make sure I wasn’t so much as able to leave my own bed to go to the bathroom without her express permission. I tried not to think too hard about her bedroom etiquette, despite the temptation to do so. All I could imagine were ropes and whips and safety words and all types of delectably improper things. I idly wondered if there was such a thing as brain-bleach. The opportunity to profit from something like that was hard to ignore. A few more days passed while I lay strapped in my hospital bed, nearing a full recovery, when I decided to create an outlet for my boredom. With Stacks’ uncanny skill with a lock-picking set, we managed to sneak all of my stargazing equpiment onto the roof, allowing me to continue my research unhindered, or rather, almost unhindered. I spent every night following Stack’s second break in working on the roof. The star maps I had drawn were useless. Months of work had been made irrelevant by a single act of violence. It would take a while for me to track and trace where each star had gone. It was on the eight night of my stay in the hospital when Doctor Redheart discovered me. She barged in on me as I settled on the constellation of Orion with Stacks in tow. “Again?” She asked. I couldn’t tell if she was angry, disappointed, or just shocked that we had disobeyed her orders. Again. “It was all his fault Doc! He came up with the whole idea.” Stacks cried, his eyes as wide as dinner plates. So much for loyalty amongst bros. I decided to head her off before she could start ranting.“Listen, Doctor Redheart, science waits for no pony. The more time I spend confined to a hospital bed, the less time I have to complete my research. You’ve got to understand that-” “Oh, I understand. I understand that you two morons can’t follow simple instructions and are, at best, a pair of disasters just waiting to happen.” “Doctor, don’t you think that assessment’s just a tad unfair?” I asked a bit sarcastically. Above, Orion’s belt had snaked itself farther north towards the North Star. The star’s movement over the past few weeks had eclipsed my old data, my old predictions made useless. That alone warranted hours of recalculation, hours that I wasn’t sure that I had. “No, I don’t think the assessment’s unfair. You two have caused me nothing but trouble.” “Even me, Doc?” “Was ‘you two’ not descriptive enough?” “I thought you were talking to Sunny and his imaginary friend.” “His... what?” I whipped around to face the two ponies, my annoyance with them increasing by the second. “Can we just skip to the part where you leave,” I pointed at Doctor Redheart. “and where you go pour me another glass of wine?” I gestured Stacks over to a cooler under a tent by the door. The doctor was not amused. “I’m not leaving, not until you give me a reason.” “Because I’m not hurting myself or anypony else. All I’m doing is looking through a telescope, and really, would you prefer that I sneak out of the hospital again?” “... No, not really.” “Then leave me to my devices. I’ll be out of your mane in three days and you can go back to healing the sick or whatever once I’m gone. All I’m asking for is access to your roof for a few days.” She relented. “Just... make sure you get this stuff out of here when you leave.” I waved her off, satisfied with my victory. Stacks ran to the door and opened it for her as she left, smiling a creepy little smile. “I love you,” he whispered at her retreating form. Hoping to get off that tangent and back to my work, I turned to my telescope. Grouping the stars by constellation had improved my efficiency, though I wass a little paranoid about making a mistake. I didn’t have time to go over my mistakes. Everything would’ve just had to have been done right on the first pass. Stacks trotted over to my side, a frown already in the works. “Honestly, Sunny. That’s strike three. ” “Oh?” “Yeah. You’ve disappointed me three times so far.” “How so?” “Well,” He started, rearing back onto his haunches to get a little more comfortable. “Strike one was that you refused my amazing relationship advice by not letting me teach you the moves.” I looked up from my telescope, quirking my eyebrow quizzically.“Okay, hold up. Who’s ever said your advice was worth anything anyway?” “Everypony.” He stated rather matter-of-factly. “Sunny, I’ve been on more dates than there are stars in the sky-” “That’s, like, highly improbable.” I added quickly. “-So really, it was foalish of you to have just run away from me like that. I know more about dating than anypony else in Equestria.” “Whatever. What’s strike two?” “You didn’t help me when I was fighting that hick.” “Her name’s Applejack, and did you really expect me to help you beat up some orange mare?” “No, I expected you to be a bro and help me defend your honor.” “I don’t know, Stacks. It looked like you had everything under control.” He quirked an eyebrow. “Were we seeing the same fight? She ran into the room making accusations about you doing things to her ‘gal’. I told her that her ‘gal’ was a psychopath that tried to kill my best bro, and she gave me two black eyes.” “Dude, you pushed her out a window.” “Sunny, she shrugged off the fall like it was nothing. She just galloped back up the stairs, took my empty bottle of bourbon, and smashed it over my head.” “But you did hit her pretty hard with that chair.” “Only after she knocked out a few of my teeth with that killer left hoof.” I shrugged in concession. “Just tell me what strike three is.” “You haven’t offered to be my wingpony yet.” “With Doctor Redheart? Seriously? Aren’t you the dating expert here?” He groaned in frustration. Apparently I wasn’t getting it, not that I really cared to. “S’not the difficulty, considering there is none. It’s the principle. You’re my best bro, right?” “Right.” “Then help me.” “Do you not see me working here? I don’t have time to help you do something you can do yourself.” He shook his head in disappointment, something I found he was doing a lot more of lately. “Sunny, believe me when I say we’ve got all the time in the universe, and more. Now, try to think of this as helping your bro during an important phase...” I tried ignoring him, tuning him out, but he just wouldn’t stop talking. Then he started complaining. Then he started whining. Have you ever heard a pony with a deep voice whine? The sound is off-putting, and more importantly, distracting. You can’t help but not listen to it. I wasn’t going to get any work done like this. “Okay! I get it. I’ll help.” He perked up instantly. “Great! We’ll go to your place after you’re discharged and drop off all of this telescope junk, then we’ll head over to my place to work on my plan to win over Doc Redheart.” I rolled my bright, glowing eyes dramatically. “Sounds like you’ve got things figured out” “Oh believe me, I do.” He stretched his hoof out lazily, and despite how annoyed I was with him, I slapped it in a hoof-five. “Catch you later bro. I’ve got a little something to go take care of right quick.” I watched him leave and sighed. Broship was hard, but worth it. Stacks was a steadfast companion, a smart advisor, and a loyal friend. Even if I could do better, I wouldn’t. What we shared together was magical, a lifelong commitment to something beautiful and indescribable. We were more than friends. We were best bros. Forever. Satisfied that my best-friendship was healthy and intact, I turned back to my telescope. With Orion’s belt finished I had at least four of the major constellations on my belt. Pun intended. “Andromeda, here I come!” Before I dove back into my research, I took note that Stacks was heading over to the graveyard again. I’d have to talk to him about that at some point. ________________ Anger and confusion flooded me. My knees shook, my eyes teared up, my heart felt crushed inside of my ribcage. Stacks was standing beside me, speechless. He didn’t know what to say. I didn’t either. The crowd around me was far more vocal, however. “What happened?” “There was an explosion.” “Really? In Sun Spot’s house?” “Yeah.” “What caused it?” “Must’ve been the furnace.” “That’s nonsense. There was probably just a gas leak.” “I heard differently. Somepony told me that it was arson.” “Here in Ponyville? Are you nuts?” “I’m telling you guys that it was the furnace.” “It was definitely arson.” “You’re both wrong. It had to be a gas leak.” I tuned them out after a while, the arguing and whispering getting on my nerves. I didn’t care what caused the explosion, I just cared that my house was gone. Blown up. Destroyed. I could fix it, sure, but it wouldn’t be the same. My father had imbued what was an empty plot of land with life. It’s hard, irrational, maybe even a little bit crazy to say that a mound of bricks and mortar has life, but you’d think otherwise after seeing one of my father’s creations. He had such a way of turning ordinary structures into works of art that felt alive. They were created. They lived and played and dreamed. They grew old, sick. And, when their time came, they died. If home is where the heart is, then I had a void where my heart was supposed to be. The charred remains of my home made something ache in me. Red and green bricks were strewn about the area, having been expelled outward in what was presumably one hell of an explosion. The top right side of the building had lost form and toppled over while subsequent explosions sent the rest of the building flying in all directions. The buildings adjacent to my home had also suffered some damage, though it was mostly cosmetic damage. There were blast marks, broken windows, even holes in the walls where bricks had smashed through. The roof of my house was missing amidst the destruction. My home is uniformly square, and in the explosion the four walls were shattered and thrust outwards, but the roof should have caved in once the walls were gone. I’d have to go look for it later. “Dude, your house-” “Shut up.” Ponyville doesn’t have a fire brigade to deal with fires. Instead, everypony of age undergoes special training so that, in the event of a fire, anypony would, theoretically, be able to act to fight the fire. My neighbors had probably seen, even felt the explosion and worked to put out the resulting fires before they burned down out the whole neighborhood. “Listen, Sunny-” “No words. Not yet.” I didn’t want to hear the obligatory pity parade. I didn’t want anypony’s sympathy. I just... wanted to hold off on that stuff until I took measure of the destruction with my own two eyes. My legs moved of their own accord, pulling me forward into the smoking ruin. No pony followed me, or tried to stop me. Not even Stacks. I held my breath and closed my eyes tight as I crossed through a cloud of smoke and into my living room. Curiously, my eyes stopped stinging. I opened them and realized that there actually wasn’t a cloud of smoke, just a veil of one billowing around the outer edges of my home. The mayor was on her haunches in the middle of the room, drinking shots from a green bottle. I didn’t say anything at first, but eventually I spoke up. I immediately avoided asking her any of the more pressing questions that I had. It seemed too soon, whatever that means. “What’s that? Gin?” “Whiskey. Single-malt.” “Nice.” She downed another shot, then poured herself some more. “You’ve always been a stupid, stupid foal.” She told me, choking up every once while out of intoxication. “But never have you surprised me like this. Following a mare you don’t even know that well into the Everfree Forest because she sent you a love letter?” She laughed heartily, prompting me to smile awkwardly. “You missed your appointment with death, Sun Spot. You were supposed to be here.” “I was?” I surveyed the nigh-total destruction of my home. The sofa was ripped to shreds, the mirrors were all cracked, the bookcase in the corner was knocked over, and the books themselves were nothing more than ash-covered husks. The coffeetable seemed to be alright, aside from the puddle of tears and booze. “I’m kind of glad that I wasn’t, to be honest. Though, if you were trying to kill me, you could’ve just said so. Though, I don’t get how resisting pressure to change the outward appearance of my home translates into you blowing up my house.” “You’re still as ignorant as ever, Sun Spot.” She managed without slurring. I commended her internally for being able to hold her liquor, for an aging mare that is. “If you know so much, why don’t you just enlighten me?” “What does it matter? My plan to blow you up failed, Rarity’s plan failed, and now they’re going to come after us. After you. ” “There was a bomb here? Was that what was in the package that you gave to Derpy? And, wait, you and Rarity were in on things? And who’s they? Why are they after me? Why were you after me?” “Ugh...” she teetered forward and collapsed onto the coffee table. It held, surprisingly. “No more questions. They give me headaches when I’m drunk.” “Right.” She paused, considered the shot glass in her hands, and threw it casually to the side, favoring the bottle itself. She lifted it up with her hooves and teeth to take another swig. The bottle was nearing its end. “If I’m going to start explaining everything, you’ve got to believe what I say. Every word, without question.” “Mayor?” “You’ve got to promise me that you’ll believe what I say.” She looked me straight in the eye, lucid and alert. I was taken aback, but composed myself to respond. “Sure, I guess.” “Not good enough!” She said, slamming a hoof onto the coffee table. I saw tiny fractures in the glass spread out from the point of impact like a spiderweb stretching out in all directions. I wasn’t quite sure what to make of her. She was heavily intoxicated, emotional, and responsible for the state my house was in. In my indecision, I took something out of Stacks’ playbook and just rolled with it. “I promise.” “Good. Good...” She nursed the rest of what had to be her fifth or sixth drink before tossing that into the crater too. “Let’s start at the beginning then.”

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T23:22:59+00:00

2011-07-10T23:22:59+00:00

The mayor was looking up into the sky, watching as the sun hovered overhead, signaling the approach of noon. The explosion that destroyed my home went off a few hours ago, early in the morning. I’d only been discharged thirty minutes ago when I heard the news about my house. Had I not burned some time packing my equipment, and sampling a few of my finer wines with Stacks, I would’ve been a dead pony. I took a second look at the damage around me as the mayor gathered her thoughts. My pictures were all missing. Somepony had torn down and taken them all. Why anypony would want them was beyond me. I didn’t have any family pictures beyond the few that I kept of my father and my mother, and they were both dead. The only other pictures were of me and Stacks on our various road trips. We like taking time out of the year to make the rounds in all of the best vacation spots and famous Equestrian cities. This year’s first trip had been to Manehattan. I took Stacks to a score of private museums. He took me to all the raves that DJ P0N-3 was working. He fell asleep during the museum tours and nearly dropped dead from exhaustion at the raves. As you can probably imagine, I spent more time dragging Stacks’ sorry hide across the city than I did anything else. In the end, I did have a lot of fun. I can’t say that didn’t. But those were happier, simpler times that faded into memory. They felt like dreams, unreal yet vivid and working upon the mind an image of childlike innocence, free from guilt and responsibility. “Sun Spot,” The mayor waved me over and I complied, hoping to finally get some answers. “Now, before we begin, you must come to understand the true nature of the universe. Instead of telling you, however, I will simply show you.” At that, the smoke drew inward. I panicked. “What’s going on?” I yelled. “Enlightenment,” she replied simply. Stacks said something outside, but it only came across as a jumbled, garbled mess. Time was slowing for everything outside of the house, if the smoke was any indication. I brought my front legs up to shield myself from the smoke cloud, only to feel myself get whisked away. The ground disappeared, and a sense of disorientation came over me. When I dropped my hooves, I was no longer in Ponyville, or Equestria for that matter. All around me were the vast, infinite stretches of inky darkness normally associated with space, the twinkling of the stars, and the silence of a vacuum. From my position somewhere near the core of the universe, I could see time and space stretch under the force of gravity. I watched stars implode, galaxies break apart, reality crack under the pressure. The universe tore itself to pieces right before my eyes in an apocalypse a billion times grander than anything my pathetic pony mind could imagine. The fires eventually cooled. The void consumed all light within it. An oppressive darkness reigned supreme. Then, in the distance, a single spark breathed light back into the universe. Massive clouds rolled into view, and I realized what they were. They were stars, so distant that they looked like the tiniest of dust particles drifting aimlessly in the vacuum of space. More stars bloomed as the universe waxed. Planets formed and fell into line, allowing the creation of solar systems, which in turn allowed the formation of galaxies. The universe that I had originally come to had restored itself perfectly. “Do you understand now?” The mayor was standing beside me, eyes glassing over the billions of stars around us. “I’m not sure if I should even bother asking you where we are.” “You know where we are. Besides, I'm sure you want to know how I brought you here.” I was curious, sue me. “Okay. How?” “Magic,” Of course, “And before you ask, yes, I can do magic.” I took a moment to consider my next question. It had to be an obvious one, one that wasn’t ambiguous, and one that absolutely avoided the topic of magic. I don’t think I could have handled her explanation for her magic just yet. “What did I just see?” “What anypony else would see.” I wasn’t very good at asking questions, apparently. What I had seen was the end of the universe, but that couldn’t have been the answer. No, she wanted something a little deeper than that. To figure out her game, I backpedaled to the one question she had asked me. Do you understand now? Not really. Though, I probably wasn’t looking at this the right way. What I had seen was a universe die, then come back to life, but that wasn’t the right answer either. It’s not what I saw that mattered, only what I took from it. “So, the universe’s destruction symbolizes death, and the spark of light symbolizes life?” “Something like that, yes.” That meant I was going in the right direction. “So... Something about life and death?” She shook her head. “Sun Spot, life is cancerous. It grows upon itself in large, ugly tumors. It is inconsiderate and selfish. Life can be beautiful, but only when kept in check by death. Death is what prevents life from spiraling out of control. Death is the surgeon who cuts away the malignant growths that sprout from life’s recklessness. Death is eager with its blade, however. Life must always grow enough to sate death’s need to cull, lest it decide to cut into virgin flesh in search of tumors.” “That means...” “That means that order is maintained so long as life and death do not try to overcome one another. Order is the key to our universe.” “Order is born through the balance of life and death?” “Exactly.” she told me, nodding. “What does that mean anyway?” “It means that if there is an imbalance, if the scales are tipped in either direction, the universe will end. Life will end. Death will end. Then, the process will begin anew. Life has not, cannot, and will not be permanently extinguished. The souls of those not yet born will demand existence, their own chance at life. Denying them that right is impossible.” She explained as we delved deeper into the universe Now she lost me. “What does that have to do with anything?” “The scales are being tipped.” I froze in fear. The hairs on my neck stood on end as I tried to wrap my head around the implications of her words. She’d said that if the scales tipped, the universe would end. That was cause for fear. Not regular pansy fear, like the fear I held for surprises, but real, apocalyptic fear. “H-how?” “Think about it. What single event do you think could’ve caused the scales to tip over in either direction.” I tried, but nothing came to mind. “I don’t know.” “Oh come now, Sun Spot. It’s the whole reason you’ve been sitting underneath the stars, working with that silly little telescope of yours.” The revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. Red and green ones, to be precise. “Nightmare Moon...” I said, the words breathless and empty. The vacuum of space seemed to have that effect on me. I felt tired, drained. What I was learning was something far heavier than I’d intended. “Yes. Good.” I couldn’t see her, but I knew that she was satisfied with my progress. I was finally beginning to understand. “Nightmare Moon, she only moved the stars. Right? That couldn’t have possibly-” Her laughs sent chills down my spine. “Did you really think that your little planet was the only world with life on it? As the stars shift, the garden worlds of the universe die. They're being consumed by a fiery, irradiated Armageddon or are being left to freeze in the absence of their stars’ heat. ” “Not all the stars have shifted.” “True, but it’s only a matter of time.” “Wait,” I said, rubbing my head with my hooves, “we’ve got time until then. This is still fixable. I mean, if Luna, or Nightmare Moon, managed to move the stars, than she can move them back.” The mayor looked at me expectantly. When I didn’t respond, couldn’t respond, she asked me, “Do you see why we tried to kill you? Why we had to kill you?” It took me a while, but the connections started to form. The logical progression led me from one discovery to the next, until the picture on the puzzle that represented this ridiculously mind-numbing conspiracy made some sense. “You... were trying to stop me from telling the Princesses because they can stop all of this. You actually want the universe to end.” She seemed proud of me, like an enthusiastic parent pounding their hooves louder than everypony else at her son’s piano recital. I was horrified. “Why? You’ll die too if the universe ends.” “Because, Sun Spot, I am not the mare you think you know. I’ve changed. I’ve Melded.” “Melded?” “You’ll find out what that is soon enough.” The black void around us turned into the burnt out wreckage of my home. “Just know that the mayor and the Other are now one and the same.” ”Can’t you just tell me now?” I begged. “We’re out of time.” Stack ran into the room. I didn’t catch the first half of whatever sentence he’d been trying to form, but the other half came as clear as day. “...alright in here?” “Hold that thought, Stacks,” I told him as he came to my side. I think he was worried that I’d done something to get myself hurt again. Was I truly that clumsy? Clumsy enough that I needed to be watched carefully? I didn’t ask. “Mayor, I need answers.” She gave me a pointed look. Stacks was not to hear what she had to say. “You two should get going. It’s not safe to be out at night anymore.” I nodded in agreement, but didn’t leave. I couldn’t leave the mayor to her fate. “They”, whoever they were, were coming after her. She’d die without my help, and I didn’t trust her to willingly keep herself safe. I couldn’t take her with me, either. Not after she had tried to kill me. “Mayor, I really hope you can forgive me for this,” I said guiltily before swinging my right hoof at her as hard and as fast as I could. I connected a second later, and the mayor dropped like a rock. She didn’t move. Next to me, Stacks’ jaw hung open in shock. “Sunny, what the hell did you just do?!” It seemed pretty obvious to me. “I knocked the mayor out with one punch.” “And why’d you do that?” “Cmon, Stacks,” I pointed over to a spot near the back of the room. “Clear that rubble so I can bring her down to the cellar.” “Dude, the mayor. You-” “We don’t have time for this man. Just help me, and I’ll explain what I can later.” He sucked his teeth. “I don’t like this, Sunny.” “I don’t either, but it’s what we gotta do.” he nodded slowly, then went to work on the rubble while I checked the mayor’s pockets. The only interesting thing I found in there was a postcard from a pony named Ursa in Trottingham. It read, “Here’s to all your problems bleeding away.” I stuffed it in Stacks’ mane as I carried the mayor’s body down into the cellar. He didn’t seem to notice. ____________________ I guessed that I’d been in Stacks’ bathroom for around a thirty minutes when I began to regain the faculties of thought, but the only thing that I could think about was myself. I’d even forgotten why I came into the bathroom in the first place. My dark steel coat, which I hadn’t groomed in days, felt unruly. My silver mane wasn’t much better either. It looked ugly and knotted, and its strands of hair spilled everywhere. This wasn’t the perfect head of bedmane. My eyes were definitely my saving grace. The two silver, glowing orbs were captivating, and would’ve made up for the mess I was in. It’s been months since I’ve last seen myself in a mirror large enough to reflect my entire face. That’s because I have a problem with mirrors. I found out early on in my life that if I look into a mirror longer than a few moments, I become entranced by my own visage. It’s not out of arrogance, but more out of wonder and amazement. I find the sight my eyes, my muzzle, my ears, and my mane, strange and fascinating. It only takes a sideways glance into a mirror or into a glass of water or a pool, or even somepony’s eyes, to keep me transfixed for hours. Eye contact usually doesn’t last for more than a few seconds anyway, so that’s never a problem. The others are still very much a problem for me, however. It’s for that reason that I live without mirrors. I’ve lived without them since I was a child. It’s a secret between me and Stacks that I keep out of embarrassment, though if you’re going to read my story, you might as well know something else about me. I’m ironic. My name is Sun Spot, and yet, I look nothing like a sun, or a spot. The name was fitting when I was a colt, but I outgrew it rather quickly. I was born with a virgin white coat and a dark red mane. My eyes danced across the infrared part of the light spectrum, never settling on an exact color. Over time, however, I changed. My white coat grayed and darkened while my eyes and mane turned silver. Of course, I’d been so used to my name that I couldn’t change it even if I wanted to. The memories of my ultra-ironic childhood came flooding back one at a time, until Stacks started banging on the door. The noise tore my attention away from the mirror, freeing me from the compulsion to stare at myself. “Bro, how much longer are you gonna clop in there?” “I’ll be out in a second. Just wait for me downstairs. Okay?” “Sure. You had better tell me what the heck is going on when you come out though.” I turned the sink on and splashed some cold water on my face and ran some through my frazzled mane and coat. I felt a little better. The water would keep my hair down, and I’d at least look passable. The desire to look presentable was a strange one, but one that I fulfilled quickly and, dare I say it, obsessively. I gave it no more thought beyond that. I exited the bathroom and leaned over the second floor railing. The front door was open with no Stacks in sight. I assumed he left and decided to explore his house while I waited. His house isn’t exactly all that familiar to me. He stays at my house more often than not, so there usually isn’t a reason for me to be in his. Now that I was officially homeless I had the perfect opportunity to check out what Stacks was missing every time he ended up sleeping at my place. His house reminded me of a casino, with beige walls and dark green floors. Around a short coffee table were four white lazycolts, each with a different symbol. The looked like the suits you’d find on playing cards. Stacks also had a few support beams in his house shaped like a stack of poker chips, same as his cutie mark. I haven’t been here in years, though the last time I was here his house was a disorganized mess. His personal interests were all scattered around the house, and no effort was made to make the rooms they were in mesh well at all. There wasn’t a color scheme or an identifiable style to be found. Now it looked like he’d put effort into making his home look good. My stomach rumbled. I hadn't eaten much over the past few days because of the disgusting food that they serve at the hospital. Its, frankly, awful. Its almost as bad as the baked bads I ate that one time. One more reason not to trust Pinkie Pie, I guess. “Time for a snack. Hope Stacks doesn’t mind me raiding his fridge.” I was already half-way downstairs when a black, impish thing smashed through the window over on the far left. It flew into one of the suit chairs before dropping to the floor. It resembled a pony in many respects, with its four legs, long muzzle, and flowing mane, but it seemed... deformed, for lack of a better word. Its face was permanently etched in a smile, and its eyes were snow white. It had a row of spikes on its back that started at its neck and trailed all the way to its rump. It was a little shorter than me, maybe a little thinner too. I didn't have a clue as to what it was, why it was here, and where it came from. Curiosity beckoned me towards the body, if only for science's sake. Up close, it looked even weirder. Impish seemed like the perfect adjective at the time. Before I could touch it, I heard Stacks curse outside and rushed for the door to help him. I’d my hoof on the door when Stacks burst through it, a group of similar screaming imp things on him. We crashed into each other and ended up in one big pile of multi-colored hooves flying at each other. Stacks had no trouble lifting himself, and the rest of the things clinging to him, up. He promptly began making his dominance clear to the pseudo-ponies by swatting the ones with wings out of the air like flies, or by crushing the slow ones underneath him with his hooves. “What are these things?” he yelled as he stomped brutally on one of the pony imps. It seemed to bleed normally, like any other animal. “Monsters?” I offered quickly, ducking as a black pegasus swooped overhead. I lashed out with my hind legs before it moved out of range, and its wing snapped. It tumbled into the lamp behind me, knocking out the lights. We were now fighting in the dark. I wasn’t affected much, but Stacks was. It was dim enough that their black little bodies became impossible to see. They seemed to recognize that too, because they swarmed him almost instantly, kicking him with their hooves or digging their horns and their spikes into his unprotected flanks. “Sunny!” he yelped, disappearing underneath a pile of angry pony imps. More streamed into the house through the doors and windows to join the mob. Something had to be done. I entered the fray, kicking the imps off of him and biting at anything that got within range. They didn’t stop. I could barely even see Stacks underneath the swarming mass of bloodthirsty pseudo-ponies. In my desperation, I started using my magic to push them away, but I wasn’t much of a magician and there were so many of them... I didn’t notice when the lights came back on, but I did notice when it got bright enough that I was forced to squint my eyes. The imps were running away from me. Something must scared them off. “The light,” I whispered aloud, “they must not like being under too much light.” “It’s your eyes, bro. They’re acting real trippy.” “So that’s why it’s so bright in here.” With a little concentration, I could make the light filtering through my eyes dim or brighten. I set it low enough to see things normally again. “You okay Stacks?” “I’m dying.” he groaned, pointing at his side. He had a good number of cuts and bruises, flesh wounds really. Nothing too serious; nothing that couldn’t be healed with time and magic. “I sincerely doubt that, Stacks.” “You sure? It sure feels like I’m dying.” “You’ll feel better when we get to the hospital.” I tried to help him up, but he pushed me away. “Hell no! The Doc’ll kill me if I show up like this.” I deadpanned, “Hang on. You think that Doctor Redheart is going to kill you for making her do the one job she’s paid to do?” “Yes,” he answered, after a second of thought. I was exhausted from everything I’d endured today. Losing my house, punching the mayor, and fighting these imps had worn me out to the point where I just didn’t have the energy to argue with him over something stupid like this, so I relented. “Fine. Just tell me where you keep your first-aid kit.”

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:22:17+00:00

2011-07-10T22:22:17+00:00

After I'd dealt with Stacks' refusal to sit still while I patted his wounds down with rubbing alcohol, I went to work dragging the four dead imps we'd killed outside and cleaning up the blood. I couldn't help but feel guilty at dragging my bro into the life-threatening conspiracy working against me. He didn't deserve it, really. I started explaining everything that the mayor had told me while I worked, just to bring Stacks up to speed on all that I'd learned. Stacks kept his face scrunched up in concentration the entire time, trying to connect the dots in his head. "Let me get this straight," Stacks started as he helped me mop the floor of imp blood before it stained anything. "the mayor told you that the universe is going to blow up into itty bitty pieces if we don't put the stars back into place? And you believed all of that only a minute after learning that she tried to blow your house sky high with you in it?" "Well, yeah." "Sunny, you're an idiot." "Dude-" He held up a hoof to silence me, "And apparently this is all a part of a consipiracy to kill you because if Rarity and the mayor and whoever the buck else don't, you'll tell our amazing goddesses so they can put a stop to it with a wave of their hooves and a twinkle of their horns," he stopped mopping for a moment, then threw one of his own hooves into the air while making ridiculous "poof" sounds. I felt ridiculous myself, in part because Stacks was kind of right about the whole "conspiracy" thing, and because Stacks was making a fool of himself in the middle of his blood-stained floor. He was acting like a two year old, and had anypony been there I would've felt like a fool just by association. "Stacks, you've gotta admit that it does make some sense." "I don't have to admit a thing because it doesn't make any sense in the first place. If it did, we wouldn't be having this conversation bro." I wanted to say something in my defence, but I didn't have anything to defend myself with. Stacks was right, it was ridiculous. There was no denying that anymore. And yet I wanted to believe the mayor. "But what about the mayor and Rarity? How do you explain the way they've been acting? Out of all the ponies in Ponyville, they have to be at the bottom of my 'Not to be Bucked With' list." "The mayor hated you because you wouldn't move out of your butt-ugly house. She probably lost it at some point and decided to blow you and your house to hell," He shrugged. "and I guess Rarity was just a psychopath hiding in tacky dresses." I couldn't stop shaking my head in disbelief. "No, Stacks. Rarity isn't a psychopath. Whoever that pony was, it wasn't Rarity. It couldn't have been her. Rarity's sweet and gentle, she wouldn't do something like this. Not to me, and definitely not to anypony else. I mean, she's one of the Elements of Harmony for Celestia's sake! An Element of Harmony just can't be possible of doing something so... terrible." I was trying to make Stacks understand, but he couldn't. He wouldn't. "Listen, Sunny, I know you're hurting right now. You just lost your house and your crush tried to kill you, I get it. You're trying to rationalize all the crazy stuff that's happening in your life. The mayor fed you a load of manure about some apocalypse that ties in with your life and your research and you're holding on to it because it seems like the only explanation for why everything's so bucked up, but you've got to believe me when I say that it's all a lie, Sunny. She's lying to you. I didn't hear Rarity apologizing for slicing you six ways to Sunday, not even when the guards came two days ago to take her to Canterlot. She was psychotic, and you're going to have to accept that." "But... what about those things that attacked you?" "Just monsters from the Everfree Forest looking for easy prey. I had the bad luck of being outside while they were hunting." "They looked like ponies." "Does it matter what they looked like? They were monsters, and they probably came from where all the other monsters come from: the Everfree Forest" I was more than a little skeptical, "The Everfree Forest isn't exactly right next to your house." "Like I said, bad luck." "There's no such thing. They were coming after us Stacks." "Listen to yourself bro. You're saying things that the Sun Spot I know wouldn't say. The Sun Spot I know isn't some paranoid freak with a bunch of conspiracy theories running around his head. Can't you see what you're doing to yourself, what you're letting yourself become?" His words were battling with the mayor's in my head. Stacks was my best bro; there was no need to fear any sort of decpetion from him. The mayor, on the other hand, was completely untrustworthy. Common sense dictated that listening to her would only lead me to ruin. A voice, coming from within me and from the outside world at the same time, argued the opposite. The mayor was right. Every word was true. There was a warning somewhere in there too, that if I didn't truly believe, that if I hesitated to do what needed to be done to save the world from total armageddon, then we were all doomed. I needed to believe. "Stacks, I can't... I can't let this go. If there's even the slightest chance that this whole universal apocalypse thing is true, then I've got to stop it." "Sunny, I'm telling you bro, you just had a little bad luck." "There's no such thing!" I grunted in frustration. I wasn't getting across to him, and it showed. The conversation was going in circles, and I didn't see a way to convince Stacks to just listen to me. "Stacks, I'm going to level with you. You're right. None of this makes sense, but I don't think we have the full picture yet. There are too many coincidences, too many factors to consider. We don't really know who's after me, or if anypony's after me. We don't know if these imps actually came from the Everfree Forest. We don't know what Melding is or how it happens. We don't know if the universe really is going to blow up, but, you know, the least we could do is find out. I will find out, with or without your help, though I'd really appreciate your help. You said it yourself, we’re best bros and bros are supposed to help bros." "Okay, fine," Score! "but when we find proof that this whole thing is just the fantasy of a drunk, overworked, homicidal beauracrat-" "You can say 'I told you so' as long and as much as you want," I assured him. He sort of half-smiled before turning to the small pile of imp corpses outside. They were decomposing faster than I'd expected. Whatever these things were, they weren't normal, though normal was starting to become a relatively rare sight these days. "If we're gonna go any farther down the rabbit hole, we might as well figure out what these monster-pony-things are," I agreed, "Twilight probably has a book or something we can use. And I guess I should ask her about the postcard too." "What postcard?" "I checked the mayor's pockets before we locked her in my wine cellar. She had a postcard from a pony named Ursa. I thought it might be useful." He looked more than a little skeptical. "Let me see it." "It's in your mane. Here, let me get it," He turned around to give me access to his thick, green locks. I ruffled through them for a few seconds, but nothing came out. It was gone. "Damn! They must've taken it." "Who took what now?" "The imps. They took the postcard during the fight." "Imps? What imps?" "You know, the monsters." "We're calling them imps now?" "I'm calling them imps, I don't know what you're calling them." "I thought they looked more like gremlins or gremlocks." We were getting off track, as usual. We would've spent hours arguing about the subtleties behind the names we'd chosen for the monsters than get anything productive done had I not forced the conversation back on track. "Stupid and unimaginative monster names aside, we should get to Twilight's place before those things come back. We've wasted a lot of time already, and I'm not sure your place is safe anymore," an added bonus I left out was that she had one of my spare telescopes, which meant I could continue my work without further interruption. Our understanding of the events surrounding us was bare bones at best. The impending apocalypse started with Nightmare Moon's shifting of the stars. I'd need to learn more about the shifts if I wanted to know anything about the happenings in Ponyville. Stacks tossed his mop to the floor. "Alright. Let me just grab a few things before we go." It didn't take him long to put together a sack of the worldly possessions he held the most dear along with the saddlebags holding my research. We were at his front door a minute later, but Stacks didn't seem ready to leave yet. His eyes were fastened on the dead imps. "Stacks?" he didn't look at me. "Yeah, I forgot to do something." "Well hurry up." He disappeared into the house, then came back outside holding a mechanical lighter in his mouth. I took it from him, knowing that he wouldn't be able to operate it without magic. "Let them know who they’re dealing with," he ordered blankly. I didn’t question him on it. The imps looked even more alien and monstrous while on fire, their smiling faces glowing and melting from within the flames. I don't usually have nightmares, but I went to sleep with that image haunting my dreams for years after. _________________ We didn't encounter anything on the way to Twilight's house, which set Stacks on edge. I thought he'd be happy that our so called "luck" was improving. He wasn't. "Luck doesn't work that way, Sunny. There are always false starts that trick you into thinking your luck's changed when, in reality, the only thing that's happened is nothing." I grinned, "Luck is stupid." He couldn't help but smile too, "Your face is stupid." "Yeah? Well, your mother's a..." whatever amazing comeback I had left me as soon as I saw Twilight's door knocked clean off its hinges and in pieces on her floor. "Stacks-" "I know man, just get inside!" We rushed into the library, one after the other, but found no Twilight. Instead, there were overturned bookcases, their contents scattered around the room haphazardly. Shattered lamps, shredded paper, and broken quills filled the spaces where the books didn't. The destruction was so widespread that I couldn't trace where it finished and where it began. I heard a muffled groan come from somewhere in the kitchen. Stacks gave me a nod and went to go check it out. He came back a half a minute later with a half-frozen Spike in tow. I rushed over immediately to check his pulse. It was dishearteningly weak. "I found him tied up in the fridge. Looks like he's been in there for a while." “His name’s Spike. He’s Twilight’s assistant.” I said, invoking a spell of telekenesis to lift Spike off of Stacks' back and into Twilight's bed. I put my magic to work on the sheets afterwards, wrapping them around him until he was in a cozy little ball on the bed. “He’s fine, I think. He’s got hypothermia, but it doesn’t seem to be too serious.” “Kid’s pretty tough for such a small dragon.” Stacks remarked passingly. I nodded in agreement. "You should start boiling up a pot of tea. It'll help him warm up when he comes to." "Cool, but before I do that, you might wanna take a look in the kitchen. There's something you need to see." Something described the scene perfectly. There was a dead pegasus imp lying on the kitchen counter, its eyes torn out and its nose shredded to pieces. I placed a hoof on its neck. Its body was already cooling. "I’m not sure how long it’s been, maybe a few hours since this imp died. That puts it before the attack on our house. Why’d they come here, Stacks? What was Twilight to them?" "I don't know, Sunny." "Unless..." the connection between me and Twilight was obvious enough. "Unless they knew Twilight was working with me on my research." "Now you're just grasping at straws. There's no way that a bunch of gremlins-" "Imps," I corrected. Stacks rolled his eyes. "-or imps could've known that you and Twilight were working together on this. Hell, I'm not sure anybody aside from me and Spike knew about this." "And yet here we are. Two attacks on the same night by the same creatures? There has to be something more going on." "Maybe, but we don’t know for sure. Lets wait for Spike to wake up so he can tell us what went down in here.” Stacks retreated into the kitchen, leaving me with the task of watching over Twilight’s little dragon helper. I didn’t know him well. He was usually asleep whenever I came around, and we never talked aside from the “Hi, how are you?” whenever our paths crossed during the day. A prayer of protection and of healing escaped my lips, clumsy in form but all the more sincere. I prayed for Spike to awaken soon, for the safety of my friends, and for the safety of anypony else who might have suffered because of me. The next few minutes went on in relative silence, the only noise in the library coming from the kettle downstairs. I didn’t like the idea of waiting around in Twilight’s library, but what else could we do? Nothing, that’s what. How many others had the imps attacked? How many more ponies were dragged off into the night by a swarm of smiling, chattering monsters? If they were willing to attack Twilight, the most powerful unicorn in Ponyville, and Stacks, who could’ve given Big Mac a run for his money in terms of strength and size, then no pony was safe from their nighttime raids. If the imps were going to go around town at night and do this, then I needed to tell somepony. But who was I supposed to tell? The mayor was still locked in my wine cellar and Twilight had been taken by the imps. There wasn’t anypony else left who’d give me the benefit of a doubt about the little monsters. I could try telling Twilight’s friends, they’d believe me if I told them their friend was in danger. Applejack was absolutely out of the question though, considering she was probably still furious over the whole incident in the Everfree Forest and the subsequent brawl with Stacks in the hospital. Rainbow Dash seemed like a good choice, what with her brash, headstrong nature. She might’ve believed me if it meant helping Twilight, but Rainbow Dash lived up in the clouds. I didn’t have wings, and levitation would only get me so far, so she was out. Pinkie Pie was... not an option. Like, at all. Ever. Then, of course, Rarity was locked up in Canterlot and I didn’t have a clue who Fluttershy was beyond the base description of shy and yellow. “Looks me and Stacks are on our own,” I murmured aloud. It wasn’t as bad as it sounded, really. It’s always been just Stacks and me running around, doing whatever it is two ponies like us do, and it wouldn’t have bothered me if things just stayed that way. “I don’t know if we can do this all by ourselves. I mean, this is the end of the universe we’re talking about here, and I’ve still got to finish... my...” I cursed myself for forgetting about my spare telescope. Twilight usually kept it and its tripod in a long box downstairs, but I couldn’t see it amongst all the clutter. I scanned my eyes over the mess of books again and again but found nothing. Then, I began to see the chaos in Twilight’s home for what it really was. The imps had been looking for something. Namely, my telescope. They didn’t strike me as particularly smart creatures. They had to be getting marching orders, and who else to hand them out than the ponies working with not-Rarity and the mayor? Whoever these ponies were, they were smart, and they knew things about me that few others did. Still, the fact that the imps weren’t very smart worked in my favor. I knew where Twilight kept her own telescope. Hers wasn’t quite as big as mine, but it’d allow me to keep on working. That’s all that mattered. I magicked it from underneath her bed, then levitated it to the balcony on the second floor. The stars twinkled their welcome tiredly. “It has been a long night, hasn’t it?” I asked them quietly. They concurred, mute as ever in the vacuum of space. I guessed I had around another minute before the tea was ready, so I decided to make the rounds. The stars were still right where I’d left them, with Lyra taking up position on my right and Pegasus hiding beneath it in the distance. Leo and Leo Minor both lied somewhere over on the center left, and, just above it, was Ursa Major. “Where’s Ursa Minor?” I questioned as I magically swiveled the telescope around. Draco was a little off, but otherwise in place. Cepheus looked like it was trying to reform itself but failing, and Camelopardalis was moving south at a steady pace. No, Ursa Minor was gone. An entire section of the sky had disappeared since my last stargaze. I glared accusingly at its neighbors, but they didn’t crack under my gaze. “That’s... just not possible! How?” the stars did not answer me. They twinkled like innocent little angels above, unwilling to reveal the knowledge that I so desperately craved. Before I even had the chance to delve deeper into the mystery of the vanishing constellation, I heard Stacks call me down for tea. We stood by Spike as he slept, sipping tea and speaking in hushed tones. “Why isn’t he awake yet?” “You got an appointment or something that I don’t know about?” he chuckled, taking another sip of his tea through a large purple straw. “Just relax bro. He’ll come back to the land of the living when he’s ready.” “We aren’t exactly safe here, Stacks.” “Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice.” “That’s not even close to being true.” “Doesn’t matter if it’s true or not,” he replied, still confident in his assessment of the situation. “It fits.” “Well the longer we wait, the farther Twilight gets from us.” “We’ll get her, don’t you worry about that.” His confidence was gnawing at me, “What makes you so damn sure?” “I just know. Faith, Sunny. You gotta have a little faith. ”

ThePower

41

Adventure,Dark,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Bricks

hiatus

<p>A long-standing dispute between an unwelcome astronomer and the town of Ponyville leads to a very strange series of events.</p>

everyone

2011-07-28T15:47:59+00:00

2011-07-28T15:47:59+00:00

I do not “freak out” on a regular basis, even though it seems like I do within the confines of these pages. Before I was swept up in this whole apocalyptic mess, I did relatively normal things. I’d have a few drinks with Stacks over at Pasty’s bar whenever I felt like my liver could take it, or I’d enjoy a quiet night at home, reading a book by candlelight. Sometimes I’d head out into the fields outside of Ponyville and stargaze from one of the gentle, rolling hills where a lonely shepherd might take his flock during the day. I can relate to shepherds. I too am alone, tending to a flock that cannot speak to me the way I can speak to them. The stars are sheep, moreover they are my sheep. I may not be able to guide them, nurture them, and protect them the way a real shepherd might, but they are my responsibility regardless. Few other ponies ever receive cutie marks related to the stars. Those who do often choose to enter fields that make full use of their talents without forcing them to work in the celestial hemisphere above. These ponies believe that Equestria has no need for astronomers or astrophysicists or cosmologists because the goddesses who rule over us have control it already. Why learn something that only a deity can control? I have no problem with these ponies, though I do find myself yearning for a community of colleagues to share my findings with. I have beef with those who sell out and become astrologists. Astrology is a stupid, useless field that can hardly be called science. Those who believe in astrology, or even believe that it can be used for anything, are equally as stupid and as useless. I don’t see how anyone can believe that the stars allow one to divine one’s cutie mark or tell one’s personality. Stacks believes in astrology, but only ironically. At least, that’s what I assume. He’s never showed an interest in astrology until I told him how much I despised it. Stacks enjoys watching me “flip my shit”. Apparently I’m funny when I’m bugging out, especially when its for no reason. But I’m not so sure he enjoyed my bugging out in his particular instance. Stacks and I had nodded off sometime during the night. I awoke just a few hours later, shrieking so loudly that it sent Stacks tumbling over in fright. “Dude!” I blinked. “Wha?” “That was totally uncool bro,” he said, huffing and puffing as he lifted himself from the floor. I’d actually scared him half to death without even trying. I was too scared myself to feel any pride in the accomplishment. “Jeez, I’m sorry Stacks. I was just having a nightmare, I think.” “Well don’t cry about it, Sunny.” “I’m not crying you ass. I’m being remorseful.” “Coulda fooled me.” I held my tongue. There really was no winning with this guy. I went for Twilight’s closet to see if she had an extra cot or two, only to stop short when Spike moaned something incoherent. It looked like he was stirring from his cold-induced slumber. “Thirsty,” he moaned again, his words a lot clearer this time around. “What’d he say?” “He’s thirsty, Stacks. Pour him some of that tea.” “Uh, there’s just a slight problem with that,” he said, nervously rubbing the back of his neck. I swiveled around to meet his gaze. “You didn’t.” “I did.” “Stacks, you dolt! That tea was for Spike.” He reeled back, taking actual offence at my words. “Hey, I was thirsty first! And I made the damn tea in the first place.” I couldn’t believe that he was trying to justify his tea-greed. I skipped the inevitable lecture on common courtesy in favor of just yelling at him. “For Celestia’s sake, get him a glass of water, Stacks!” “... I don’t know about you, but my momma taught me to say please when asking people to do things.” he huffed. Stacks threw his hooves over the railing, landing on the pile of books below with a muffled thump. I wanted to say something to him, preferably something about his raging stupidity, but I couldn’t. I was exhausted. I hadn’t eaten in a while, and the little sleep I had gotten had been interrupted by a terrible nightmare; one that I didn’t want to revisit any time soon. “Sunny?” I turned around. Spike, lost and disoriented, was trying to untangle himself from the sheets I’d so carefully wrapped around him. “Yeah, just relax, ” I said, gently pushing him back into the bed, “You need to rest up kid. You need to give your body a chance to heat up and rest, especially since you’re cold-blooded and all.” “I feel so numb.” “Everything’s gonna be alright, Spike. Just relax and wait for Stacks to bring you some water. Stacks! Where’s that water?” I heard him curse. A window shattered, something alien squealed. The sound of a struggle carried over the sound my hooves clopping loudly against the staircase. By the time I’d gotten to the kitchen, it was all over. Stacks had already wrestled the lone pegasus imp to the ground. One of its wings had been injured when it presumably smashed through the window, but that didn’t stop it from trying to escape. An owl perched itself on the window sill, watching us with a sort of wizened curiosity that I found charming almost instantly. Stacks’ expression, in contrast, was grim and intensely focused. Despite his size and strength, the imp refused to stop resisting, even for a moment. “Ask that thing where it came from.” “Who?” the owl added. “Not who, little owl, but where.” I addressed the imp again, questioning it in a calm, even voice. “Where did you come from?” I was unprepared for the snorts and giggles that escaped its toothless maw. By the looks of him, even Stacks must have been caught off guard. The imp pressed this opening by resuming its frantic bucking, but Stacks forced it back down with a grunt. “I don’t think this thing can talk.” “You’re probably right, Stacks. Still, good try?” “Yeah, I guess,” he sighed. ”Should I... you know?” “No. Let it go.” “You sure? I can end this thing right now, won’t even take me more than a second.” “Nah, man. Just let it go. We’re not from the Everfree Forest, so lets not act like we are.” By acting, I meant commiting random acts of “Tch, whatever.” he grabbed it across its midsection and manhandled it. The imp scampered off, giggling and yelping even after it had disappeared from view. “Now what?” “First things first, we can’t stay here a minute longer than we already have. That imp came back, and I’m pretty sure that it’s going to have friends next time we see it. Second, we need to figure out where Twilight is. Third, we’ve gotta head to Canterlot. Ponyville’s shown that it’s not a safe place to be right now, so our best bet is to get Princess Celestia’s protection.” “Ugh, do we have to?” “Yes, Stacks, we do. I’m not willing to bet on your strength and my eyes to keep us safe from harm when we don’t even know anything about the ponies coming after us. We need protection.” “If that’s what’s gonna keep you sleeping at night, then fine. But that princess of yours had better not expect me to bend over every time she crosses the hall. I’m not going to degrade myself like that. I’ve got standards.” “Dude, stop kidding around. This is serious.” “What? Do you think my standards are some kinda sick joke to you?” “Yes, but that’s not the point. We seriously need to get out of here. Doctor Redheart can take care of Spike while we head for Canterlot.” I left the kitchen at a brisk trot and walked back up the stairs. Stacks followed, but at a more relaxed pace. There was no rush, really. I was just worried about Spike. “Oh man, definitely. But, uh, what should we do about Twilight? Isn’t she still missing?” “I’ve been thinking about that, actually. I don’t know if we can help her. If we stay here, we’re dead, and we’re no good to anypony dead. Our best bet is to get to Canterlot and tell Celestia everything we know so she can send the guards after Twilight.” “No!” Spike tried to lift himself, visibly straining every muscle he could actively control. All he managed to do was roll himself out of bed. He crashed to the floor with nothing more than a thud. “Dammit Spike, you have to rest until you’re better.” “Not them! You can’t.” he begged. “I can’t what?” “You can’t tell them.” I didn’t know what to say at first. Was he talking about the ponies coming after Stacks and me? He couldn’t have known. “Tell who?” He licked his dry, cracked lips, but they did not moisten. “Water?” he croaked. Stacks was already halfway downstairs when I turned to ask him about getting Spike a glass of water. ___________________________ We left Twilight’s house a few minutes later, eager to get somewhere safe. Spike was sitting comfortably on Stacks’ back while he recounted everything that had happened before we came to the library. Spike had awoken to the sound of somepony rapping their hooves against the door. There had been a squad of guards outside, waiting for Twilight to open it up. As she approached the door, her horn was enveloped in harmless, yet foreboding black flames. Ordinary unicorns aren’t usually taught the relatively simple spell that allows one to detect dark magic, but Twilight is no ordinary unicorn. She’s the Princess’ apprentice, after all. As with all spells, however, it must be invoked. Spike made it sound like it was some sort of automatic reaction. There is a precedent of spells activating by themselves, like that time Stacks joined the crowd of ponies trying to get Twilight’s extra ticket to the Grand Galloping Gala. Twilight later told me that she’d escaped the mob of ponies when her magic whisked her away with a fortuitous teleportation spell, all because she’d wished that she was someplace else and not being mauled to death by a crowd of ticket-hungry ponies. It made sense that she’d be able to “sense” the presence of dark magic at work. The guards remained outside, demanding that she open her door, but Twilight didn’t move. Then monsters, the imps that Stacks and I had fought, smashed through the door and poured in through the windows, wreaking all kinds of havoc in Twilight’s library. The imps locked Spike in the fridge while the guards dragged her outside. The last thing Spike remembered hearing was a screech, some laughing, then the sound of even more glass being shattered. There was something wrong with his story though. The imps weren’t subtle or quiet by any means. Twilight’s neighbors had to have heard the imps destroying everything in sight. And yet, they didn’t do a thing to help her. Flower Wishes’ death came to mind almost immediately. Talking with Stacks about her became more of a priority now. As Spike finished his story, Stacks’ frustration finally “This entire thing is now officially insane. Like, certifiably. Legitimately, even.” “But its true! All of it is,” Spike protested. He looked to me for support. It was hard to deny him when he was staring me down with those big, emerald eyes. . “Well, Stacks, it’s certainly plausible. And given the trend of-” “Aw, Sunny, don’t feed me that load of manure. I know exactly how plausible the story is.” “Then what’s the problem?” “This conspiracy is insane.” “What’s so insane about having members of the royal guard kidnap Twilight? I mean, we didn’t originally know how far up this thing went, and now we do. If the royal guard are involved, then it goes far enough that we should be afraid. Very afraid. ” “I know. That’s what I meant. Like, how are we supposed to go up against the guards anyway? There are literally hundreds of guard ponies and only two of us. And that’s without even counting the imps.” “So you admit they’re imps then?” He opened his mouth, then closed it, unsure of what to say. I smiled in success. “What? Imp got your tongue, bro?” “Probably. But in all seriousness, what are we supposed to do about all the chumps coming after us?” “I’m not sure yet. Let’s drop off Spike before we talk about it.” “Wait, I’m not coming with you guys?” “‘Fraid not, Spike. You’re not one-hundred percent yet, and Stacks and I can move faster on our own. Besides, I’m sure Twilight wouldn’t appreciate us putting you in danger.” “But, I thought we were gonna save Twilight together!” I shrugged. “Them’s the breaks, kid.” It only took us a few minutes to get to Doctor Redheart’s place, minutes that Spike spent trying to convince me to let him come with us. Stacks knocked on her door while I waited at a bench some distance away. Redheart appeared at the entrance of her home just a few moments later looking very annoyed with him, most likely because he’d shown up at her house in the middle of the night holding a dragon and wearing one of the smarmiest looking grins I’d ever seen. Stacks wasted no time diving right into an explanation which sounded like what was surely the biggest pile of horseshit ever. I expected the doctor to wail on him, but she didn’t. Instead, she allowed him to enter her home. Stacks didn’t even leave until twenty minutes later. His stupid-looking grin was still there, edges stretching from ear to ear. He looked genuinely happy. “The Hell happened to you?” I asked. He shrugged. “I just had an amazing conversation with an equally amazing mare.” “... Was it a conversation, or a ‘conversation’?” I used my hooves to make air quotes. He frowned at my insinuation. “No, dude, we just talked.” “Just talked?” “Yes. Just talked.” “I gotta say Stacks, I’m impressed. I didn’t think you could talk to a mare without acting like some kind of rampant douche.” “Well, even if I was a douche, which I’m not, at least I can talk to chicks without almost getting murdered. Also, when was the last time you got laid, Sunny? Right, never. I forgot.” “Whatever bro. Lets just get moving.” “Alright, but where to?” “My place. I need to have a little chat with the mayor ” ________________ I was surprised when we managed to get to the mound of debris that was home without going another round with the imps. A sense of foreboding permeated the air, so much so that I could taste it when I licked my lips. It tasted like cheese. Something was bound to happen to us. After all, we were pushing the boundaries of our “luck” by coming to meet the mayor. Stacks opened up the cellar doors while I focused on making my eyes glow brighter. I led the way inside, my eyes lighting up the path ahead like a pair of flashlights. My wine cellar is grand, definitely the largest in Ponyville and eclipsed only by the collections that the gentry in Canterlot own. When my father drew up the plans for the house, he made sure to include the construction of the cellar for two reasons. One, was a wine connoisseur and enjoyed opening a bottle whenever he was in the company of good friends. Two, he built it to act as a safe-room should anything particularly disastrous occur in Ponyville. The heavy cellar doors could be bolted shut from the inside, and a pair of thick glass doors could be sealed off to protect the collection from fires, floods, and anything in between. The glass doors had automatically sealed themselves when the house exploded, and I hadn’t bothered to unseal them with the appropriate spell when I brought the mayor down here. And yet, here I was, looking through the open doors at my sizable wine collection. “...How?” “How what?” “The doors can only be opened by the one who enchanted them in the first place. I had the doors automatically seal themselves. They should have only opened when I commanded them to. The mayor shouldn’t have been able to open them.” “Well, they’re open. We might as well go in and ask her.” It didn’t take us very long to find her. She was sitting on the floor, a wine bottle cradled in her arms like a baby. She whispered endless sweet nothings to the dark-tinted bottle as we approached, taking time to nuzzle its neck and plant gentle kisses across its body. I looked on, speechless. Stacks managed to ask what I couldn’t. “Uh, mayor? Are you... feeling okay?” She lifted the bottle to her mouth and chugged down what remained inside. “Mmm... 987 C.R. A good year.” “Yeah. She’s fine,” I said, relieved that the mayor hadn’t fallen off the deep end. “I was actualy hoping that you could answer some questions.” “You knocked me out, then locked me down here with no food or water.” I cringed. “You’re making out to be a lot worse than what it is.” “Not really.” “Yeah, Sunny. You did knock her flat on her back with that punch.” “You’re not helping Stacks.” “Enough. Ask your questions, then let me go.” A fair trade. She’d give me information in exchange for her freedom. It was a win-win situation. “Sounds good.” She stared pointedly at Stacks. “Oh, right. Stacks. Can you wait outside for a minute? ” “Really?” “Yeah bro. Sorry.” He left the cellar without much fuss, thought it was obvious that he felt hurt. I consoled myself with the fact that the things I’d learn were worth the damage to his pride. “Alright mayor, first question: Why don’t you want Stacks here?” “That’s a stupid first question Sun Spot. The reason why I don’t want him here is because he’s a skeptic and you’re a believer. I don’t need to hear him stating the obvious every two seconds like the obnoxious foal he is. A mare can only take so much before she loses it.” “Uh, okay. Next question: Melding, what is it?” “Now that, is a good question.” She drawled, rubbing the empty wine bottle in her hooves affectionately. “If you must know, Melding is the process by which one spirit fuses with another.” “Sort of like possession, right?” “Not quite. Possession is where one spirit seizes control of a body by overpowering the spirit already present within. Melding is entirely voluntary.” “The mayor chose to Meld?” “In one of her many alcohol-induced stupors, yes. She was miserable. Her job demanded much of her time. The duties that came with her position, they drove her to drink. She dreamed of returning to her youth, of going back to a time not consumed by the stress that came from her work. The Other promised her this. She was asked by The Other to signal her agreement by sealing away something dear to her while chanting something in The Other’s tongue.” “What’d she seal?” “I wouldn’t know. Most mortals choose to seal away their possession of choice by burying it, locking it in a safe, or throwing it into the sea. After the melding process, you ‘conveniently’ forget how, where, and what you sealed. The Others usually do that to prevent their Melds from breaking apart again.” “So if I find what the mayor sealed away I could split her and whoever The Other is from each other.” She nodded. “Yes. All it is one look at the item in question for the process to reverse itself completely. Of course, no one is the same after a Meld. Some things are left behind, others are replaced. ” I kept that in mind. Turning Mayor Mare and Rarity back to normal was on my growing “Save The World” to-do list. The challenge was in finding the items that they had sealed, then hoping that they came back to us relatively normal and not murderous in any way. A pony could dream. “I’ve a few more questions, mayor. I sort of ‘found’ a postcard addressed to you after you uh... took a nap. It was from a pony named Ursa over in Trottingham. It said, ‘Here’s to all your problems bleeding away.’, or something along those lines. A few hours after I took the postcard, I looked up into the sky and the constellation Ursa Minor was gone. I’ve got a feeling you know what happened to it.” “I didn’t hear a question anywhere in there.” “Do you know what happened to that constellation?” “I’m surprised you don’t. You of all ponies should know what Ursas are.” “You mean the bear-like creatures that live in the Everfree Forest? Of course I know what they are. What astronomer doesn’t know about the Star-crafters?” I asked rhetorically. Star-Crafters is a name for Ursas that few ponies The first discovery of the Star-Crafters came before my time by an astronomer and cosmologist far greater than I. Her name was Midnight Berry, though she let me call her Midberry whenever I visited her in... Trottingham. “Midnight Berry, is she-” “Gone? Dead? In significant danger? No, but she may be if my peers have anything to say about it.” It was a simple answer, but it didn’t feel so simple to me at the time. Midnight Berry was my friend, my mentor. She had, along with my father and Stacks, actively shaped me to be the pony that I am today. She was the mother that I never got to have. The mayor seemed like she didn’t care. “How can you say that like its nothing out of the ordinary? This is a living breathing pony we’re talking about here.” “I can precisely because its nothing out of the ordinary for me, Sun Spot. What surprises me is that you think I enjoy this. I find no pleasure in dividing my time between balancing the town checkbook and plotting the deaths of the relatively innocent.” “Relatively?” She looked at me as though it was obvious. “There are no innocents. Just varying degrees of guilt. And though you’re no saint, Sun Spot, I didn’t want to kill you.” “Then why’d you blow up my house?” “Because I had to. The Other left me with a need to carry my assigned task through to its bitter and bloody end. I couldn’t help myself. The urge to kill you is hard to resist, and it gets harder every time I see you. That, and I was told that if I didn’t kill you, my life would be considered forfeit.” “By who?” Sheepish? Was that Mayor Meryl Mare acting sheepish? “I’d rather not say. Its probably for the best if you figure that out by yourself.” She was giving me the benefit of a doubt. Did I really want to find out who or why? Absolutely. “I’m going to find out anyway. You might as well tell me.” “No.” “Why?” “Because.” “That’s lame.” “No, that’s life. You’d do well to remember that.” The mayor adjusted her glasses with a yawn. She was tired. I guess I was tired too. “One last question, mayor. Where’s Twilight?” “Why, with the Ursas of course.”

Hipster Pony Raven Horn

42

Original Character,Trixie,Sad,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Trix and Stones may Break my Bones

complete

<p>Trixie returns to her home town of Hoofington at request of her brother. Her journey through town back towards her old home sparks memories of a time long past.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:32:29+00:00

2011-07-10T22:32:29+00:00

Where did it all go wrong? Trixie thought, slowly walking towards the outskirts of her hometown of Hoofington. I was on the fast track for success, I would have made it. Then everything would have been better, everything would have been perfect. The blue unicorn stopped at the end of the road leading into Hoofington. Thoughts of the letter she had received two weeks earlier floated through her mind. ‘Mother is worse, please come home. Your brother, Flash.’ Mother is worse… Trixie hadn’t thought of her mother in nearly a year. Trixie’s thoughts flooded back to her fillyhood, a simpler time before this whole mess had started up. Before her thoughts had been side-tracked, before… if only she could go to before. Trixie stood by her mother’s side, her older brother had just been accepted into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. Trixie beamed with her mother, she knew that she herself would be accepted into the school one day, it was tradition. Both her parents had graduated from it, and now her brother was accepted with high honours. “Mama, when will I get to go?” Trixie asked as she watched her brother take his books and board the chariot that would take him to Canterlot to learn advanced unicorn Magic. “In time dear,” Trixie’s mother said to her, nuzzling the filly. “I’m sure you’ll blow them all away. You know what I think? You hold the most potential of them all, you will be great I know you will.” Trixie wrenched her mind away from the memories. Simpler times… if only simplicity stayed that way. Trixie started to walk into town, she remembered the road well. It lead right past the graveyard. Her father lay there, long gone where Trixie could no longer run to him. She remembered the last time she saw him. She herself had just been accepted into Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns. She could almost see him standing there, waving her off as the chariot flew off to Canterlot where she would begin her studies. She never saw him alive again. Next news that Trixie heard of her father was disturbing and abrupt. She was told that her tuition hadn’t been paid, and that she was being sent back home. At the time Trixie was confused, but it all became shockingly clear when she got home. Trixie detoured into the graveyard, finding her father’s grave. It read ‘Here lies Bom Great, loving father and husband’. There were flowers sitting on the grave, and memories once again flooded Trixie’s mind. Trixie was standing on the side of the grave as the dirt was shovelled onto her father’s coffin. Angry tears streamed down her face. He had left her, abandoned her when she was relying on him. She knew that without her father’s income she would not be able to get back into school. She also knew that it hadn’t been his fault that he had heart failure, not his fault but she blamed him anyway. When she got the news two days ago she couldn’t have been happier. She had finally gotten her cutie mark, a token from her love of performance. She had won the talent show for best magic act, trotting circles around the competition. Next day she was told that she was going home, the tuition wasn’t going to be able to be filled and she was to be pulled immediately. Back at her house Trixie kicked the wall in frustration. “It isn’t fair! It just isn’t fair! I was on the fast track, I did all my work, I was the best.” Trixie cried. “Hush, hush my dear, I know I know.” Trixie’s mother wrapped her forelegs around the little filly. “I know you are powerful, hush… everything will be all right.” “It won’t be all right, Dad is dead and I can’t go to school anymore.” Trixie said tears streaming down her face. “How can you just sit there and say everything is going to be all right? How will I learn magic now?!” “Well, my silly filly of a daughter.” Trixie’s mother said, nuzzling her daughter before giving a small kiss on the forehead. “I’ll just have to teach you won’t I?” Trixie’s mind returned to the present, the memories giving her a pain in her chest. She rubbed the spot, hoping to find some external problem that she could blame it on. Nothing, so she tried her best to ignore the feeling. Trixie took another look at her father’s grave, summoning a few flowers to place on the grave. “I love you dad…” She said softly, a tear rolling down her face as she turned back towards the town. As Trixie treaded the path into the main part of town she realized how much Hoofington had changed in her years of absence. The restaurant that she used to eat with her parents was dark, clearly having been closed for some time. Her first school had been repainted, and the general store where she had gotten her first job after her mother fell ill wasn’t even there anymore. Trixie painfully remembered when her mother first fell ill. She tried to hide it at first, but she was soon forced to retire due to illness. The pension her employers gave her could hardly feed herself, let alone a growing filly and her brother. Though Flash insisted that Trixie stay home and continue to study, the little unicorn had insisted that she pull her own weight. Then a comforting and familiar sight came to her eyes. The theatre where she had once performed was still standing and appeared to be in good condition. She approached the building, but headed for the side door. But for a few occasions she had never entered the theatre through the main entrance. The side passage was much more familiar to her. “Marvellous Magesto? This is my Daughter Trixie.” Trixie’s mother said, hiding a weak cough as she pushed the filly forward. She was grown now, not yet a full-grown pony but no longer a foal by any stretch of the imagination. “Oh ho?” The brown colt towered over Trixie, his velvet cape and top hat intimidated her. She wasn’t scared, but she wasn’t pleased with the colt either. “So this is the little trickster is she? The one you keep telling me about.” “Yes,” Trixie’s mother said, “You told me in one of your letters that you were looking for an assistant, I told Trixie and she seemed interested.” “I see, well little one, are you interested?” Magesto leaned forward looking Trixie in the eye. “Of course I am!” Trixie said defiantly, stamping her hoof on the ground. “Well, can you show me some of your magical talent?” Magesto asked, leaning back again. “Perform a trick for me.” “Go on dear, how about that trick you always like to do for me.” Trixie’s mother said, smiling at her daughter. Trixie looked between her mother and Magesto, before closing her eyes and concentrating. Her horn sparked a few times before igniting in a radiant glow. Then with a loud bang sparks flew into the air like fireworks, flashing brightly before disappearing. “Well well well,” Magesto said, smiling. “You certainly have some talent there. But you need practice, and polishing.” Trixie’s ears drooped. She hadn’t done her best, she had let her nerves get the best of her. “Alright Treats, I’ll take her on. But I expect her to work hard to learn the magic of performance.” “Thank you Magesto, I knew that you would approve.” Trixie’s mother said as Trixie’s ears flew into the air in excitement. She could finally leave that dull job at the general store and do something that pertained to her interest. “She’ll need a stage name though… something flashy.” Magesto said, tapping a hoof to his chin. “How about… the Great and Powerful Trixie.” Trixie’s mother said with a smile. “Trixie? Is that you?” Trixie’s thoughts were jarred at the familiar voice. She looked around and saw the familiar brown coat and orange mane of none other than the Marvellous Magesto, her old mentor. “Oh my, it IS you. I haven’t seen you since you left on a tour for Equestria, how is my old protégé doing?” “Just fine,” Trixie said, “I came down rather hard, my cart was crushed and I was left to come back home.” “Your life hasn’t been an easy one has it? I heard about your mother.” Magesto said, bowing his head. “She never would let me clean out your dressing room in the theatre, always insisting that you would come back some day.” He chuckled slightly. “Would you like to see it?” “Perhaps later Magesto,” Trixie said, walking back towards the street. “I’m supposed to be meeting my mother, I really shouldn’t be side-tracked.” “I understand, you always were close to your mother weren’t you?” Magesto said. The remark stung Trixie as she remembered how she abandoned her mother for fame and glory, rather than staying home and caring for her with her brother. “I’ll leave the side-door unlocked in case you want to come in, we don’t have any shows planned for today so feel free to come and chat with me if you need.” Trixie merely nodded in silence and past her old mentor. Her mother never let her old dressing room be redecorated, even after Trixie had abandoned her. Trixie’s mind wandered off to when she was awarded that great honour of having your own dressing room and not having to use one of the stock ones. “Maaaster, when will I be allowed to look?” Trixie said, irritated at being led forward with a blindfold on. She was a grown pony now, she didn’t appreciate being treated like a foal. “In just a moment my dear student.” Magesto said, his voice barely concealing a chuckle. “We’re almost there.” Trixie gave a short ‘humph’ of irritation, but otherwise kept silent. A few minutes later Magesto spoke again. “Alright, you can look now.” Trixie eagerly pulled the blindfold off her face and looked around for her surprise. Magesto told her that this present was the best one she would have in her whole life. It took her a moment before her eyes landed on the star hanging on the door. ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’. Trixie was in such shock that she sat down on the spot, her mouth hanging open. “I told you that this was going to be the best present ever.” Magesto chuckled opening the door. “Starting today you will have this room as your personal dressing room, and starting next week you will start performing without me.” “Master?” Trixie asked a little stunned. “I’m your master no more, I’ve taught you all you need.” Magesto said with a proud smile on his face. “Of course, I’ll still be around to teach you new tricks. I’m certain that you will be a star.” Trixie’s thoughts were once again interrupted when she found herself walking down the street that led to her house. The buildings all looked so familiar now, as if they were childhood friends who had suddenly come to call without notice. Trixie walked down the street slowly, taking in the sights of all the houses and occasional shop. She came to her house at the very end of the street. She stood there for a moment as she remembered the last time she looked upon it. “Are you sure you want to leave Trixie?” Flash said, standing with his mother next to him. “Of course Flash, the real money is in touring” Trixie replied, looking at her new traveling cart. Magesto had sold it to her, something he had used in his younger days when he travelled around Equestria. “I’ll be able to send more money back to you, help you support mom. I’ll visit regularly of course.” “Be safe, my great and powerful daughter.” Trixie’s mother said, coughing slightly at the end of her sentence. “I will Mom, I love you…” Trixie cantered forward, rubbing up against her mother’s neck. “I’ll see you in a few months then! Keep in touch.” Two years later Trixie had just finished a show, they had been getting more and more elaborate. Her ego also started to match the size and style of her shows. She had stopped writing to her family, stopped sending money. Why would she need to send money back to her family? Her brother made as much money as her father had when he was alive he would be able to support their mother on his own. Why did she need to send her hard earned money back to ponies that didn’t really need it? Travelling was expensive, as were her shows. She needed every bit she made. However her fame still wasn’t what she wanted it to be. In every town she had been hailed as being extraordinarily talented, perhaps even the best magician in all of Equestria. She wanted more, she needed more. She needed to be acknowledged as the most powerful unicorn in all of Equestria, only surpassed in magical talent by Princess Celestia. But how? The answer seemed to present its self in one of the letters that she had been given after the show by her admirers. ‘I bet you have enough magical talent to defeat an Ursa Major’. That was just it, she had heard of Ursa Major’s from her mother’s tales of the frightening creatures in the Everfree Forest. A terrifying bear made out of stars, something that could not be taken down easily. That would be her new selling ticket, she would claim to have defeated an Ursa Major. No pony would dare think of her as just a mere magician peddling simple tricks anymore. And she’d start to spread this tale at her next stop… Ponyville. Trixie frowned as she tore her mind away from that unpleasant day. She learned her lesson when she arrived in the next town and received the letter from her Brother. During her time traveling she had forgotten of her mother’s condition, she had forgotten how expensive treatments were, she had forgotten… that seemed to be the theme for what fame did to her. Trixie hung her head and walked up to the front door and knocked. “Trixie…?” The door opened and her navy blue brother opened the door. Flash stood there, his face showing pure shock. “Hey Flash, I’m home…” Trixie said with a slight smile. “I-I-I-I” Flash said, opening the door wider drinking in Trixie’s appearance. “I didn’t expect you to actually come. I thought something had happened for you to stop sending those payments, I thought…” His face fell as tears filled his eyes. “I’m here now.” Trixie said, understanding what her brother hadn’t said. “Where’s Mom?” “In her bedroom,” Flash said, stepping back and letting Trixie in. “I don’t think she has long…” Trixie nodded in silence, hurrying to her mother’s bedroom. There the old mare lay in bed, still looking young as ever but unusually frail. “Trixie? Is that… you?” Treats said, lifting her head off her pillow and squinting at the filly. “Yes Mom, I’m here.” Trixie said, galloping to her mother’s side and nuzzling her. “I’m so sorry, I never should have left.” “Nonsense…” Treats said, her breathing heavy, “How else was the world going to find out… about the Great… and Powerful… Trixie, my daughter?” She coughed, laying her head back on the bed. “Oh Mom…” Trixie said, nuzzling her mother again. “T-Trixie?” Treats said, holding one hoof out and resting it on Trixie’s shoulder. “Yes Mom?” Trixie asked, standing a bit closer. “I love… you, T-Tr…” Treats coughed again, taking a deep breath. When she exhaled her hoof slid from Trixie’s shoulder landing back on the bed. “Mom? MOM? MOM?” Trixie said, tears welling in her eyes. But she knew her mother couldn’t hear her, and never again could she hear her. “Trixie…” Flash stepped forward, placing a hoof on his sister’s shoulders. “Mom wrote something to you, the letter is on her bedside table.” Trixie blinked back her tears, looking at the sealed scroll on the bedside table. Using her magic she lifted it into the air and walked out with it. “I’ll be back Flash.” Trixie said, “I just need to be alone for a bit.” Flash nodded, before he moved Treats’ covers over her head. Trixie needed to be truly alone, and she knew precisely the place that she would feel most comfortable. The place she always retreated to when she needed to be alone was her dressing room, whether it was on the road or here where her beginnings lay the dressing room always seemed to hold comfort for her. She found her way to the theatre, opened the side door. During the entire time she had been away not a thing had changed. More painful memories floated to the forefront of her mind as she navigated the corridors to find her old dressing room. “That was wonderful Trixie.” Trixie’s mother stood backstage, a large smile on her face. “Thank you Mom.” Trixie said, beaming in front of her dressing room. She had just performed her first solo show, and never before had she felt more nervous. She wanted to show that she could stand on her own, without having to rely on the Marvellous Magesto doing the majority of Tricks. “Do you really think I did that good?” “Of course Trixie. Oh, sorry, I mean the Great and Powerful Trixie.” Trixie’s mother laughed lightly, before starting to cough. “Mom! Are you going to be ok?” Trixie said, rushing forward to check on her mother. “I’m fine Trixie.” Trixie’s mother said smiling. “Just a small cough, I’ll be fine. Tonight is about you anyway.” Trixie found her dressing room, still with the star reading ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie’ hanging on it as it did when she last left the theatre. She slowly opened the door, expecting to be greeted with two years of dust, only to find the place had been kept in prime condition. Her mother, or perhaps her brother on her mother’s wishes, must have kept it tidy awaiting her eventual return. There on the walls were posters of past shows, hanging on the rack were old costumes, and there beside the mirror were her first hat and cape. They were much too small for her now, but she had always treasured them. The letter, that’s why she came here. Closing the door and turning on the lights Trixie opened the scroll and began to read. Dear Trixie, If you are reading this then perhaps my time has come to return to your father. Hopefully you will have come home so I could see you one last time, and perhaps we are reading this together and merely enjoying each other’s company. I just want to tell you I’m proud of you. You managed to pick yourself up time and time again, you always astonished me. I can still remember how excited you were when you first were sent off to school, how disappointed you were when you had to return home, and that excitement return when you were apprenticed to my old friend Magesto. I want you to know that even when you stopped sending us your bits I never lost faith in you. I always knew you were out there, and you had your reasons for not sending us money or word anymore. I love you, above all know that, and I only want you to be happy. Follow your heart, I know it is good and will lead you true. I love you, and even if I don’t get to see you on this world again, I know we will still meet again one day, with your father and your brother. We’ll be a family again, and we will be happy. Your loving mother Trixie’s tears stained the letter as it fell to the ground. She looked into the dressing room’s mirror, tears in her eyes. Great and Powerful… Trixie thought to herself. I’m not Great and Powerful, I’m just an old foal. An assistant to a much better unicorn, daughter unworthy of her mother’s love. Trixie collapsed on the floor, sobbing. I’m sorry mom… I’m so sorry…

Prince Colgate

43

Original Character,Pinkie Pie,Rarity,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,Romance,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

A Pony Development

cancelled

<p>Now the story of a wealthy Pony who lost everything, and his one brother who has no choice but to try to start a new life to avoid facing the same fate as his brother. Dimitri Hooth, board member of a successful company that falls apart, has to flee from Fillydelphia when his brother is caught robbing from his own company. Now, Dimitri finds himself in Ponyville, under the alias of a travelling tea merchant.</p><p>The story draws inspiration from the TV series Arrested Development, but not the degree of being a crossover.</p>

everyone

2011-07-12T08:29:05+00:00

2011-07-12T08:29:05+00:00

Prologue: The Hooth Family This is the story of Dimitri Hooth, and his brother, Snidely Hooth. Snidely was the president of the Bank of Fillydelphia, a bank with several branches throughout the city of Fillydelphia, and one or two in Manehattan. Dimitri worked for his brother at the bank, a cushy, well-paying job as a board-member. This job was easy, since Snidely very rarely communicated with the board for anything, doing everything behind their backs, and of course, skimming money off the top occasionally. As spoiled as he was, Dimitri obviously had no idea what to do when Snidely finely got caught. He was convicted on multiple accounts of theft and fraud, and sent to Hoofshank Prison. The business, of course, fell into Dimitri’s hands. Now what does somepony do when they suddenly are in charge of a quickly failing business, and they have no experience with management, or really work in general? They skip town of course. Using the last of his money, Dimitri Hooth caught a train out of Phillydelphia, to a little, obscure Earth Pony village, where he knew he could hide away for a while, at least untill all this blows over. And that’s where our story begins. Chapter 1: Welcome to Ponyville! Dimitri sat rather nervously in the train. The seat across from him was occupied by a rather quiet purple unicorn, who spent most of her time staring out the window, occasionally writing something down on the paper on the table between them. About a half an hour into the trip, the unicorn turned to write something down, and seemed to notice Dimitri for the first time. Her eyes widened and she blushed slightly in embarrasment, since she’d somehow completely failed to see this stallion sitting across for her. “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there...” She shook her head and composed herself. “I was just taking some notes on the different environments between here and Ponyville.” “Um... That’s okay.” Dimitri averted his eyes, trying not to attract too much attention to himself. “Hey, are you heading to Ponyville too?” “Er... Yes, I am.” “Oh, me too! I live there. Well, sort of. I was here in Fillydelphia for an assignment. Learning about different environments in different parts of Equestria. What brings you to Ponyville?” “Um... Business...” “Oh! What sort of business?” “I’m a... Um...” Dimitri glanced at the lone suitcase sitting beside him, quickly trying to figure out an alibi. “I’m a... Travelling Salesman. My name is... Harold. Harold um...” He looked outside for inspiration for a last name. He saw the hills rolling by and said the first thing that came to his head. “Harold Chamomile. I sell... Tea.” “Ooo, that’s pretty neat. My name’s Twilight Sparkle, I specialize in magic. I’m Princess Celestia’s number one pupil.” Twilight said, proudly. “Hey, that’s pretty neat too.” Dimitri faked interest. At this point, he was trying to decide between two options: Jumping off the train and making a run for the hills to lead a life of quiet solitude, or somehow getting a hold of some tea to live up to his alibi. “Hey! If you want, I can show you around when we get to Ponyville! I have a few friends who drink tea... I think. And it’s not everyday you see a travelling tea salesman.” “Oh, that would be... Lovely.” Option A was starting to sound more and more appealing. However, a stunt like that would probably attract some attention from the train. It was probably best to just put up with the unicorn until he could lie low in Ponyville for a while. It was mostly quiet after that. Twilight smiled and continued her study of the environment. Dimitri sat quietly for the rest of the trip, trying to figure out a way to ditch the unicorn when they got to town. It wouldn’t be easy, since Ponyville was said to be rather small, he was bound to find her eventually. He finally let out a sigh of silent submission, deciding to just accept her help and try to blend in. “Oh! We’re here!” Twilight Sparkle exclaimed, waking Dimitri from his short lived slumber. He looked out the window to see a small village down a small path from the train station. By the time Twilight had announced they were there, the train had already come to a complete stop. It seemed she hadn’t been paying much attention anymore either, too caught up in whatever she was writing. Dimitri stood up and grabbed his suitcase in his mouth. It was at this point she noticed his cutie mark, which was a pair of red dice, one that read 5, and one that read 2. She gave him a strange look, confused by the unusual cutie mark. He didn’t notice her glance, because he was already heading out of the train. Twilight decided not to question it at this time and to give it time. Twilight hurried to catch up with Dimitri. “Alright, the first place you should go to is the Inn. That’s probably where you’ll wind up staying. You have money, right?” She turned to Dimitri, who avoided eye contact and remained silent, mostly because of the suitcase in his mouth. “Well, if you don’t, you’re welcome to stay with me.” At that comment, Dimitri quickly spit the suitcase out of his mouth and said “I have money!” Then stopped, shook his head, and picked the suitcase back up. “Oh, okay then. The Inn’s over there.” She pointed to a tall, large building to her right and continued walking. “You’ll want to meet Rarity, I’m pretty sure she drinks a lot of tea.” Twilight continued showing the mysterious stallion around town, pointing out Sugar Cube Corner, the Carousel Boutique, and finally, the treebrary. The entire time, Dimitri just nodded in fake interest, not actually paying any attention. “Okay so, Rarity usually spends her time over at the Carousel Boutique, and...” Twilight stopped when she noticed Pinkie Pie walking up in front of her. “Oh, hey there Pinkie Pie!” “Hi Twilight! Hi...” She noticed the unfamiliar stallion. She jumped in the air and let out a familiar GAASP and then bolted off in a random direction. “Well that was interesting...” Dimitri’s attention had been captured by the display. “Oh, that’s just Pinkie, she always reacts like that to newcomers.” “I see... Well I think I’m gonna head back to the Inn and get settled in now...” “Oh, but you still haven’t met Rarity! I’m sure she’d love to buy tea from you!” “Yes, but it’s getting late and it’s been a long day... I think a good night’s sleep will do me well first.” “Oh, well okay. Remember, you can find her at Carousel Boutique.” “Yes yes, goodbye.” Dimitri waved a hoof at Twilight as he started to walk away. “Bye Harold!” Twilight smiled and walked off in the opposite direction. At first Dimitri was confused, until he remembered the name Harold Chamomile that he’d created from the top of his head back on the train. At that moment, he also questioned how anypony could be fooled by such a fake name. In fact, Twilight Sparkle was not fooled by Harold Chamomile’s alias. As soon as she got back to her library, she quickly started searching for something that could give her more information on the stallion she was sure she’d seen before during her short visit to Fillydelphia. Elsewhere in town, Dimitri was just arriving at the Inn, just in time for an unwelcome surprise. “SURPRISE!” The pink pony shouted, jumping out of no where the instant Dimitri stepped inside. “Hi there! I'm Pinkie Pie, what's your name? You're new in town aren't you? You must be because I've never seen you in town, and I know EVERYPONY in Ponyville.” The pink one continued to drone on and on about... Well, whatever it was she was saying. It was hard to really understand at this point, partially because she was speaking so quickly it was hard to follow, but her voice was also being drowned out by other happy ponies at the party. “So, what's your name?” She finally seemed to stop for a few moments, and gazed at him, waiting for a reply. After a few awkward moments passed, Dimitri realized that she was actually going to wait for him to reply, so he decided to, once again, go along with it. He laid his suitcase down on the ground to speak. “Harold. Harold Chamomile.” He sighed, hoping this would satisfy her so she would leave him alone long enough for him to check in and sneak away to his room. “Ooo that's a funny name! What do you do? I bake cupcakes and muffins and all sorts of sweet stuff. Oh, and I plan parties. I'm the best at parties!” “I.... Sell tea.” “Oooo tea! How exciting!” “Yes, exciting...” The pink pony started to ramble again as Dimitri picked up his suitcase and walked over to the reception desk. He checked in, then hatched a simply brilliant plan to distract the pink pony. “Rook!” He mumbled with his suitcase between his teeth, then dropped the suitcase to the floor to speak more clearly. “A lonely looking pony with no friends!” He pointed out a nearby window. “What!?” Pinkie turned to see the lonely pony. While she was looking away, Dimitri darted off to the stairwell, and headed quickly up the stairs, surprised that his rather spur of the moment plan actually worked. At long last, Dimitri arrived in his room. He flopped his suitcase down on the floor and laid down on his bed. Now he was alone and he could finally think things through. Thinking things through proved to be a mistake, as he quickly realized he was going to have to do things a little differently. It was at this point that he realized that everypony in Ponyville seems to know each other. That said, nothing's going to stand out more than a pony who keeps to himself. If Dimitri wanted to blend in, he knew he was going to have to do some things he wasn't used to. He would have to socialize. He would have to make some friends. He would have to sell some tea.

ThatOneBrony

44

Main 6,Princess Luna,Trixie,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Pony: The Black Temple

incomplete

<p>Our six equine heroes rally together to battle a force the likes of which the Shadowmare Valley has never seen before.</p><p>Story was originally published on Equestria Daily on May 21, 2011. It was written by myself for the Equestria Gaming's Crossover contest (and I'm pretty sure I lost).</p><p><a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html</a></p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:46:15+00:00

2011-07-10T22:46:15+00:00

My Little Pony: The Black Temple Prelude: A Parting of Ways The group of equines had gathered in a remote corner of the Everfree Forest. Before them, a swirling portal loomed high. The local wildlife stood there, not in fear, but in a state of hypnosis. The only sound was of the magic energy radiating from the gateway to another world. Celestia was the first to speak up. “You have brought much suffering to the world, Luna. For that, you can never be forgiven. However, you saved the life of my love. For that I will let you go. But, should you ever threaten my people again...” “I understand, sister.” Luna said. “Control over this world was never my aim... only power... only the magic. I've lingered here too long. I must go. By aiding you, I have betrayed my new master. If I am not careful, his wrath will be my end.” “Farewell, sister... Big Macintosh. I doubt out paths will cross again.” “Good fortune to you,” she added in their ancient tongue. The deep blue mare stepped through the purple portal to worlds unknown. “Fools!” shouted Derpy. “Have you no sense of justice?” Big Macintosh piped up, “Derpy, Luna has atoned for her crimes! She is no longer a threat to-” “It's no use, Big Mac.” said Celestia as Derpy Hooves sprinted through the portal after Luna. “She has become vengeance itself, bound forever to the hunt. I only pray that in her zeal, she does not cause even more havoc than Luna.” “Now, let's go home, beloved. We've earned our rest.

ThatOneBrony

44

Main 6,Princess Luna,Trixie,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Pony: The Black Temple

incomplete

<p>Our six equine heroes rally together to battle a force the likes of which the Shadowmare Valley has never seen before.</p><p>Story was originally published on Equestria Daily on May 21, 2011. It was written by myself for the Equestria Gaming's Crossover contest (and I'm pretty sure I lost).</p><p><a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html</a></p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:48:35+00:00

2011-07-10T22:48:35+00:00

Chapter One: The Great and Powerful... “Come on, I'm ready for 'em, let's get going!” Rainbow Dash yelled, landing before the group. In her excitement, she failed to notice the gash along her flank, earned from her bout with the final patrol squad. “Darling, please,” Rarity said, “you're in no shape to take on Nightmare Moon.” She closed her eyes as her horn lit up with a familiar whitish glow. Before their eyes, the fresh gash sewed itself together, leaving no trace behind. Rarity’s priestly powers had come in handy during this assault on Nightmare Moon's foul Black Temple, even if her aversion to the fray and her reluctance to do anything but stitch up her friends hadn't. Off to the left, Fluttershy finished recollecting her throwing knives, twenty-seven in all. She had one for each reason she was here. One knife for each of her friends that had fallen before the shadowy mare's forces. Applejack trotted up and dropped three sacks before the group. “The patrolcolts were carrying these. Take a look inside, they may come in handy.” Applejack had her own reasons for being here too – she was here for Big Macintosh, who had personally requested her assistance with this fight. He wasn't able to come along, with his current health, but he was with her in spirit. Pinkie Pie snatched a satchel and searched it for spoils. She procured a belt with numerous bottles strapped to it. Stripping them out, she analyzed the contents, sniffing and sipping on a few of them. “Looks like there's three magic elixirs, a bottle of poison, two bottles of cockatrice blood, and... an alligator?” She laughed. “Oh, that's just Gummy!” She passed the bottles around, and Fluttershy took the poison with a tender hoof. Twilight snatched two of the blue magic elixirs and said, “Rarity, I'll need these. Rainbow and Pinkie, take the cockatrice blood.” “Okie Dokie Lokie!” Pinkie exclaimed happily as she snatched the bottle. “Drink those now. They will need a little while to take affect.” Pinkie sniffed the blood and winced. She searched her leather saddlebags and procured a bag of sugar cubes. She dropped a few in, then burrowed through her bags again. After a while, she found a squiggly straw and stuck it in. She sipped it, and said, “Blegh! Needs more sugar!” As Pinkie went about solving her sugar predicament, Applejack spoke up. “Nothin' else good in these bags, Twi. We'd best get ready to move on.” “Good idea.” said the purple unicorn. She stood up, her simple cloak fluttering in the breeze. They were outside the doors to the upper spire of the Black Temple. “I think it's time for us to summon Akama. Rarity, are you ready?” “I guess so,” Rarity sighed, putting away her hairbrush. “Who is this Akama fellow, anyway? I hope he likes my choice of dress. Is my makeup still okay? Ooh, I might need to put on a new hat, there's blood all over this one.” “Rarity, we have a job to do!” Twilight snapped. Rarity shrunk back. “Look, I'm sorry. Let's just get this over with.” The unicorns nodded, and their horns lit up. The magic energy swirled between them, and they strained to keep up. Finally, there was an explosion of energy, and a lone pony appeared before the group, doused in brilliant light. As the group opened their eyes, it was made clear who this pony was. Not wanting there to be any doubt, she spoke up. “Stand aside, peasants. I am the Great and Powerful Trix... Akama!” the blue mare stumbled over her introduction. “Now, let's discuss our strategy.” “Umm, Akama..” Twilight spoke up, “We kinda already have a strategy. We just need your magic abilities to open the door.” “Nonsense! The Great and Powerful Akama was fooled by the foul trickster Nightmare Moon, and she demands reckoning! Now, I will need some equipment.” She proceeded over to their bags, and burrowed through them. Moments later, she emerged in plate armor and the potion belt strapped to her forehead. Twilight thought, Maybe it would distract Nightmare for a moment or two. “Now, let's proceed.” Rarity said, holding back laughter. The group of seven prepared themselves. Rainbow Dash, the swift paladin; Fluttershy, the quiet rogue; Pinkie Pie, the hunter, and her loyal pet Gummy; Rarity, the dazzling priest; Applejack, the fearless warrior, and Twilight, their unwavering leader and arcane mage. They all stood there, anxious to begin. It wasn't the first battle they fought, but it would prove the most challenging. Before their hooves, ten of Nightmare Moon's most powerful lieutenants had fallen. Now, they had pushed to the end, looking to end her evil reign over the Shadowmare Valley. “Akama” nudged the door, and it creaked open. Twilight shook her head, thinking, I could have done that. “Alright, friends. Here, we make our final strike against impossible odds. Your talents must rise to their full potential here, else we are doomed to fail.” She charged up the dark stairs as lightning cracked around the temple.

ThatOneBrony

44

Main 6,Princess Luna,Trixie,Crossover,Adventure,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Pony: The Black Temple

incomplete

<p>Our six equine heroes rally together to battle a force the likes of which the Shadowmare Valley has never seen before.</p><p>Story was originally published on Equestria Daily on May 21, 2011. It was written by myself for the Equestria Gaming's Crossover contest (and I'm pretty sure I lost).</p><p><a href="http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.equestriadaily.com/2011/05/story-my-little-pony-black-temple.html</a></p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:49:17+00:00

2011-07-10T22:49:17+00:00

Chapter Two: Darkness Rising The party of seven reached the top of the spire. Twilight hushed the group. “Look.” she whispered, pointing to the courtyard. “She is meditating – she doesn't know we're here.” “This is our final chance. If any among you wishes to leave, then go now.” The Great and Powerful Akama stuck her nose up. “I'll go... guard the door, in case we get company.” She gave a fierce glance to the skeptical group, then galloped down the stairs. “Alright, it's now or never. Let's go.” Twilight said. Cautiously they approached the dark figure lying down. The lightning cracked again, and the mare stood up. “Akama... I should have slaughtered you and your malformed brethren long ago-- Wait, where's Akama?” “Cut the theatrics, Nightmare Moon. We're here to end your evil reign!” Rainbow shouted. Nightmare Moon sighed. “Fine, have it your way.” Her grimace darkened as her horn lit up. The group was blown away by a dark magic explosion. Twilight struggled to her feet, then lit her horn up in defensive magic. The dark mare smiled, then hopped up on her hind legs, screeching into the sky. Moments later, a swarm of foul, slimy demons dropped into the courtyard. “Get rid of these monsters!” Twilight yelled, “I can handle Nightmare!” As she said that, her horn's glow doubled in strength, and she strained to channel the energy to fight her foe. Rainbow Dash drew her holy hammer and took flight. She bolted around, splattering the gooey demons with sweep after sweep of her mighty weapon. Nearby, Fluttershy spun around, sending a flurry of knives in a graceful arc. Applejack was backed into a corner. She let out a fierce war cry and went berserk, bucking everything in her way. She cleared a path to Rarity, whose horn lit up, healing the orange mare's bruises and empowering her to battle on. Pinkie Pie pranced around laying traps for the foul demons as Gummy distracted one, gumming it ceaselessly. As their magical duel went on, Twilight seemed to gain the upper hand. However, the slime creatures soon overwhelmed the party, surrounding them. Nightmare's horn emitted a large burst of magic, freezing the party in place. It pulsed again, killing all of her demon followers. “Is this it, mortals? Is this all the fury you can muster?” A grey mare appeared from the shadows. “Their fury pales before mine, Luna. We have some … unsettled business between us.” “Derpy Hooves. How is it even possible?” “Ah, my long hunt is finally over. Today, Justice will be done!” Derpy attacked Nightmare, causing a momentary lapse in the grip of her magical prison. Twilight's horn lit up, breaking everyone free of their bonds. She then went on the offensive. Rarity assisted as best she could, while Pinkie and the others stood on, watching. Rainbow shot upward, clearing the magically dark sky. A beam of light shot through, landing right on Nightmare Moon. She screamed out in agony, collapsing to the ground. Derpy spoke to her fallen foe. “It is over. You are beaten.” “You have won... Derpy.” she struggled to say. “But the huntress... is nothing without the hunt. You... are nothing.. without... me....” her eyes closed and she died. ------------------------------------------------------------------- The eight friends cheered. Luna's voice crackled over the voice chat system. “You guys cheated! No fair!” “All's fair in love and war, Princess.” Rarity said with pride. “But Twilight was using that strategy guide!” Luna whined. “That's just us using the tools we have, sugar cube.” Applejack laughed. “I hate this game, I'm leaving.” Luna ripped off her headset and stormed out of her room in Canterlot. “Oh, no,” Fluttershy said, “I hope we didn't hurt her feelings too bad.” “Not to worry,” Celestia's voice came through. “She just takes her games a little too seriously. And she's probably a little jealous of my Tier 11 set!” Everypony shared a good laugh, and Bon-Bon called down the stairs. “The muffins are done!” “Muffins!” Derpy cried with glee, charging out of Lyra and Bon-Bon's basement. The others soon followed. After they finished their treats, Rainbow Dash piped up, “Alright, everypony, who's ready for Icecrown Citadel?”

Harp's'ong

46

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Big Macintosh,Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Rarity,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Pink Ladies and Sour Apples

complete

<p>Big Macintosh has been married to the farm his whole life, so it stands to reasoning that he never had time to spare for a mare. But when Applebuck Season arrives and Applejack's friends can't help, the Apple family is faced with a dilemma of deeper concerns. However, when Applejack recruits a few hired hands the answer to both problems appears.</p>

everyone

2011-07-12T06:04:33+00:00

2011-07-12T06:04:33+00:00

"Ah just don't figure how we'll manage this year. We're not fillies and colts no more and Applebloom's too young." "Eeyup." "Ah mean Ah know how important it's for Rainbow Dash ta open for her precious Wonderbolts and tour with them. She says she's goin' ta try and charm that Soarin character right outta his horseshoes. Don't know about that, but he did buy mah pie at the Gala, the only stinkin' pony in Canterlot to touch our food. And then Twilight's left for Canterlot of course. Ah don't blame her, Ah told her Ah says, 'Twilight your families's a might bit more important than helpin' us with some silly apple buckin'.'" "Eeyup." "Ah won't even ask Rarity. She'll just say, 'Well why can't Ah use my magic, darlin'? And oh dear my mane is gettin' dusty, darlin'. I chipped a hoof darlin'!' Ah'd go crazy. Pinkie's too busy tendin' ta the Cake's shop while they're in Manehattan for that silly convention&#151;who cares about pumpkin anyways? Apples is where's it's at." "Eeyup." "Fluttershy's gone with Twilight. She wants to try again with those critters at the Royal Gardens. Ah don't know who else ta turn to." "Eeyup." "Ya even listenin' to me?" Applejack stamped her hooves and glared at her brother. She paced right outside their barn, while Big Macintosh removed his harness. He stood in the doorway now, in the distance he heard Applebloom squeal. She and Scootaloo were playing again, their other little friend wasn't around as much as she'd like to. Applebloom complained about Sweetie Belle having to help Rarity, Applejack scolded her about helping the family was more important, and that one day she'd be standing outside this barn, waiting for the fearless leader of Sweet Apple Acres to dictate and decide. "Don't ya even think of sayin' 'Eeyup,'" Applejack said. "Ah came here on account that Ah figured ya might have an idea." Big Macintosh shrugged. He'd worked the orchard all day, the grind wore his brain raw and his thoughts slipped by like a smooth molasses down a tree&#133; "Ah guess Ah'll figure everythin' out, again," Applejack said. Big Macintosh blinked. He shook the cobwebs from his head and said, "How 'bout hirin' some help?" Applejack spun around. She scratched her chin with her hoof. "Could do that. Where we get the bits from?" Big Macintosh shrugged. "We've split our profits between us. Ah don't spend much. Nothin' Ah need anyhow." Applejack sighed. "Now you're just bein' unfair. That's your bits, Ah know it's not much but you haven't spent a one?" Big Macintosh shrugged. "Ah suppose. What you reckon we do with it? We could get a few hands, mostly earth ponies&#151;hate usin' magic to get the apples off. It's bad for the trees. Ah don't know who'd we hire here in Ponyville, though. Don't think no one's lookin' for work who doesn't already got some." "Look elsewhere. Fillydelphia's just a short train ride away," Big Macintosh said. "City ponies? You a few apples short of a barrel?" Big Macintosh said, "Nothin' wrong with city ponies. Your friends did an alright job last year with ya showing them what to do. Figures we can teach anypony how to buck a tree." Applejack frowned. She said, "Ah suppose it's the best we can do." She nickered and said, "Ah heck, Ah don't know, let's both think about it. 'Specially you, Ah'm not going to take your bits unless you're abs-oh-lutely okay with it. And Ah'll know if you're lyin' faster than an apple falls from a tree." Big Macintosh nodded. Applejack departed the next day and left Big Macintosh to get ready. All the real work was already done. Big Macintosh was left with a mostly empty farm. He prepared some of the trees and tucked barrels beneath them. He cleaned out the cellar and took the time to prepare the presses for apple cider. That little guilty pleasure was Big Macintosh's favorite part of the whole season. Applejack planned to be gone for three days, so on the second Big Macintosh made a trip into Ponyville. He visited a barn that held a series of carriages and wagons, the twin brothers who owned it were Plink and Plunk. They made wagons, carriages, and whatever they could fit wheels under. Big Macintosh liked the brothers, they cut to the chase and seldom nicker-nacked if you didn't want any nicker-nack. Problem was their business also did taxi work, any road to anyplace self-respecting was on the road that led out the opposite side of Ponyville. Big Macintosh didn't mind traveling through town. His thoughts kept him plenty entertained, he did get too uncomfortable sometimes when people noticed him. Lot of ponies thought him odd, not in a bad way odd. Like, "Oh there goes Big Macintosh, must be running some important errand if her sister can't handle it," kind of odd. They thought he was married to the farm, and in a lot of ways Big Macintosh supposed he was, but he still liked to think he took time for other ponies. He didn't have a problem socializing with all the mares around. He just treated them with the hospitality he always used. The giggle of a mare caught his attention. Big Macintosh glanced to the side and found a pair of ponies walking beside them. A cream colored mare with a black mane and tulip cutie mark and beside her a slimmer yellow pony with a light orange mane and sunflower cutie mark. They made the very image of respectable mares. Big Macintosh figured he might even know them. He smiled and said, "Why good mornin' ladies." The cream one giggled again. She said, "Morning Big Macintosh. No one's seen you around Ponyville in weeks. We thought your sister tied you up to some tree." "Well not a tree Ah suppose. She likes the harness more. Gets more work outta me." "You can certainly see it," the yellow one said. Big Macintosh frowned. "Ah thought Ah got rid of that limp. Guess Ah got so used to it it just got ta be the way Ah've been walkin'." One of the mares snorted. "Beg your pardon miss?" Big Macintosh said. "Nothing. Say Big Macintosh, you want to spend some time outside the farm? We're going somewhere for a brunch and we'd love for you to come and talk about plows and dirt and stuff," the cream colored mare said. Big Macintosh whistled low. He stopped and faced both mares. "Reckon that's a mighty nice invitation, ladies, but Ah'm afraid Ah gotta decline on account of all the work that still needs ta be done. Both of you are mighty pretty, though, Ah do enjoy your company." The yellow mare's left eyebrow twitched, both stared at the red stallion. The cream one managed to break a smile over her face and say, "We'll just walk with you to where you're going then." Big Macintosh nodded, "Ah reckon that's a fair trade. How 'bout it then? Ya want ta know about plowin' or sowin' seeds or harvestin' or what? Ah don't get ta talk about it much, but Ah got lots to talk about. Enough to keep ya'll pretty ladies entertained." The yellow one leaned over and whispered into the cream's ear. The cream's smile got wider. "I'm sorry, but Daisy just reminded me that we have a friend we have to meet. Some other time Big Macintosh?" "Absolutely, Ah'd love sharin' mah day with a couple of nice lookin' mares like yourself&#133;" but the ponies scampered away before he finished. Big Macintosh said under his breath, "Ah hope ya'll ladies have yourselves a nice day." "This is all Ah can afford Ah guess. Ya'll look like honest types, though. Now we'll feed ya and shelter ya, wouldn't be fair otherwise," Applejack said. She stood in the doorway of a train car, the floor rocked under her hooves as she addressed the four ponies in the car. Applejack recruited them and talked to a whole hay more, but not everypony was willing to just toss everything in the air. She figured this lot was needing the bits something fierce, she'd have to watch them to make sure they remained honest. She liked the pegasus. Another mare would keep the numbers even on the farm between the three stallions she found. She counted Big Macintosh for her side, on account of he wouldn't defend any of the boys if they stirred up trouble anyways. The oldest of the four, older than her even, perked his head up. He was a navy blue pony with a blond mane. He said, "Think we'll be there long?" "Depends on how hard ya work, partner. Gotta hot date or somethin' tomorrow? Figured ya ta be pretty lonely for how I found you." But the stallion found her talking with another pony about the job and he walked out an alley and volunteered. Applejack didn't like him, if only because he looked a mess. His knees were scabbed and calloused, too much time lying in hard alleys. His mane held a whole host of mess in it. All greasy and washed out, trashed tangled and mingled with matted wads of blond hair. He stunk the whole car up. Applejack believed any pony be given a chance, and heck, this pony looked like he needed a chance. And definitely a bath, Applejack didn't have a problem with dirt and sweat coating a pony after a good day's work, but she also thought smelling like death was a terrible way to make friends. "I'm more concerned with how long it takes to get there," another stallion spoke up. This one was named Fleck, he had a splash of what Applejack supposed was red, white, and green paint for a cutie mark on his brown hide. Said he was an artist, but was used to taking on outside work so he could eat, he also thought the countryside would do him some good. The pegasus, she was named Freebird. Applejack liked the name, it made music in her head. She was a blues singer, another down on her luck pony who needed the food. She said, "Soon. Been to Ponyville once, nice place. Did a show there." "Ah don't remember that," Applejack said. "It was a small show. Got on stage with a band I know and we started playing our tunes when this pink pony jumped on stage and ruined things. Went on and on about us needing to laugh more." Applejack rolled her eyes. The last stallion grunted. He was a workhorse, as big as Big Macintosh, if a bit younger. Applejack liked him, he said he was in construction, but got laid off recently. He said this job might offer him a new perspective, if Applejack got the chance she'd make sure he saw all the possibilities. His name was Brick. The first pony who spoke up, Delph said, "Party poopers can be such a downer." "At least they don't smell like their name," Fleck said. "You want to make something of the way I live my life?" "Not sure if you even live some kind of life, blank flank." Applejack stamped her hoof. "That's enough, Ah won't be listenin' to no fightin' when we ain't even got there yet. Ya save that stuff for when you're sleepin' out in the barn and Ah can't hear a lick of it." That got them quiet. Applejack sighed and took her place in the car. When she passed Delph she swore first thing would be a bath for that pony. Big Macintosh, out of courtesy, rounded Applebloom up from Rarity's boutique and had her sit and wait for her sister to return with their guest. Good old Granny Smith rocked and waited behind them. Big Macintosh listened to the creak of her chair and counted the time with every swing. Applebloom fussed around and said, "Ah don't see why it matters if we're all here. This is the first time Ah got to see Sweetie Belle in three whole days." "It's a courtesy little miss," Big Macintosh said. "Look out there, now really look. Ya see that dust comin' up from the road? I'm bettin' my bits on that bein' your sister. What if she came back with some cute colt, hmm?" "Eww, boys are gross." Big Macintosh chuckled. One day he was sure she'd sneak home some colt and after Applejack stopped her bucking he'd tell Applebloom something witty like, "Told ya so." Applejack came back with three stallions and a pegasus. She introduced each and when she finished said, "Now we need ta get ya'll cleaned up and tamorrow we can get started on the apple buckin'." Big Macintosh eyed the filthiest of them. Well, his sister did try to be polite about it. Big Macintosh was inclined to wonder if an outhouse gave birth to the stallion&#133; Applebloom gasped and jumped to her hooves. She saw something Big Macintosh didn't notice and dashed over to the repulsive stallion. She said, "Oh my gosh. Ya don't have a cutie mark either!" "What? Oh, I guess I don't. Never noticed before." "Golly, Ah thought Ah was goin' ta be the oldest pony ever not ta have a cutie mark but now you're here and now Ah know Ah won't!" Applebloom said. She bounced around this newcomer and questions began spilling out her mouth. Applejack chuckled and shook her head. She approached Big Macintosh and whispered, "Ah'll take the clean ones ta the barn and tell'em what they'll be doin'. Ya want ta take the stinker down to the creek and see if we can't get some of that nastiness scrubbed outta him?" Big Macintosh sighed. "Eeyup." "Thanks, Big Mac." Applejack turned on the four newcomers and said, "You three, come with me ta the barn and Ah'll show ya around. Delph, how about ya follow my brother Big Macintosh down to the creek. He'll show ya which way to go." Big Macintosh made eye contact with the other stallion for the first time. He regretted it. He wasn't used to other stallions, not ones that weren't related. Ponyville didn't have as many stallions, and none ever tried to talk to Big Macintosh. Applejack and her gang moseyed past Big Macintosh, the big one bumped into him and made a gruff apology. It made the adam's apple in his throat swell. He didn't understand why it mattered what these city ponies thought of him. It shouldn't matter no way no how what a bunch of silly filly city ponies thought of him. Big Macintosh knew if they judged him, well he didn't care. He began to wonder if this was all just a big mistake. He grunted. "Well, Ah'll show ya the way to the creek." Big Macintosh turned around and began walking there. He knew the other stallion followed because he heard Applebloom's constant blabber. "Ah've tried everythin' from cupcake bakin' to underwater explorer to gliders. Ah think Ah'll do everythin' ever before Ah get my cutie mark. But Ah wouldn't mind, it just means Ah have more options. Do ya ever feel that way? Do people still call ya blank flank? There were some mean girls who used ta call me blank flank, but I figure grown-ups don't call each other blank flanks on account that they're grown-ups&#133;" Big Macintosh could feel the other stallion watching him. The blue stallion's silence unnerved Big Macintosh, he felt the pony should say something. Maybe if they struck up a conversation and Big Macintosh could realize none of these city-folk were as freaky as he suddenly wanted them to be&#151;well then maybe&#133; "Why, people call me blank flank still," Delph said. Big Macintosh heard Applebloom become downcast. "They do?" "Yes, you're lucky no one around here says it to you. City people are just meaner." "Oh, well Ah don't think Ah wanna go to the city then. Unless Ah need to for my cutie mark." "It's not the city that's mean, little filly. It's the people, they get to rushing around so much that they forget about you and everything but that one hoof swinging in front of the other." This left Applebloom quiet. Hearing him talk relaxed Big Macintosh, though. The fear disappeared, Big Macintosh thought it silly now. Why did he get so nervous over the opinions of a bunch of city ponies? Big Macintosh said over his shoulder, "Ya did the impossible, partner. Ya made my sister not have a thing to say about cutie marks." He smiled. "I didn't mean to. Let's start over, hmm little filly? My name's Delph, and before you ask, it's just Delph." "Well mine's Applebloom, Delph, and Ah figure you'll fit right in once we get ya ta stop smelling like a used up outhouse." Big Macintosh snickered. The other stallion paused, and Big Macintosh almost swept around expecting to defend his little sister for being a filly, but Delph surprised him. "That's very gracious of you Applebloom, and if you promise to help me clean myself I'll tell you the secrets of how to smell this bad. You haven't tried a stinky cutie mark, have you?" "&#133;Mah cutie mark wouldn't be a stupid stinky mark&#133;" Big Macintosh stood on a rise with his sister, overlooking their farm. Off to the east grey seeped into the horizon. Applejack said, "Well whatcha think of'em? Reckon Ah trust Delph and Fleck as far as Ah can throw them, but Freebird and Brick seem an alright pair a ponies." Big Macintosh said, "Delph seemed pretty nice ta Applebloom. Ah think she likes'em." "Of course she does, he doesn't have a cutie mark. Ah don't want ta call him a blank flank, but it's what he is. It's not natural Big Mac, how does somepony go their whole life without knowin' what their supposed to do?" Big Macintosh said, "It's gotta happen somewhere in someplaces." Applejack frowned. "Well then it just comes down ta him not wanting to talk ta me. Ah don't mind quiet ponies after all." "Eeyup." "But he won't talk ta me at all and it makes me nervous. If he's opened up ta you and Applebloom then, well Ah guess he's not too bad. Ya mind if ya take him and that other stallion, Fleck for me today?" Big Macintosh shrugged. "Ah'm not going to lie, that'un gives me the creeps for the opposite reason. He keeps tryin' to chat up a storm with me and Ah think he's just tryin' ta get on mah good side." "Ah'll take care of'em both," Big Macintosh said. "Ah don't like to, but Ah can knock their heads together." Applejack smiled. "Thanks Big Macintosh, now let's go wake'em." Big Macintosh said, "Apple buckin' ain't a hard sport. 'Suppose everypony knows how ta buck. Let's see ya do it, the both of ya. Just get under those pink ladies and do what comes natural." Fleck trotted to the closest tree. He was eager to please, Big Macintosh guessed. He reared up on his front hooves and his back hooves smacked the bark of the tree. A dozen apples popped loose of the tree and bounced across the grass. Delph sat on his haunches and watched. Big Macintosh did not expect to be ignored. He cleared his throat while Fleck bashed the pink lady again. Fleck stopped and said, "No use with that blank flank." "Now Ah know ya city-folk like ta curse, but we won't use that particular kind of language on the farm. Delph, somethin' a matter?" Delph said, "I was kind've hoping you'd show us how it's done, rather than rushing blindly into bucking just to impress you. Is there a certain part of the tree to aim for? Do we need to be careful with your trees? Figure we might over do it if we just keep kicking it like there's no tomorrow." Fleck stopped and glared at Delph. Big Macintosh said, "Gather up whatcha got Fleck and then move on ta that tree over there. You're doin' fine." Big Macintosh faced Delph. "Ah'll show ya this once. Try ta kick as high as you can ta shake the tree and when ya start rippin' bark off it means it's time ta stop." Big Macintosh went to a nearby pink lady with empty buckets around it. He tensed his muscles, crouched low, and with grunt pushed his hindquarters off the ground and kicked the tree. Apples spilled in torrent, the branches shook and leaves flew off like they were cut away by a fierce gust. An apple bumped Big Macintosh's head, the last to fall. He snorted and said, "There ya go. How 'bout ya try your hooves on that tree over yonder? Ah'll gather these up." The two went to work. They did not make quite so much of a fuss when they got their hooves dirty. Big Macintosh listened to the trees swing and tremble, the sound fooled his head into believing there was a breeze. Big Macintosh wouldn't have minded one, today turned out hotter than he thought it could. Even in the shade of the trees he sweated more than he liked to admit. Big Macintosh bucked his fourth pink lady when he heard Fleck say, "Quit staring at him and get to work. What's wrong with you? Got pegasi floating around in your brain?" "Better than a dopey-eyed donkey," Delph said. Big Macintosh sighed and gathered apples into their buckets. "You don't even have a reason to be here. You know I've heard about you blank flank&#151;" "Really? I thought I was the only one who's heard of me." Big Macintosh sighed and stepped away from his buckets between the two. Both of the stallions shut their traps. Big Macintosh said to Fleck, "Why don't ya gather up what we got and haul it back to the barn in that there wagon over there. Reckon it'd be easier for you." Delph snickered. "And you work over here with me. Where Ah can keep an eye on you. Ya didn't come here ta loaf around." Delph nodded. "Yes, sir." Big Macintosh almost smiled. Much better. Fleck tried for one better. "I'll get right to it Mr. Macintosh." "Big Mac is fine, among you fellas. No reasons we can't be on speakin' terms, way I sees it. But more work, and a less speakin'." Big Macintosh returned to his previous task. Delph hauled some buckets over to a neighboring tree while Fleck loaded the wagon. Delph began to work. Pretty soon silence returned and Big Macintosh's mind smoothed over into that fine rut. He thought about apples and the trees and bucking, and it was nice and easy. Fleck returned and he loaded the next wagon and departed again. Delph became a steady presence in the corner of Big Macintosh's eye. Pretty soon he did recognize Delph sneaking him glances. At first Big Macintosh didn't mind, it didn't seem to hinder the other pony. Big Macintosh shouldn't have cared no two ways about it, but he kept looking at Big Macintosh like there was something to judge. Big Macintosh never got judged. His movements became awkward and rigid, one point he only skinned the bark of a tree with his left hoof when he tried bucking a tree. They almost finished with all the pink ladies and Delph still kept glancing. Maybe not so much anymore, but Big Macintosh felt it more and more every time the other stallion did. The red stallion wanted it to stop. But he wouldn't tell a pony to quit looking at him. That'd just be silly sounding. Worse it would let Delph know he got Big Macintosh riled up, and no pony was supposed to make Big Macintosh the least bit riled. Big Macintosh decided saying something was better than silence. "Hey Delph&#133;" "Yeah, Big Mac?" Big Macintosh wished he hadn't told the fellas to call him that. "That's&#133; that's an odd name ya got there. Delph, doesn't seem like a name a mare would give her colt." "I didn't have a mother." "Oh, well Ah apologize most deeply&#151;" "It's fine, I guess you couldn't have known. I've been an orphan forever and I've gone through a lot names before I took the one I have." Big Macintosh bucked the last pink lady and Delph went about to helping him gather the apples. Big Macintosh dumped the last one in a bucket and said, "Reckon we'll wait here until Fleck gets back with the wagon." "Fair enough," Delph said. He sat beside Big Macintosh. Big Macintosh figured if he kept standing it'd give Fleck a reason to berate Delph when he returned, so Big Macintosh sat too. Big Macintosh wished he had something to chew. Instead he tried speaking again, "Why did ya choose Delph?" Delph said, "Lot of reasons. I spent my whole life in Fillydelphia, and the people there never seemed to give me a chance. First it was because I was a blank flank, then when they figured me out it got even worse. Seemed every pony knew about the blank flank too old and too selfish to not respect the natural order of things. I made friends, and lost them, but the city was always kind. It seemed like she just gave when I needed it the most. She's my only friend, so I named myself after her." Big Macintosh cleared his throat. "Eeyup." "Don't talk much, do you Big Mac?" "Eeyup." "That's okay. Can't stand ponies that just sit around and talk all the time&#151;speaking of Fleck, I think I see him over there." Big Macintosh caught sight of the other stallion and both of them rose to greet him. The rest of the day went by without much incident. They tackled the red delicious the next day, and this time all six ponies worked on Sweet Apple Acres largest plot of trees. The change of pace suited everyone it seemed. In the afternoon Big Macintosh volunteered to haul the apples back to the cellar. Delph volunteered to take the other wagon. Big Macintosh didn't mind. If he had to deal with a pony it'd be nice if it was one he knew. They got halfway back to the cellar and passed through the pink ladies when Delph stopped. Big Macintosh paused and looked over the wagon and a stack of red delicious two ponies tall. He asked, "Somethin' wrong?" Delph nipped at his harness. He said, "Think my harness is screwed up. It keeps rubbing me the wrong way. I can feel it chafing." Big Macintosh frowned. He said, "Ah suppose Ah could take a look at it." Big Macintosh swept out of his harness and approached Delph. He saw the problem right away. "Ya need ta flip this strap on your shoulder." Delph shifted in the harness. He grunted and asked, "Can you fix it for me? I don't want to get out of this thing yet. You know how hard it was to get me into it. I don't want to waste more time than we have to." Big Macintosh hesitated. He grit his teeth and decided, "Do it so he doesn't see you reluctant to touch him. Don't want no pony thinking you're afraid of other stallions." Big Macintosh gingerly bit the strap and tugged it to the right. He released it and it flipped back into place. Delph sighed. "Thank you, that's much better." Big Macintosh nodded. "Eeyup." He went back to his harness, and while he slipped into it he heard Delph say, "You know. You're pretty lucky to have a family here." "Eeyup." A piece of leather caught on his nose and the red stallion snorted, shook it loose and settled the harness back into place. "Nothing else? Just 'eeyup.' I bet that's all you say. I bet even if Applebloom said something like, 'Golly Big Mac you're the best brother ever. I love you.' All you'd say is, 'Eeyup.'" "Ah can talk plenty," Big Macintosh said. "Then talk. I dare you to try it. I know you're not used to working that tongue muscle, but a working pony like you shouldn't have much trouble." Big Macintosh almost glared at the other stallion. He reminded himself of the hospitality his parents taught him and said instead, "Ah can't imagine not havin' a family. We've just been together for so long and there's so many of us. Ya lose track, but at the same time you're happy ta lose track 'cause it means your families growin' and you're a part of somethin' that grows. Ah know Ah haven't done much ta help with that growin', but Ah figure Ah've got time enough to find me a nice mare&#133; hey what's wrong with ya Delph? You're lookin' at me like Ah just coughed up a bucket full of parasprites." Delph shook his head. "Sorry, I just thought&#151;no, never mind. But see? Nothing wrong with talking, is there?" Big Macintosh and Applejack stood on their rise again. She said, "Ah hate bein' wrong, Big Mac, but there ain't nothing wrong with you bein' right." "Eeyup." In two days they harvested Half of Sweet Apple Acres. Tomorrow they'd tackle the northern section of the farm and work their way down. Applejack said, "Ya know Ah almost regret goin' through this so fast. Ah'm gonna miss a few of them ponies. Be happy ta get rid of some of'em, 'Specially that Fleck and Delph." Big Macintosh glanced at his sister. She studied the farmland and didn't notice the look Big Macintosh gave her. She said, "Ah think Ah really like that Brick fella. Shucks Big Mac, what do ya think Ah should do? Ah think Ah want to keep him around a little longer, ta see what might just happen&#151;well gosh listen to me gettin' embarrassed. Ah know neither of us has much experience with this kind've stuff, but whatcha think of it all Big Mac?" Big Macintosh shrugged. "Keep'em 'round, then." "Just for another day. Ta see what happens. Then we'll ship'em out, 'cept maybe for Brick. Heck Ah don't know. We'll just see what happens." "Eeyup." They eased up on the workload the next two days. Applejack said it was on account of their fine jobs. She figured to give the city ponies a break, but the only ones who seemed a might bit strained were the artist and singer. Big Macintosh got a kink in his right hind-hoof, so he enjoyed the ease in the workload. He and Delph worked together again, this time sorting apples in the cellar. Not work he enjoyed, but work that needed to be done. "Why do we have to do this?" Scootaloo asked. "All it's doing is making me hungry." Her and Applebloom sat at the back of the cellar, sorting their own bucket of apples. Applebloom said, "We haven't tried apple sortin' yet. Ah reckon it's worth a shot." "I'd say we'd have a better chance rock farming," Scootaloo mumbled. Big Macintosh heard something get thrown. "Hey! I'm sorry, okay? I know it's mean of me to say that. You and Sweetie Belle helped me get my cutie mark in that scooter race. I owe you this." Applebloom said, "You're darn right ya do." Delph chuckled. The two stallions sorted apples in the light of a lantern, they were on the pink ladies they picked recently. They essentially looked for bruised or otherwise bad apples to be pressed into cider, the rest went for cooking and eating and such. Applebloom said, "That was still an amazing move ya pulled. When ya fell off your scooter Ah was sure it was over but then you were all like bam-zoom!&#151;Ah still ain't seen nothing so graceful before." Scootaloo giggled. "Thanks. And I haven't seen no pony sort apples like you do." Delph shook his head and whispered, "Those two." "'Scuse me?" Big Macintosh asked. "They just make a cute pair is all. Bet they're a force to be reckoned with when they have their other friend with them." "Ee&#151;" Big Macintosh stopped himself. He was trying to not sound so&#133; simple anymore. He said, "Ya should've seen them at the talent show last year. Applejack told me about it and Ah just 'bout fell over laughin' my hooves off." "I'm sure it must have been quite a sight." "Ah wish Ah could've been there. Applejack said they went and tore the whole dang stage down&#151;" "No, I don't mean that." "Huh?" "I meant seeing you laugh." Big Macintosh stared at the other stallion in the lantern light. Delph ignored him and went back to sorting. Big Macintosh became aware of how close they stood. He wanted to step away, and yet at the same time&#133; He nickered and said, "It takes somethin' fierce, like those two gettin' inta trouble ta get me ta." Delph grunted to show he heard and went back to sorting. Big Macintosh felt something well up underneath his diaphragm that made breathing hard. He glanced at the other stallion and realized aside from that one particular occasion with the harness, they never touched before. Didn't seem right. Big Macintosh brushed shoulders and sides and haunches all the time with every other one of these new ponies. Why did he act like he walked across caltrops when it came to Delph? Just silly and stupid, in fact he'd prove it wrong right now and&#151; "Big Mac, Ah don't think Ah want ta sort apples no more." Big Macintosh almost jumped out of his horseshoes. He cleared his throat and said, "Ya'll can head outside then. Reckon the sun do ya fillies some good." "Come on Applebloom, let's go see if you have a tree climbing cutie mark or something. I need to stretch my wings." "Okay, that sounds like fun." Big Macintosh watched the two fillies trot up the stairs, his will dissolved. Then he felt something warm brush under his neck and his breath caught. Delph had stretched his neck and brushed his mane along the underside of Big Macintosh's throat and grabbed an apple sitting under Big Macintosh's chin. He pulled away and dropped it in the bad bucket. Delph said, "Sorry, I think that one was bad." Big Macintosh's cheeks flushed. He said, "Eeyup," and went back to work. "Dinner's served everypony, watch your hooves now, plates are hot," Applejack said. She set the tray down at the table before the four hungry city ponies and Big Macintosh. Tarts, pies, and few other apple confections greeted their ravenous eyes. It was their last night here. In the morning they would be paid and sent home. Big Macintosh didn't speak to Delph much after they left the cellar. He didn't understand it. Lately he caught himself taking peeks at the other stallion. He told himself he did it because he liked watching the city stallion do well. The last five days had been long, and Big Macintosh was right proud of what he could consider his pupil. Ponies dug in. Applejack sat beside him, Big Macintosh and her took up the end of their side of a square table. Conversation flowed back and forth and time became easy and enjoyable. Opposite him was Fleck and Brick. Fleck now held an animated conversation with Freebird, telling her how he'd like to do her portrait and such. Near as Big Macintosh could tell that wily painter probably told every mare the same thing so he could bring them home. Big Macintosh heard Applejack say, "So Brick, ya reckon ya enjoyed your stay here at Sweet Apple Acres?" Brick said, "Wasn't bad. Got to say I don't mind the quiet much, weird not having a bunch of other ponies around." "Eh-heh, right. I was a city pony myself once." Big Macintosh's gaze slid across the table, just a glance at Delph. The pony toyed with his food and nickered. Big Macintosh said, "Uh&#133; food alright?" "Hmm? Oh of course, your granny's recipes are swell. I'm just thinking about going back to Fillydelphia tomorrow. Not sure what I'll do after this." Big Macintosh heard his sister blunder and come right and say it: "Well if ya want ya'll could stay while longer if ya find this country livin' to your fancy." Big Macintosh swung his gaze back over to Brick. The pony grunted. "Maybe some other time. I need to be getting back, got a sweet little filly I promised I'd come back to." Applejack looked down at her plate of a half-eaten green apple tart. "Ah, right. Ah don't blame ya for wantin' ta go back." Fleck and Freebird stopped talking at that. Seemed an awkward silence fell in on all of them. Delph broke it. "I'll stay. If you guys need the extra hand around. I don't mind working on the farm a little longer." Fleck snorted. Delph scooted off the bench and said, "You got something you want to say?" "Just can't believe you think you're any better than me when you're trying the exact same thing. Getting in close with these farmers so they'd take care of you. That'd be real nice I bet." Big Macintosh was slow to process that. Delph didn't seem to talk much to Applejack, he did with Applebloom but he knew Applebloom was&#151; "Ah don't want ta hear no more of this. And if anypony tries raisin' the subject again Ah'll hogtie them and hang'em from the barn ya hear?" Applejack turned Delph. "You, Ah don't trust ya near as far as I can buck ya. And if ya haven't seen yet that ya need mah trust to stay here then ya'll can bet your hooves Ah won't have ya stickin' 'round." Delph glared at Applejack. He said, "Funny, I thought two Apples owned this farm." He stormed off. Big Macintosh watched him go and felt the need to defend him. Fleck muttered something and Applejack raised her voice all over again. She was in a mood. He stood and put a hoof on Applejack's shoulder. His sister paused and Big Macintosh told her. "Ah'll talk with him. Ah know ya don't want him stayin' but sis you gotta understand ya done hurt him." Applejack bit her lip and stamped her hooves. "Fine, but don't ya dare leave me here alone with these three." His sister didn't care if those three heard. Big Macintosh knew she didn't want anything to do with any of the city ponies anymore. It took her so much courage to ask Brick, and he shrugged his shoulders at her. Big Macintosh did not blame her for the way she treated any of them. Big Macintosh smiled and said, "Eeyup." He departed the table and tracked Delph into the orchard. Big Macintosh found him lying underneath the shade of a pink lady. His front hooves stretched out before him and he hid the bottom half of his face between his knees, his hind end sprawled on its side. His eyes flicked to Big Macintosh while the red stallion sat in front of him. Delph said, "You always let your sister boss you around?" "Eeyup. Reckon she's better at it than me." Delph laughed. "What does that even mean you big stupid pony?" Big Macintosh flared his nostrils. "Ah didn't come here ta be insulted. Ah thought ya might be needin' somepony ta talk to." "And you're just generous enough to be that pony? Gosh, you're so oblivious. Why don't you think about why you came out here?" Big Macintosh's brow furrowed. He said, "Ah think you're the one who don't know what he's talkin' 'bout." Delph sighed. With effort, he clambered to his hooves and said, "You're just&#133; heck I don't know. How about I put it this way? Uh&#133; if you were an apple, I'd buck this whole orchard for you." Big Macintosh blinked. It occurred to him, that Fleck did not mean Delph charming Applejack. Delph licked his chops and said, "Look, part of the reason I don't have a friend anywhere is because of what I am. And you got to understand it's not from a blank flank, I know why I'm blank. It's because stallions like you and me aren't supposed to be. I mean, there are so many mares in Equestria that no one minds when one announces her attraction to another in town. Heck I've seen it here already with that Lyra and Bon-Bon pair I met yesterday when I went into Ponyville, and I can tell you right that that Scootaloo has eyes for your Applebloom like no other. But if you were to tell them our feelings for each other, they'd look at you like we were wide-eyed stupid." Big Macintosh coughed, for the first time in a long time he felt all of the hard work he'd done in the past few days come down on his back. He didn't believe&#151;couldn't believe this pony thought he eyed other stallions. Big Macintosh scraped his front hooves across the grass and said, "Ah don't know what you're tryin' ta say, but Ah reckon it better be said mighty carefully if'n ya want ta get paid." Delph shook his head. "I don't care anymore. That day you told me you were still looking for a mare I couldn't believe it. I saw what you were by that first day and I couldn't believe when you said that about needing to find a mare of your own. Good luck living that lie. Shoot, I mean, I'm not blind Big Mac. I saw how you responded when I brushed my mane under your neck, I had to see it to be sure and that's why I did that. You can't hide what you are from me." Big Macintosh rose to his full height at some point. He stomped his front hooves down, reared up, and kicked a tree behind him. Bark splintered, wood cracked and cried out, and the tree moaned as its top came toppling down. The might of the blow forced Delph to take a step back. Big Macintosh said, "If Ah ever see you in my farm again&#151;well Ah'll make what Ah did ta that tree look weak. Ya git outta here, and don't ya dare come back." Delph shook his head. "I'm sorry, not for me, but for you." He turned and broke away at a canter toward the farm's entrance. Big Macintosh did not watch him go, he turned on the tree he decapitated and saw in the ruinous mess of branches and leaves an apple had rolled free. It was a late bloomer, half the size of most apples this time of year. Big Macintosh crushed the pink lady under hoof as he returned to the farmhouse. He did not want to go back to Applejack but he said he would, so he marched to the table and said to city ponies there, "Ah don't want ta hear a word from any of ya the rest of the night. In the barn. Now. Or Ah'll kick your teeth out." Freebird's eyes popped, Fleck flinched, and Brick shrugged. The three of them went to the barn and Big Macintosh said to Applejack, "There. Ah dealt with'em." Big Macintosh didn't wait for Applejack. He began to march over to the other side of Sweet Apple Acres, and maybe when he reached there he'd just march through across the meadows and over hills and maybe into the Everfree Forest and maybe to the other side of the forest and then whatever lied beyond that. He'd just keep walking until his hooves were so sore his body would force him to lie down and maybe then he wouldn't be too inclined to get up. His sister had other plans. "Hold on a sec Big Mac. What's twistin' you're tail? Ya'll can tell me, Ah'm kin." Big Macintosh almost shoved her aside. He whipped his tail and smacked his leg to show his agitation. "Don't turn inta a stupid ole mule, Big Macintosh. Hey ya listenin' ta me? Ah'll tie ya up if Ah have ta." Big Macintosh didn't answer, he kept walking and Applejack followed. She said, "Hey did that stupid stallion say somethin' to ya. Ah knew he was trouble&#151;" Big Macintosh turned on Applejack so fast she fell on her haunches. Big Macintosh said, "Ah'm sorry Applejack but ya don't know nothin' 'bout him so don't ya dare judge someone ya don't know. Yeah he's got me riled up and maybe Ah'll tell ya and maybe Ah won't, but don't ya dare be blamin' him for anything." Applejack eyes went wide. Big Macintosh saw he almost made her cry. All the tension in him collapsed like a house of cards. He said, "Gosh, Ah'm sorry Applejack. Ah'm not sure no more." He turned away. "He said some things and it got me thinkin'. He&#133; he 'cused me of fancyin' other stallions." Applejack shook her head. "That's just silly." Big Macintosh took a deep breath and exhaled. "Eeyup." "Ah mean, gosh how selfish does he think ya are? Sure there are plenty of mares, but only the worst of stallions decide they want nothin' ta do with mares. And there's 'specially not enough good ponies like yourself ta go 'round. And what in tarnation does he think would happen ta the farm? What if ya passed without no kids of your own and the farm passed into the hands of some lousy stallion Ah made the mistake of hitchin' myself to? Why we might just lose the farm. Ah'm not goin' ta say nothin' bad about him, but he's not bein' fair accusin' you of stuff like that." Big Macintosh nodded. "Eeyup." Applejack nuzzled her brother's shoulder. "Hey Big Mac, don't ya worry a lick about what he said. How 'bout the next few days ya take off from the farm? Mosey on into Ponyville and meet a nice mare. That sound fine?" Big Macintosh resolved to prove Delph wrong. He knew none of that was true, he was just out of his senses, too much sun and not enough water. Big Macintosh cracked a smile. "That'd be mighty fine, little sis."

Harp's'ong

46

Apple Bloom,Applejack,Big Macintosh,Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Rarity,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Romance,Slice of Life,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Pink Ladies and Sour Apples

complete

<p>Big Macintosh has been married to the farm his whole life, so it stands to reasoning that he never had time to spare for a mare. But when Applebuck Season arrives and Applejack's friends can't help, the Apple family is faced with a dilemma of deeper concerns. However, when Applejack recruits a few hired hands the answer to both problems appears.</p>

everyone

2011-07-12T06:08:31+00:00

2011-07-12T06:08:31+00:00

"Can Ah interest ya ladies in some apples? Ain't nothin' fresher in town." Big Macintosh smiled and held his head high. He carted in a stall and a haul of recent apples that morning. He figured better to look like a pony with something to do rather than shuffling his hooves around the town. One of the mares giggled. She was a cute little pink thing with a yellow mane. She answered for the set of three. "Certainly, Big Macintosh. Haven't had lunch yet, have we girls?" "Nope," answered one. "How much Big Macintosh?" The red stallion winked and said, "Ah reckon for some pretty mares like ya'll Ah can cut ya a deal. How's 'bout two apple a bit?" The pink mare's blush elated Big Macintosh. He tried with every customer, but never did he get this response. She said, "Just a minute. I don't have anything, how about you Carrot Top?" Big Macintosh said, "Well, Ah won't charge ya a thing for ya company." Carrot Top leaned over and whispered in the pink's ear. She leaned back and said, "We've got somewhere to go. See you later Constelle." Constelle. Big Macintosh reckoned that a pretty name. Things were going great, he smiled at her and nudged one of the small crates filled with apples. He said, "Take your pick, miss Constelle." She scanned the selection. Big Macintosh figured he surely had something worthwhile. Constelle frowned and said, "Do you have any pink ladies? I was hoping for something sweet, most of these are sour." Big Macintosh avoided those apples for a reason. The mention of the apple reminded him of the tree he ruined, of the fruit he crushed. He couldn't speak for a moment, he cleared his throat and said, "Ah'm sorry, but these red delicious are swell and aren't sour. Ah swear by'em." Constelle hesitated, but took the apple. She slipped it into the satchel slung over her side and said, "I'll save it for later. So what brings you out here, Big Macintosh?" Big Macintosh tried to smile again, but it came across too strained. "Mah sis and Ah switched places. Figures we was both gettin' bored with the usual routine." "Oh, well, that's good I suppose." "Eeyup." Constelle smiled and Big Macintosh cleared his throat. He opened his mouth expecting something to be said, but nothing came out. Constelle glanced down the road. Big Macintosh shuffled his hooves and thought to mention how nice the weather was, but it seemed such a silly thing to say when everyone knew it. Maybe if he said it was as pretty as her&#133; "I guess I'll see you around Big Macintosh. And here," Constelle fetched the apple from her satchel, "I'm not much a fan of these either, and I don't think I've paid for it." She set the apple back in the stall. She turned to leave. Big Macintosh's tongue betrayed him again. "Ah reckon Ah'll see ya around, miss?" "Hmm?" she said over her shoulder. "Oh sure, um&#133; see you." Big Macintosh watched her leave, for a moment he forced himself to admire her flank while she trotted away, but all he did was try to make out her cutie mark. "Hey Big Mac, surprised to see you here." Big Macintosh's head darted round to the pony standing to the right of his stall. "Oh, high ya Coconut." Coconut was a brown stallion with a mane a shade darker than the inside of a coconut, he had a palm tree and desert island for a cutie mark. He was smaller than Big Macintosh, but built well enough. Coconut helped with all the plowing during Winter Wrap Ups. "Down cause you couldn't get Constelle? Yeah, she's a nice looking mare. I had a fling with her. Talk about high maintenance." Big Macintosh said, "Suppose Ah'm lucky she walked away then." "Don't look so glum big guy. Hey since you're in town, me and some of the guys later are gonna be playing soccer. Bet you'd make a heck of a kicker, you ever thought of playing? Be good to get your mind off of things." Big Macintosh was inclined to say yes. He liked the idea already, doing something other than standing around. It'd be fun, he hadn't gotten the chance to play any kind of game with some other ponies in a long time. Coconut said, "Hey, how about it?" Big Macintosh nodded. "Ah'd certainly like ta. But Ah'd need ta take care of this here stall first on account that Ah'm the only Apple in town right now." "The field's closer than your farm. If you meet us there with your cart we can have something to eat. Hey, I'll even help you take it back to the farm if you want. I know I won't have anything else to do." Big Macintosh scraped the ground with his front hoof. He didn't mean to. The idea of walking back to the farm with Coconut made him nervous, he didn't know if he could keep up a whole conversation and he didn't want his&#133; well his simpleness scare Coconut off. But he wanted the other pony to tag along, he'd like to talk to somepony for once and forget about all this pressure with mares. "Ah reckon Ah'd appreciate that mightily, Coconut. When's ya'll's game?" "An hour from now. In the south field, right off from Rarity's boutique," Coconut said. He leaned over the stall and brought his head close, making Big Macintosh almost step back. Coconut whispered, "Don't tell anypony this, but some of the guys are wanting to show off." He backed away and said, "See ya in an hour, Big Mac." He trotted away and Big Macintosh smiled. He'd like the chance to stop with all this flirting and just get his hooves dirty and have fun. He watched Coconut leave, and pretty soon he watched him leave the same way he watched Constelle leave. Big Macintosh nickered and spun around. He flared his nostrils and stamped his hooves. Delph's words stung him again and made him want to kick over his stall. He sighed and took a deep breath. He exhaled through his nostrils and when he looked up he noticed Applejack's friend, Twilight Sparkle, returning to her library. Big Macintosh knew her fairly well, she stopped by the farm plenty of times and near as he could tell they got along plenty. Big Macintosh decided there that he'd go and court miss Twilight Sparkle. Well, it wasn't as bad as Princess Celestia letter made her believe. Of course, when the Princess took time out of her busy schedule to let Twilight know her mother was sick it was enough to put her pupil into a panic. Her mind ran wild with all sorts of horrendous diseases she read about. It was nothing of the sort. A fever, a cold, at least she got to see her parents again. She left Fluttershy at the entrance to Ponyville and when she returned to her library she found it prim and proper. Spike rarely disappointed. Twilight shrugged off her saddlebags and hung them on a rack beside the door. She sighed and thought how nice it would be to soak her hooves. She could get Spike to heat the water. She was too tired to try a spell. She called, "Spike. Spike!" No response. Twilight frowned and searched the library. She found Spike curled up in her bed, napping. Twilight saw the bed held appeal. She may just scoot Spike over and take a nap herself. Downstairs she heard a knock on the door. Twilight mumbled, "Can't get a moment to myself." Twilight trotted downstairs and answered the door. Big Macintosh stood on the other side, his bulky, red build covered the doorway. Twilight's mouth hung open for a moment. She shook herself and said, "Why Big Macintosh, I didn't expect you to come here." "Well Miss Twilight Sparkle, Ah was hopin' ta pay a visit and maybe enjoy your company. If'n ya don't mind." Twilight stepped out of the doorway and said, "Uh&#133; yeah, sure I guess. I just got back and I'm a little tired, but any relative of Applejack's is always welcomed." Big Macintosh bowed his head. "Thank ya kindly, ma'am." He ducked under the door and shut it. Twilight said, "Did you need something. A book or scroll perhaps? I suppose Applejack sent you down here to fetch something." "No ma'am, not Applejack. Ah came of mah own accord so Ah might, uh&#133; peruse ya library for a book over farmin' techniques." Twilight frowned. Big Macintosh wouldn't look at her, his eyes scanned over the surrounding bookshelves and refused to come back down. Twilight said, "Well, I know the section on agriculture starts there, by that window. Just let me know if you need any help." Twilight thought about what kind of book she could read while she waited on Big Macintosh. Nothing better to do, once he left she'd put a "close" sign or something on the door. Big Macintosh said, "Ah'd 'preciate it if ya could." "Huh? Oh, help, right. Okay." Both of them approached the agriculture section. Twilight shouldn't use the word section, though, the library had a very exquisite history section, her books on agriculture consisted of two shelves with books shoved together so tight the pages couldn't breathe. No pony ever took them down. Big Macintosh cocked his head and annunciated the titles under his breath. He was a slow reader, but Twilight didn't hold it against him. Other ponies could read for him, he was just a simple work pony. Twilight didn't like the waiting, though. "Hey, Big Macintosh?" "Yes ma'am?" "Well, first, you can just call me Twilight, okay? And can you tell me what book you're looking for so I can help you find it?" "Ah guess somethin' on more recent farmin' styles." "Um, okay. How about this one? Crop Rotations and the Field? Sounds reasonable to start there." "Okay, Ah suppose that's a fine choice. You bein' the librarian and all, figure ya might know what's best." He reached to grab it, but Twilight intervened. "It's okay, Big Mac, I got it." She levitated the book out of the shelf and heard the pages gasp. She set it down on a table in the middle of the room and asked, "Is that going to be all?" "Well, Ah was hopin' maybe we could talk. Heard ya went ta Canterlot for your ma. She okay?" "She's&#133; well?" "That's swell ta hear. Ya gotta keep your family close Twilight, even if ya live far away." "Yeah, I'm sure that's an Apple family motto, huh?" Big Macintosh said, "A beautiful one. Was tellin' Applejack the other day, ya know. 'That keepin' family close is important, Ah like that your friend Twilight does that. Always knew she was a good filly.'" Twilight chuckled and it sounded as strained as her agriculture books were before. "Thanks," she said. She wanted to walk away or shoo him out the door now. She knew what the visit was, and well, bless Big Macintosh's heart, but Twilight wasn't interested in a pony who took so long to read. Big Macintosh swept his head low beside her and said, "Between me and you, she's mighty pretty too." Twilight coughed and looked away. Oh why couldn't Spike be awake? Twilight said, "Why are you doing this?" Big Macintosh took a step back. "Beg your pardon mean, miss Twilight?" Twilight motioned across the library. "All of this. Now I know you didn't come here for a book. And if you wanted to, well flirt or whatever it is your think you're doing, you could just ask me for lunch sometime. And another thing, why are you lying when you call me pretty? You say it but you haven't once more than glanced at me since you got in here." Big Macintosh backed away. He shook his head, "But Ah do find ya pretty miss Twilight." Twilight shook her head. "No, you don't. Maybe you find me pretty in the same way I might say, 'Oh, look at that, Rarity's mane looks pretty today.'" Big Macintosh's shoulders slumped. He pursed his lips and Twilight saw the corners twitch. "Oh no, I'm sorry Big Mac. I don't mean to turn you down, but&#151;look I just got home and I'm tired, okay? That's it, I'm just tired and tomorrow we can try again&#151;" "Nah, nah," Big Macintosh said, "It's true miss Twilight, Ah&#151;Ah don't think your pretty at'all." Twilight became taken aback. "Well, I suppose that's fair." Big Macintosh said, "Nah, Ah didn't mean you're not a nice lookin' filly Twilight, but Ah don't find ya pretty." "What's wrong with that? So you don't like unicorns, that's okay&#151;" Big Macintosh actually sobbed, which alarmed Twilight to the degree of his distress. He mumbled something. Twilight frowned and went to his side. She raised a hoof, hesitated, and slowly put it on his shoulder. Lightly, hardly touching. She whispered, "Umm&#133; is there anything I can do? Is something wrong at home?" Big Macintosh's back legs wobbled and he fell onto his haunches. Twilight gasped and darted a step back. The big red stallion hung his head low, tussles of his orange mane hid his eyes from Twilight, but she saw the hint of a tear there. Big Macintosh began sobbing. The door upstairs opened. Twilight started when she heard, "Hey, someone here?" "Spike!" Twilight hissed and slammed the door in his face. She used magic to lock it and dull sound when he banged on the door. She turned back on Big Macintosh and saw he stopped with his fit. He sat there in the middle of the floor, blank as a piece of furniture. The only décor in the library that Twilight couldn't read. Twilight sighed and tried again. "Big Mac? You okay? Talk to me, I'm not sure anypony's seen you like this before, have they?" Big Macintosh shook his head. He looked at Twilight and asked, "Can ya keep a secret, miss Twilight. Even if it's not right and bad and awful, can ya keep a secret?" Twilight didn't want to keep a secret from anypony after that awful debacle with Fluttershy, Rarity, and Photo Finish, especially one she may have to hide from Applejack. Twilight said, "Yes. For you, of course Big Macintosh. We're friends, aren't we?" "Ah hope so, miss Twilight. Ah hope ya can say that, 'cause ya see, there ain't somethin' right with me. At first Ah thought it was just 'cause Ah worked so hard, Ah didn't have time for fillies or mares or nothin' like that. But, Ah don't think it's that at all." Twilight cringed. A sliver of dread slithered into her stomach and stayed there spinning like a slow rotisserie apple. "The other day, when we was sayin' goodbye ta all the hands we hired on account ya'll all was out of town, one of them told me some things. At first Ah got mad, 'cause he was sayin' Ah was like him when Ah knew Ah wasn't and well now Ah don't know no more&#133;" Big Macintosh stared at Twilight's hooves. He muttered, "But Ah suppose he was right and Ah&#133; Ah guess Ah fancy other stallions and not mares." His shoulders tightened and he finally looked at Twilight. "But Ah don't want ta. Ah've been tryin' somethin' fierce ta meet a mare today. And Ah don't know. Ah screwed up every time and then Ah saw you and Ah thought maybe with somepony Ah know, because Ah don't know very many mares, Ah might have a chance. So Ah came right over, but&#133;" He lost his drive and fell into his little hunch again. He said, "Ya saw right through me, worse than anypony before." Why did it seem a pegasus full of problems always crashed through her door? Twilight couldn't think. All she wanted to do was go to sleep and maybe tomorrow deal with this. Maybe. It should be Applejack's problem, they were siblings, she'd have to understand because of that, right? Twilight said, "I'm not sure what to think of this, Big Mac. It's a lot for me to take in. Now, please don't start crying again, here. I'll go and talk to someponies who can keep a secret and try to figure out something for you to do. Here, you can stay down here until you're ready to leave, okay?" Twilight just wanted to get away. She needed time to think and rest and sleep and then maybe she'd do something. For now, she trotted upstairs and left Big Macintosh down below. She forgot that a grumpy Spike waited on the other side of the door. "I don't see what the big deal is. Now if it was a dragon, then I think it'd be a big deal," Spike said. He paused and blew a green flame across the coals in the basement. Above them he heated a pail of water. Twilight sat in a tub, waiting for the remainder of it to be filled. The basement below had a tap to an aquifer well, having her bath in here made it easier on both Spike and Twilight. And it was well lit by half a dozen lanterns, so neither fretted over the possibility of darkness. Spike turned over some of the coals and then said, "I mean, how many dragons do ya see? Not many at all, we're a dwindling race and that means it means a lot more to us." Twilight sighed. "I know." Spike dipped a finger into the pail and said, "Water feels ready." Twilight levitated the pail over to her tub and gently poured the water. She winced and righted the pail. "Ouch, this is a little hot, don't you think Spike?" Spike shrugged. "Sorry, you know it can be hard for me to tell." "It's okay I suppose. But what should I do with this mess? I mean, he should be talking to Applejack about it, right?" "Maybe that's the problem. Sheesh, how do you think you would feel if you had a sister or brother like that?" "Well I think I'd still love them." Spike sat down on the coals and stretched his tail over them. He said, "Okay, then how about if you were raised like Applejack and the rest of that family." Twilight frowned. "I guess I wouldn't approve much at all. They probably don't think it's natural, and worst of all Big Mac is set to inherit the farm when Granny Smith passes isn't he?" Spike shrugged. "Beats me. I don't know how they do that stuff." "I think so. Gosh that could create all sorts of problems if he didn't have any colts or fillies of his own. I can see why Applejack wouldn't like it and why he's so scared to talk about it." Twilight groaned. "It's still all so bizarre to me, though." Spike said, "Does the library have anything on this kind of junk? You could consult a book or two." "I'm not sure. But when I met Lyra and Bon-Bon I thought they were a sweet couple. So I suppose there isn't anything wrong with it. It's just there's so much at stake." "Meh, you ponies and your drama sometimes&#151;" "Spike!" "Okay, sorry. Look, I know you're not going to listen to me anyway, but my advice is to go tell Applejack. She deserves to know." Twilight frowned. "But Big Macintosh wouldn't like that at all&#133;" "That's the point. Make both of them confront it now, the longer that secret's kept the worse it'll be." "I'll think about it," Twilight said. She poured the remaining water in the pail and sank her neck into the water. "Thank's for doing this on short notice Rarity," Twilight said as she stepped into Rarity's boutique. Rarity smiled. "Why of course darling, no time is too late to see a friend. Isn't that right Fluttershy?" Fluttershy nodded. "Oh yes, we don't mind at all." The boutique was crowded with mannequins, most with some piece of clothing draped over them. They were organized in neat little lines with gaps large enough for a single pony to go about them, they dominated half the room. All of the dresses would be part of the winter line Hoity-Toity showed later this year. Rarity disliked the clutter, especially in front of guest. She tried to cover that section of her boutique with a curtain, but she didn't have one big enough and she simply refused to hang a gaudy hodgepodge of fabric to hide a minor eyesore in her store. Twilight looked well, if a little rushed. Rarity saw her mane just recently dried, and it had a bit of a fluff to it. When she caught sight of a loose hair she had to peel her eyes away before she stopped the purple unicorn and attacked her mane. Rarity focused on her eyes and said, "So what is this about, dear?" Twilight leaned forward. "You two promise you can keep a secret? Like Pinkie Pie swear?" Fluttershy nodded and Rarity said, "Of course." She could see the anxiety bunched between Twilight's shoulders and knew this wasn't a juicy piece of bridle gossip. "Well, Big Macintosh came by the library yesterday, and he, well he sort of broke down in the middle of the floor." "That doesn't seem reasonable at all, whatever for, Twilight?" Rarity asked. "He tried flirting with me. And I was tired and caught off guard and I&#133; sort of freaked out on him. But that's not what made him cry. He said he was just trying to find a mare to flirt with and he thought he knew me pretty well, so he tried with me. But the reason he was trying so hard was because even though he doesn't want to he thinks he likes stallions." Rarity's mouth hung open. Big Macintosh? Great big quiet, simple, Big Macintosh was Ponyville's own stud chaser? Rarity never knew one in person but oh she heard stories of it. Fluttershy said, "Um&#133; I don't think that's&#151;" "Oh Twilight you must bring him here!" Rarity said. "I've been looking for a pony to critique all of these dresses and I could never find someone but if what you say is true then Big Macintosh is the perfect choice. Oh I should've seen it so long ago. He does take much better care of his mane than Applejack does, bet he bathes more too&#151;" "Um&#133; Rarity, I don't think that's the best idea." "But you must!" Rarity said, "I'm sorry to say this Twilight, but I think in this category I'm more knowledgeable than you are when it comes to stud chasers." Twilight frowned. "Promise you'll just try to talk to him?" "Of course. There are a dozen things I must talk to him about." And talk they would, and maybe he could help her with makeovers and pedicures. Of course, with his upbringing he would be woefully insufficient at first, but Rarity knew stud chasers to be quick learners with things only a lady could appreciate. He would be her best friend ever. Maybe he could even become one the girls! Twilight asked, "What do you think, Fluttershy?" "Hmm, oh, well, I guess it's okay. I mean, it's not my place to tell him what's right or wrong." "Of course, it's none of are places. Just send him over to me, Twilight darling and I will straighten this whole mess out before he ever gets the chance to leave." Fluttershy left Rarity's boutique with Twilight. She wished Twilight good night, as the sun was going down, and began her return trip to her cottage. Oh she was so flustered with this. She didn't want to say anything in front of Twilight or Rarity because, well, they seemed not to mind at all, but Fluttershy didn't approve. Of course, she didn't want to be mean or judgmental, but she didn't like it. A part of the problem was she had sort of a crush on Big Macintosh. Well, maybe not a crush, but she really liked the idea of being with him, if she ever worked up the courage to ask. He was strong, gentle, and nice and Fluttershy thought she could enjoy farm life and all the cute little animals there. She wouldn't mind it at all really, in fact it seemed they were meant for each other. Fluttershy's head hung low. She didn't like this one bit. It was a pony's choice, and Big Macintosh was probably just confused about everything. She bet if she talked to him about it she could sort things out, she'd like to do that, but she couldn't. She just, she'd get too nervous. What if Big Macintosh asked her what she felt about him afterwards? Oh she would just be so embarrassed! Still, she was very flustered. "Hey Fluttershy!" Fluttershy squeaked and almost fell on her face. Pinkie Pie bounced beside her and smiled. "Oh, good evening Pinkie Pie." "It sure is. Hey didja know how good the evening's been for me? So good. I sold so many cupcakes today. I'm glad I talked with Rainbow Dash about making that rainbow flavor. It's so yummy. You want to try it some time? You should, it's delicious." "Oh, no thank you, Pinkie Pie. I'm in no mood for sweets, if that's okay with you." "Okie dokie loki, Fluttershy. Hey have you noticed you look down? Why is that? Is it something bad, if it is we could throw a party to make things better." "I don't think a party would help," Fluttershy shook her head. "I'm just not feeling too good, is all." Pinkie Pie bounced around her friend. Fluttershy tried to ignore her but couldn't. Pinkie Pie said, "That's no good, you should try something sweet then. That makes me feel better when I'm not feeling good." "Thank you, but I just don't have an appetite. Twilight told me something that just makes me feel awful." Pinkie Pie gasped and froze in front of Fluttershy. She spun around and said, "What? Is it a secret? Can you tell me?" "Um&#133; yes. I think. You're really good at keeping secrets, so I suppose it's okay to tell you. If you just keep it between the girls." Pinkie Pie nodded furiously. "Cross my heart, hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." Fluttershy scanned the road for anyponies. Then she leaned in and whispered while glancing behind her, "I'm just so flustered with this, because I'm not sure what to do, but Twilight told me that Big Macintosh told her that he liked boy ponies. And I know it's not any of my business, but I'm not sure I agree with it&#151;" "But that's so weird! How can he like other stallions?" Pinkie Pie exclaimed. She slapped a hoof over her mouth, knelt down to Fluttershy's level and whispered, "Sorry. I don't think anyone heard. But how can he be like that? It's so weird, I mean, I've never heard of a pony being like that, least not a boy pony. What should we do?" Fluttershy shrugged her wings. "Well&#133; I'm not sure how he feels about it&#133; but how about a party? I mean it's so weird and new that it should be celebrated shouldn't it? I could ask Applejack tomorrow when the Cakes get home. Oh maybe we could hold a parade instead, haven't done one of those in a long time. I'll need to get my accordion, though&#133; Fluttershy said, "Well, if you want you can, but I don't think he'd like it." "But everypony likes a good party." "I guess they do, but maybe&#133;" "That's that then. Tomorrow I'll talk to Applejack and that night the barn will be party central." Fluttershy frowned but said as Pinkie Pie bounced back to Sugar Cube Corner. "Goodnight, Pinkie." "Oh, goodnight Fluttershy. Hope the parasprites don't bite!" Fluttershy hoped there weren't any parasprites! Oh, now she would check every nook and cranny for one of the adorable creatures when she got home. But it wasn't those things that scared her, she couldn't remember if Twilight said if Applejack knew or not. But if she didn't and Fluttershy told her, oh she would be so mad. But they were brother and sister, so she had to know. Yes, Fluttershy was sure they wouldn't hide anything like that. Big Macintosh hesitated on Rarity's doorstep. Twilight dropped by earlier that morning and told him Rarity would be able to help him. She said Rarity knew a lot more about his problem than he did, said she could help out a whole lot if he stopped by her boutique. Big Macintosh sighed and knocked the door with his hoof. The top half swung open and on the other side the marshmallow, purple maned pony squealed. She opened the bottom half of the door and said, "Oh it's so good to see you Big Macintosh. I've been waiting all day darling, please come in side." Big Macintosh strode through the doorway and said, "Morning miss Rarity. Ah came by on account&#151;" "Oh I know why you're here darling, but I simply can't believe you came here like this. I'll just have to throw everything aside this afternoon, both of us could use a good day at the spa." "Umm&#133; beggin' your pardon miss Rarity?" "Oh don't worry about it now. Come in." Her horn glowed, and across the room several mannequins floated to the pair. She said, "I've been busy you know, I'm sure. All week working on a line of new dresses and I was wondering if you might want to look at them?" Big Macintosh asked. "Are ya sure this is why Ah'm here?" "Of course, now tell me what you think of this one, hmm?" She levitated one of the mannequins closer and said, "I'm a little worried that this violet might be a shade too dark for the hem and&#151;" "They all seem a bit fru-fru ta me," Big Macintosh said, "Beggin' your pardon if'n that's not whatcha wanted ta hear miss Rarity, but Ah reckon Ah'm not the sharpest when it comes ta judgin' this kinda stuff." Rarity said, "Oh&#133;" "Ah think the colors on it look mighty fine, though," Big Macintosh added when he saw his host's distress. "Thank you Big Macintosh. Perhaps we can just look at the colors then? I would so love for your thoughts, and later we can still go to the spa. I'd love to see what you'd like if they got you prim and proper, you'd have other stud chasers drooling over you." Big Macintosh flinched at the thought. Rarity was already swapping out the mannequins. He nickered and said, "Ah think both of us got ta expectin' too much from the other." "Whatever do you mean dear?" Rarity said when she set the mannequin down. "Ah came here 'cause miss Twilight said ya could help me with mah problem." "What problem? Oh you don't think&#151;" Rarity covered her mouth to hide her gasp. She went to Big Macintosh's side and said, "Why Macintosh, darling, whyever would you think you have a problem? You are a fine stallion and anypony who says otherwise is, well, they aren't pretty. And I know who's pretty and who's not, and you are pretty&#151;once we get you cleaned up of course." Big Macintosh sighed. "Thank ya kindly ma'am, s'pose Ah still have ta figure things out." He headed for the door. "Just follow your sister's advice darling. Be who you are without any shame, it's beautiful you know. And when you're ready, let me know when you want to go to the spa. A pedicure would both do us some wonders." Big Macintosh coughed. He quickened his pace and tried to ignore the oblivious pony's goodbyes. Big Macintosh didn't care if Celestia said it was the only natural thing he could do now that he knew what he was, he wouldn't be seen nowhere near no spa. Thank goodness the Cakes came home early. Well, not thank goodness for them because they complained a lot and didn't even tell Pinkie what a good job she did with her rainbow cupcakes, all they could keep talking about were pumpkin recipes. Chitter-chatter nicker-nacker, pumpkin pies and cakes and all sorts of things. Sometimes she thought the couple talked too much. But thank goodness. She wanted to throw Big Macintosh the biggest party ever tonight. She'd invite everypony she could, maybe even put a bulletin out in Equestria Daily so that every pony would be invited. She had the bits to, but maybe if she did she wouldn't be able to afford enough balloons or streamers or candy or punch or&#151; She needed to see Applejack. That's why she bounced up the trail to Sweet Apple Acres farmhouse, because Applejack probably knew Big Macintosh better than anything, aside from maybe the apple trees, she was sure the apple trees knew a lot about Big Macintosh too. Pinkie Pie found Applejack hauling apples out of her cellar. She bounced to the pony and said, "Applejack. Oh Applejack. I need to ask you questions, bunches of questions, bushels maybe." Applejack noticed her. She flared her nostrils and set down the bucket she held in her mouth. She said, "Ah reckon Ah might have just a few minutes ta spare sugar cube. Watcha need? A pie or somethin'?" Pinke Pie shook her head. "Oh no, no, no, no! Unless you're offering because I could have ten if you're offering." "Sorry, it'd have ta cost ya. Even if we're friends." "Well that's okay, I might buy some anyway. I want to throw Big Macintosh a party. Like a great big party with great big games and dances and sweets." Applejack said, "Pinkie, Big Macintosh ain't a partyin' pony." Her brows furrowed. "And why would'ja wanna throw him a party now? Ain't nobody's want ta throw him a party before, exceptin' his kin." "Well, because&#151;" Pinkie's tongue tripped all over itself. She didn't know what to say. So she bounced up and down and said, "You know, silly!" "No, Ah don't." Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing. She rubbed her chin for a minute, then said, "Oh, I see. It's a secret. But Fluttershy told me. And she said to keep it between us girls." "And what in tarnation did Fluttershy tell ya?" Applejack demanded. "Our secret silly. You know&#151;" Pinkie Pie snuck a few furtive glances around and leaned in close, she whispered, "That your brother likes colts." Pinkie Pie stepped back and beamed. "Pinkie Pie, darlin', who told Fluttershy somethin' awful like that?" Pinkie Pie thought on it for a minute. "Well I suppose Twilight did, I think Big Macintosh told her he did or something. But isn't it neat? I want to hold a party because it's so new and bizarre and you gotta celebrate new things, right?" Applejack knelt back down to grab her bucket and said, "Go home. We won't be throwin' no parties this time." Pinkie Pie said, "No party? But you gotta throw a party&#151;" Applejack shot up and pressed her face into the pink pony's. She kicked the bucket and it sailed through the air, over the cellar door and banging into the barn. "Ah said go home Pinkie Pie, or Ah'll string ya up and dump ya on Sugar Cube corner mahself." Pinkie Pie shrunk away. "Oh, I'm sorry, Applejack. Maybe I can come by later, okay?" "Ah'm not in the mood. When Ah'm ready ta see ya Ah will." Pinkie Pie's bouncy mane popped like a balloon. "Oh&#133; okay&#133;" the pink pony slinked away, her mane and tail drooping around her. Big Macintosh barely caught the pink pony as she left. He stopped and as she passed asked, "Somethin' wrong, miss Pinkie Pie?" Pinkie Pie shook her head and said, "No, I'm sorry to bug you." Big Macintosh shook his head, "Nonsense." She didn't answer, Big Macintosh called out before she went out of earshot, "Ah hope ya have a nice day." Big Macintosh frowned. He almost pursued her, but he supposed whatever problem plagued her was something he could do nothing about. He had things he needed to solve on his own. He tried while in Ponyville again, to admire mares and flirt, but every time he came up short. He figured he couldn't do nothing about his attraction, so he just needed to fool himself into thinking otherwise. Maybe get a mare who looked like a stallion, that could help. He'd try anything at this point. Applejack paced in front of the barn. Enough thoughts ran wild in her head, but she couldn't wrangle in a single one. She wanted to march right over to Fluttershy's and follow this wicked grapevine right to the source. Her brother'd been so distant to her lately, and Applejack didn't think this was why. She didn't want to believe it, even if that big red goofball said it himself. He wouldn't be so selfish, Applejack knew him. He didn't have to like stallions anymore than a mare had to like a mare. Big Macintosh saw her before Applejack saw him. Applejack had been looking at the ground and been in such a fierce concentration she didn't even hear her brother coming. He said, "Ah saw your friend leavin' the farm. She seemed mighty upset." Applejack faced her brother and said, "She said somethin' Ah just couldn't believe. Ah need ta say Ah'm sorry later&#151;but, big brother, did ya know they're spreadin' rumors 'bout ya in Ponyville?" Her brother's shoulders stiffened. His eyes went wide and he hid his apprehension about as well as rabbit caught in the act of stealing food. "Ah&#151;Ah can't believe anypony would do such a thing." Applejack saw it there, and her stew of rage was diluted with something black that weighed her down between her stomach and ribs. She said, "Ah know. 'Specially Twilight, she was tellin' the girls ya told her ya fancied colts and stallions and whatnot." Applejack saw the knot swell in Big Macintosh's throat. His tail whipped behind him, like it swiped at an annoying fly. "But somethin' like that never'd be true. Would it, Big Mac?" "Um&#133; well&#151;" Applejack flared her nostrils. Big Macintosh shook his head. "It's not true, sis. Ah swear Ah'd never do nothin' like that to ya'll. Ah'm not goin' ta put the farm or family at risk, Ah'd never&#151;" "Ya might as well be tryin' ta lie ta the trees, 'cause there's not a soul who believes ya." Applejack took a few steps to Big Macintosh and demanded, "How could ya even think ta do that? It's not fair ta no pony." "And ah told ya Ah'm not. Look, maybe Ah'm a bit inclined ta stallions, but Ah swear&#151;" "You're either one way or you're not Big Mac, now which way are ya?" "Ah want ta be with a mare, sis. A nice pretty one who can 'preciate rearin' colts and fillies and apples. Ah want ta. Ah want ta so bad and Ah've been tryin' mah hardest. Ah've never once wanted what you're suggestin' and we both know what they said ain't true. Maybe Ah can only like stallions, but Ah know Ah can still love a mare with mah children and Ah'm goin' ta try mah hardest." Applejack felt a tug on her hooves to leave now. To end it there, leave barrel half-filled to make sure all those sweet apples didn't get covered with the sour ones. But it wasn't her, it wasn't her to close up her feelings like a keg of apple cider and pretend nothing ever happened. Neither pony looked at each other when Applejack said, "Ah want ta believe that. Big Mac&#133; gosh Ah want ta believe that more'n Ah believe in this farm, but you're not bein' honest with yourself. Your whole life's passed ya by and we all thought it was the workin' that kept ya from findin' someone or tryin' ta, but how in the hay are you goin' ta keep at it now? And forget about lyin' ta some mare, forget about lyin' ta your own little foals 'bout whatcha are. Can ya imagine it? Ah can't do it, Big Mac. Ah can't let ya do it. If'n ya can't like a mare, ya shouldn't try at all. Ya can't love what ya don't like, big brother." "But Ah can, sis. Ah can. Ah just need ta find the right mare&#151;" "But ya just said otherwise, didn't ya? It's gettin' to the point ya can't keep track of whatcha sayin' and Ah don't want ya lyin' head over hooves ta make me happy, Big Macintosh. Ah got a belly full of stones and a head full of moldy hay. Ah won't&#151;just please, leave me alone for a bit. Ah'm goin' ta head inta town and see if Ah can make up for the things Ah said ta Pinkie Pie. Poor girl didn't deserve the tongue lashin' Ah gave her." Big Macintosh didn't mutter or mumble another word. Applejack glanced at him once when she passed him. She saw him choke back a sob, and then she was beyond him, walking to Ponyville at a nice slow stride. She wouldn't stop until she reached Pinkie's. She'd apologize deeply, then maybe go to Twilight's to talk about her brother. She reckoned she didn't want to go back to the farm 'til the sun came down. Big Macintosh started moving his hooves again. For a second time he wanted to keep walking. He wanted to walk across the whole of Equestria and follow the sun and maybe when it got so hot it burnt him he might feel something again. He wished Applejack would've kicked him in the teeth or strung him up from the barn or something. Anything other than what she said. She thought Big Macintosh decided this? Gosh. The big red stallion didn't decide nothing, he never once not thought about having a set of his own fillies and colts running around the farm. How could he decide to not want that when he wanted it since they started caring for little Applebloom? Big Macintosh also wanted a nice mare to share his long days with, watch the sun set from the rise Applejack and Big Macintosh always used to look over the farm. He wanted to go up there and talk about his future, their future. He wanted&#133; he wanted&#133; He wanted so many things he no longer wanted anything but to punish himself. Applejack didn't deserve a brother so selfish, and what about poor little Applebloom? She could never know a thing. As far Big Macintosh was concerned there was nothing to know. Big Macintosh reached the fence of their property and bounced back to the farm house. He expected he'd be walking for a while before he got tired. That was okay. Big Macintosh reckoned he had a lot to mull over. He'd make it up to Applejack is what he would do. He'd try his hoof at every mare in Ponyville and then move on to other cities. Shucks, if he needed to he'd find a way into Cloudsdale and try every mare there. He wouldn't ever disappoint his sister like that again. He couldn't bear it, right now he wanted to run himself off a cliff and he was mighty sure if he ever saw Applejack like that again that he'd go and do it. He heard a giggle and stopped. He almost passed through the pink ladies, and in front of him a few pony-lengths away was Applebloom and her two friends in a tangle. They were playing tag. Scootaloo was it. She chased the other two ponies to the other side of the orchard when Sweetie Belle tripped, but Scootaloo hopped right over her and with the help of her wings dove right on top of Applebloom. The girls became a rolling, squealing mass of joy and fun no pony but filly or colt could understand. Sweetie Bell joined them when she got up. Big Macintosh noticed she got her cutie mark too, sometime while Rarity had her at the shop, but the mark had nothing to do with dressmaking. Applebloom's lone blank flank reminded Big Macintosh of the pony who put this storm cloud over his head. Big Macintosh noticed the tree he kicked over. He nickered when he saw the rotted remains of the pink lady he smashed. Big Macintosh decided then and there what he'd do. He'd go to the pony that caused all his woes and make him settle things for him and once and for all everything would be right in Equestria again. Big Macintosh left a note in his room. He didn't want Applejack to think he abandoned them. He only wanted to be gone a day, but he brought all the bits they planned to pay Delph with, so he managed. Fillydelphia made him plain uncomfortable. All the crowding and grey skies, it didn't seem like anypony would like to live there. But he didn't need to endure it for more than two days before he found a lead on the blue stallion. Turned out the city's blank flank had a streak with the notorious. Big Macintosh stood outside a fancy restaurant called The Haymaker's Paradise. Big Macintosh stepped inside and thanked the doorpony, who seemed to look at him funny for the thank you. At the door was a pedestal and spread out every which way were tables with fine looking red fabric spread over them. Candles on each table made the only light and got the whole room darker. At all the tables sat ponies chatting in low voices with their manes done nice and with formal wear Big Macintosh only ever saw the night of last year's Grand Galloping Galla. The unicorn at the pedestal asked, "Your reservation, sir?" Big Macintosh's blinked. He faced the pony and asked, "Beggin' your pardon, ma'am, but Ah don't believe Ah heard ya." The mare told him, "You need a reservation for a table, sir." Big Macintosh said, "Oh, Ah'm sorry ma'am. Ah just wanted ta see about talkin' ta one of your waiters. Ah heard he worked here. His name's Delph." "The blank flank? He's on break in the back. Go get him if you want. Kitchen's that way." She pointed down an aisle of tables where a pair of black doors waited on the opposite wall. "Uh, thank ya ma'am." Big Macintosh set his eyes right on those doors and marched to them. He heard ponies go quiet while he passed by and he felt their stares on him. He knew he looked out of place, but he came all this way. Still, when he reached the door he hesitated. He pushed his way inside and contrast struck him. The kitchen was brightly lit, and all sorts of metal shelves and pans and instruments gleamed. Ponies yelled at each other and pots and pans banged together and Big Macintosh felt like couldn't find anypony in this mess when he heard, "Big Macintosh?" Big Macintosh turned from the sprawl of the kitchen and there on his right near a door with an exit sign underneath stood Delph. The stallion approached him and asked, "What in Celestia's sun are you doing here?" "Ah came lookin' for ya. Can we talk somewhere, please? Ah don't like all this noise." "Sure, let's go outside," Delph said. Big Macintosh followed him out the door to a filthy alley. There was a trashcan opposite the door leaning against a fence and it overflowed with all sorts of nasty things. Big Macintosh never seen so much food wasted. Delph said, "This is the best I can do right now, so I apologize for it. But what happened to you? You wouldn't be here if it wasn't something bad." Big Macintosh was so relieved to see a familiar face that he forgot to be angry for a moment. Instead he said, "Mah sister found out about me and&#151;no. She accused me of bein' like you and ever since ya said somethin' Ah thought the same but Ah know it ain't true&#151;" "Whoa, stop right there. Who do you think you are blaming me for this? You know, I was kind've happy when I saw you. After it's not been that long at all&#151;shoot I guess for a wild second you convinced your sister to let me stay there." "Ya thought wrong. Ah came for answers." "Answers about what?" Delph demanded. "Am I the guru to stud chasers to you? Is that it?" "Nah, but who else ya expectin' me ta come to for answers. There's not a pony in Ponyville who understands. They all thinkin' this is what Ah want and it's not&#151;" "Have you even tried for a second to see if it was?" Big Macintosh froze. He snorted and stamped a hoof. "Ah know what Ah want, and that's not it." Delph stepped forward and his face came a hoof's span from Big Macintosh's nose. He said, "Why not? You afraid of not having a partner? That's stupid. You want a filly or something else stupid like that? Drop by the orphanage on your way back. I can say from experience that this city has a dozen of them." "It's not natural, and an orphan ain't your kin. They didn't come from your tree so&#151;" "But they'd try a whole heck a lot harder to be a part of your family than anyone else," Delph said. "Just admit you're afraid of being what you are. That's why you hesitate. But you're a catch, you're just the stupidest, sweetest pony I've ever met. I know you have a sour apple as your cutie mark, but you're a pink lady sure as can be. And you have no idea how much I envy that." Big Macintosh felt bile rise in his throat and a flush of another emotion. He stepped back, turned away and tried hard to understand his own thoughts. He never felt so embarrassed in his life, he wanted to hide in the hay at the barn back home and just stay there until he forgot what Delph just said. But he didn't think he could, ain't no pony ever said something close to that to him before. He felt Delph watching him. The pony said, "You can't just keep pretending that you aren't what you are. I've seen ponies do it, and it's something awful. Heck, I'm not proud of it, but I tried it once. And for a month I was almost normal, and then she found out and&#133; well there's a reason I have reputation in this city." "Ah never want any of this. Ah wish mah sister didn't let ya come ta the farm." "At least you know now it's not that farm keeping you alone. It's yourself, Big Macintosh. I know it's hard to hear that, but you can move on. How about you go home, back to your family? With what you told me I can't imagine them not accepting you." The red stallion shook his head. "Ah don't know if Ah can." "You told me you couldn't imagine not having a family. Go home, and apologize for being stupid enough for coming here, but don't apologize for what you are." Delph stepped beside him and nuzzled his cheek. "There's a gate on the fence. The alley beyond leads down to Pony Press Road, you can follow the signs back to the train station." Big Macintosh felt he should say something. A weak, a very weak part of him wanted to step away and still tell Delph, "This was just a waste of mah time." But when he opened his mouth all that came out was, "Thank ya, kindly." Big Macintosh refused to look at him. The smaller pony stood so close Big Macintosh could feel his shadow falling all over him. The blue pony told him, "If you find somepony don't wait on me. But maybe, someday, I may come back to Ponyville again." Delph stepped away, and then walked back inside. Big Macintosh noticed something jump out on his blank blue hide. It was small, but it was there nonetheless, and reminded Big Macintosh of so many days ago. Delph might be right about something Big Macintosh never thought about, that the orphan tried harder to be closer to the tree. And so, the pink lady cutie mark was the last thing he saw of Delph, before Big Macintosh turned and went home.

Xort

48

Slice of Life

300 Words

incomplete

<p>Back when Equestria Daily hosted the 300 word fic challenge, I had a lot of fun writing mine, even if I missed the deadline to submit it. Having to try and fit an entire story in only 300 words was challenging and enjoyable, so I decided to do it with everypony.<br /><br />This is a collection of 300 word drabbles, each centered around a different character. For the most part, they will be utterly unrelated, but I might occasionally make an exception.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T22:38:51+00:00

"Mommy? Are we there yet?" The energetic foal could hardly contain himself, almost a blur of light blue as he tore in circles around the interior of the carriage. His mother laughed gently, holding a hoof in front of him to bring him to a halt.       "Calm down, Spark. We're almost there." Failing to placate her young one, Trixie sighed as she thought back to that day. Things had been almost polar opposites back then; she had been the famous one, the "Great and Powerful Trixie," and Twilight Sparkle had just been another face in the crowd. Now things were reversed. Most everypony in Equestria knew who Twilight Sparkle was, and hardly anypony remembered Trixie as anything more than a crackpot street performer.       Suddenly, the carriage shuddered to a halt, and the pony pulling shouted, "We're here!" Spark jetted from the carriage, followed by Trixie. She stopped a moment to unhitch the pony from the front of the carriage, then they gathered Spark and approached the library they had travelled all this way to visit. Raising a hoof, Trixie knocked.       "Hello?" A familiar face peeked out of the open door to greet them: light purple coat, dark purple and pink mane. No doubt about it, this was…       "Twilight? I'm not sure if you remember me. It's Trixie." Recognition dawned on the purple unicorn's face, followed by a subtle uneasiness. She had obviously not forgotten Trixie's past behavior.       "I know we had our differences in the past, but I want to move past all that. What you did back then was so amazing, it made me realize how hollow my life really was. I turned myself around, though. This is my husband, Patch, and my son. We named him Spark, after you. Can we come in?"       Twilight smiled. "Sure, I suppose."       ---       A/N: Bam. Not counting this note, exactly 300 words of Trixie goodness. I wrote this for Equestria Daily's 300 word challenge, and although I was a bit frustrated at not being able to put everything I wanted into it, I rather had fun trying to communicate the message in fewer words than normal. Unfortunately, I missed the deadline to send it in. Oh well. As always, tell me what you think.

CloppyBoppy

49

Main 6,Rarity,Spike,Dark,Horror,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Rarity's New Dress

complete

<p>This is what happens when Rarity become a psychopath. Enjoy.</p><p>Edit (4/18/2016): This is trash. I wouldn't recommend reading it. </p><p>Recommended: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdg1Z0VD3go" rel="nofollow">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tdg1Z0VD3go</a></p>

mature

2016-04-18T09:50:51+00:00

2016-04-18T09:50:51+00:00

One thing I just wanna say is that I am not the original writer of this story. I also don't know why I am reposting this. Also I have made edits to about 4 different parts of the story. But it is still all the same story as before. So all credit goes to the original writer of this horrible fanfiction. Enjoy. -- Rarity's New Dress It was a quiet day in Ponyville. Everypony was relaxing and enjoying the nice weather. The Pegasus ponies have cleared every single cloud in the sky, the young fillies were playing in the streets, and the mares were strolling along through the park. Everypony was taking the day off. There was one pony though, diligently working. It was Rarity, who had spent the entire day in her shop, the Carousel Boutique. Nopony really noticed where she was. The issue hasn't been brought up until her best friend Fluttershy became worried. Fluttershy decided to enter her store and see what was up. When she entered the shop, she found piles of poorly made dresses scattered across the floor, and Rarity working hard at her sewing machine. Fluttershy approach her and said "Hey Rarity! You wanna come out and play? It's a really nice day. We can hang out together, if that's okay." At first Rarity did not respond, and Fluttershy began to back away from her, suddenly she turned around. She looked horrible, she was exhausted, unkempt, and her mane was dirty. This was unusual of Rarity sense she always cared about having a perfect appearance. "Fluttershy, I have a lot of work to do. I have to make a new unique dress by the end of the day, and I can't have anypony bothering me." Fluttershy responded awkwardly. "Okay Rarity… I'm sorry… I'll let you go ba… Get back to your work." Fluttershy started to leave the shop when suddenly Rarity stopped her. "Fluttershy, I have an idea. Maybe you can help me with my dresses." She said in a menacingly tone. Fluttershy responded "What would you like me to do? I don't know anything about dress making at all." "I need "models" for my dresses. I want you to go look for a model." "So you want me to find somepony that will model your dresses?" Fluttershy said. "Yes, bring me… Applejack! She'll make a model." Fluttershy responded "Okay, I'll go get Applejack. I'll get her over here as soon as I can." "Excellent!" Rarity said. "Now go!" Fluttershy left the boutique and headed towards Sweet Apple Acres. About an hour later, Fluttershy returned with Applejack. They entered the store and found Rarity waiting there patiently. She looked excited. "AH! Prefect!" She said. "Now Applejack, would you please follow me to the basement." Fluttershy and Applejack both looked at each other and responded "The basement?" "Yes the basement. Now Applejack, please follow me." Hesitant, Applejack followed her down stairs. No pony has ever seen a basement before, except for Rarity. Right before she opened the basement door, Rarity said "Fluttershy, where gonna be working for a couple hours. I suggest you find something to do. You will be needed later though." Fluttershy responded "Okay Rarity, whatever you say, I'll do it." Fluttershy left the shop and went back to her house. Fluttershy returned a couple hours later. When she entered the shop, she heard what sounded like a sink running from the basement. The water suddenly stopped and Rarity emerged from the basement. "Where's Applejack?" Fluttershy asked. "Oh she's fine! She's just finishing up downstairs." "Okay, so what do you want me to do now?" Fluttershy responded. "I need you to bring more friends. I need them to be models as well." "Why would you need more than one model?" Fluttershy said curiously. "JUST DO IT!" Rarity barked angrily. "Oh, Okay… Okay… Sorry for asking. Fluttershy left the shop. Several hours later, Fluttershy brought Rainbow dash, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight to Rarity. Rarity had instructed then to do the same as Applejack. Each of them was told to head down stairs while Fluttershy waited outside. When Rarity finally came out of the basement she said "Fluttershy, my master piece is almost complete." "That's great! Do you need me to do anything else?" "Yes, there is one more thing. I need you to come down stairs and critique my work." "Whatever you say." Fluttershy responded. Rarity ushered Fluttershy down stairs and locked the door behind them. The basement was dark, and musty. It had an odd stench. It was unlike the rest of the shop. For a moment Fluttershy thought Rarity had left her until suddenly something struck her in the back of the head. Fluttershy woke up, her head hurt, and there was blood dripping down her mane. She found herself unable to move. "Just a bit tighter and… Perfect!" "Rarity, what are you doing!" "Making a magnificent dress of course!" Rarity sits excitedly. Fluttershy looked around the room. The room was dimly lit. There was a table of a bunch of bloody surgical tools scattered across it. Suddenly she saw something odd. "Rainbow? Twilight?" She a bathtub and what looked like four ponies piled up on top of each other. They were skinned clean, they had their hooves chopped off, and their eyes removed from their sockets. They were missing most, if not all of their teeth. The bathtub was filled with blood and water. "Rarity! How could you! WHY!" She started to sob. "It's the perfect idea! I can use my friends to make the perfect dress!" Rarity then grabbed Fluttershy's head and directed it to the right side of the basement. "See?" There was a sloppily, resting on a manikin. It was poorly stitched and oddly colored. It had blue wings, orange hooves, a purple mane, and a pink rump. "All we need now is a cutie mark." Rarity said excitedly. "That isn't a dress! Those were our friends you monster!" Fluttershy couldn't control herself. "YOU MONSTER!" She started to cry uncontrollability. "Now, now. We can't have all that noise." Rarity went over to the table and took a bloody cloth. She tied it around Fluttershy's mouth while she struggled. "There all better. Now let's begin." Rarity took a scalpel off the table and started to make an incision on Fluttershy's flank. Streams of blood poured out of Fluttershy's flank. She started to kick and budged around widely. This started to annoy Rarity. "Oh will you stop." She said playfully. Rarity went over to her table and found a sledgehammer. "This will do the trick!" With the hammer, Rarity smashed both of Fluttershy's legs. She screamed and cried as the blood trickled down her hooves. "Oh, and what are we gonna do about those wings?" She picked up a saw. "Rainbow Dash sure did a number on my saw. She was a fighter. It's always the Pegasus ponies that struggle with me the most." Rarity begins to force the saw through Fluttershy's wings. At this point Fluttershy began to past out. Her muffle screams have gone quieter and quieter. Rarity noticed she was fating. When she finished removing her wings, Rarity took the scalpel and inserted it into Fluttershy's eyes. Fluttershy was mumbling, and could no longer speak clearly. "Daawww. You don't look to good Fluttershy. You should see yourself right now." Rarity picked up a mirror Fluttershy gazed into the mirror. She saw what was left of her. Her legs were broken, hooves bleeding, she had no eye lids or wings, and her flank was completely removed. "Now what should I do with you?" suddenly Rarity said "IIDEEAA!" In excitement. "I can use the rest, with your fur, to make more beautiful dresses." Rarity then picked up the scalpel. She looked at the scalpel in disappointment. "Oh this will take too long… I need something sharper." Rarity looked around for a bigger knife but failed to find one. "Maybe I have one up stairs." She rushed up stairs leaving Fluttershy alone in the basement. Fluttershy was finally alone. Away from the psychopath that her friend had become. She could barely breath, she was losing blood fast, she started to cough up blood, and puke. Suddenly she heard something enter the shop from up stairs. "Twilight!" It yelled for. "Applejack! Pinkie Pie!" At this moment Fluttershy could recognize the voice as Spike. Fluttershy tried to think of a way to get his attention to the basement. They only thing Fluttershy could move was her head. So she tried to slam her head against the table her body was laid on. It forced more blood out of her, but it worked. Spike heard the noise from the basement and headed to the door. "Anypony?" He started to walk down stairs, and began to notice the gruesome events that have happened. He saw the four dead ponies in the tub, the poorly stitched together dress, and the barely alive Fluttershy on the table. "Fluttershy?" He said in worry. "Who did this!" Spike removed the bloody cloth from Fluttershy's mouth. Fluttershy softly " Rar… Rar…" She puked again all over herself. "Who?" At that moment Rarity reentered the basement with her long rusty knife. "Oh , Spike its soo nice to see you!" Rarity tried to think of an idea to get rid of Spike. She dropped the knife. Suddenly she continued her sentence. "OOOHH Spike! OOOHH Spike!" In an orgasmic tone. She approached and began to smother him. She started to make out with him. Spike, knowing there was something clearly bad going on, ignored it. He gave into Rarity's advance. He let Rarity feel up his scales. Spike had an orgasm. He couldn't control himself. Rarity decided to go all the way. "OOH Spike! I love you! Fuck me right here on top of Fluttershy!" Spike agreed. They both got on top of Fluttershy who was still alive and had hot torrid sex. Rarity took Spike's tail and stuck it in her clit, pleasuring herself. "OOOHH yes! OOOHH yes!" Spike ejaculated. Some of it got on Rarity and of it got in Fluttershy's mouth. Rarity liked the sperm off her and went in Fluttershy's mouth. Rarity enjoyed the sticky substance, but puked while licking it from Fluttershy's mouth. Satisfied, Rarity had and orgasm. When they finished Rarity said " How about we do that again? But this time in my room." Spike willingly agreed. They headed upstairs. They didn't notice that Fluttershy was choking on Rarity's puke. She couldn't even breathe due to the brutal combination of blood, puke, and sperm In her mouth. With no hope of escape. Fluttershy took that last painful breath and died.

Mike

50

Adventure,Comedy,Random

The Symbiote

incomplete

<p>A pet project I took up sometime in February 2011. I was in the heat of 11th grade with all honors and AP classes, and I still managed to have some free time, so I assumed that during the summer I would have plenty of time to write this. Turns out that some AP classes give out summer homework&#8230; LOTS of it. Then there are other reasons I&#39;m sure the brony community would understand If I were to post them, but for now I&#39;ll keep those to myself. I&#39;ll get this done some time late in the summer when I may have more free time. In the meantime, have the intro parts. They&#39;re kind of cliffhanger-y, but that&#39;s what I was going for at the time. <br /><br />TL:DR IF YOU DON&#39;T LIKE UNCONCLUDED STORIES DON&#39;T READ THIS YET. I&#39;m just putting it up at the moment to help test the site.<br /><br /> &#8230;I really hope we can change these descriptions after the fact.</p>

everyone

2011-11-08T00:38:10+00:00

The Symbiote, Chapter 1; Beginning at the middle by Mike It was the same sort of day that Canterlot had seen for the last thousand years. As usual, there was not much wildlife to be found; the city protruded precariously from the sheer face of a mountain after all - generally only the ponies had any desire to reach it. Still, it was warm and sunny, and birds could be heard chirping off in the distance somewhere out of view. On most of the level ground left unoccupied by buildings there was a crowded, colorful open-air market where one could purchase anything from apple fritters to emu eggs, ornate cloth and earthenware to bee pollen and tambourines. The tent-draped market granted the city an appearance both rustic and regal; its sights, sounds and smells blended together into one continuous motion of experience which ebbed and flowed around the tall, decorated buildings just as it had for generations. Into this scene stepped an unfamiliar figure cloaked in a dark robe.  Without stopping to rest, though the climb into the city was steep, the phantom mixed inconspicuously with the crowds of the market, and drifted cautiously towards Celestia’s palace, stopping here and there as if to take in the scenery. As the mysterious pony approached the large marble structure, the sun became tinged red, attracting the attention of many of Canterlot’s inhabitants… It was as their exclamations took on a worried tone that the robed figure snuck past the distracted guards at the palace entrance. One of the guards along the palace wall took notice, and calmly stole after the invader, preparing to escort it out of the building. In a peaceful nation like Equestria, the guard had no need to think his target wouldn’t comply, but perhaps he should have: the vigilant sentry chased after the cloak-wearer one second, and the next he chased after nothing at all; the creature had vanished! Celestia was discussing the logistics of providing goods to the frontier towns with somepony when it happened. “We should provide them with hay in exchange for apples so that…” suddenly; no sound! Princess Celestia was jarred by the sudden change of pace: it looked as if the pony in front of her were frozen in place – in fact no one else in the room stirred except for herself, as far as she could tell. The sunlight had turned a dim red color, and held no warmth, as it usually did. Celestia pondered about this for a moment, then saw the strange robed intruder appear from the shadows. Needless to say, the princess was startled. Celestia rose and prepared to defend herself if need be, but something familiar about the pony in front of her kept her from being too frightened. She resolved to be ready for anything. The strange pony stopped halfway up the stairs leading to the throne, and spoke unceremoniously: “Huh, I guess I didn’t think I would get this far, but okay, here goes…” “YOU?” Celestia shouted; more in surprise and recognition than in fear. She sank back to a more leisurely posture, and any ghost of doubt disappeared from her face. As she suspected, she did recognize the pony In front of her. “Yes me. Anyways, I came to ask for a favor… I guess you could also count this as a warning, but anyways…” the cloaked creature trailed off into thought. Celestia smirked; she wasn’t taking the not-so mysterious stranger too seriously. Frankly she was just glad that she could have a break from her repetitive schedule. “We have a deal: you’re not supposed to leave the Everfree Forest.” “Well, desperate times call for desperate measures, and besides, you never backed that deal with any real force…” (Let’s just say the pony had a habit of trailing off) ‘Well, that much is true, I guess,’ Celestia thought to herself. “So: desperate measures, warnings? Just what exactly is on your mind?” “We’re getting off this rock before it all goes to hell.” This was a cryptic answer, even for Celestia, and she was peeved by the creature’s rudeness. “Well before I do a single thing for you, you’ve got to give me a better explanation than that.” “Ok, ok: a few days ago the Symbiote sensed that a singularity was approaching this planet- on a collision course, actually- and that doesn’t happen too often. Once per planet I would imagine. Anyways we need a few unassuming ponies to help me gather energy and reset critical systems. Then we were… planning on leaving…” As the mysterious pony finished speaking this time, it shrugged as much as a pony could realistically shrug. (which is not much) “This planet’s going to be WHAT!?!” “Destroyed. You may want to start evacuating ponies to the moon. We’ve all got about a week.” Celestia’s thoughts were jumbled. First, there was an imminent threat to the survival of every living thing she knew; that was shocking to say the least. But similarly shocking was the cloaked pony’s bluntness and apparent lack of interest in Equestria’s survival juxtaposed on its almost whimsical tone. She swore; she’d heard that voice a thousand years ago just as she heard it today; and she would never truly be used to it. Seeing Celestia so distraught made the shady figure uneasy. “Well… I could power up the graviton manipulator and ride the wormhole rent in space by the destruction of this planet back into the past, then deflect the singularity off course…” Celestia collected her thoughts and spoke. “I think we both know you don’t need anypony’s help to prepare for something like this. You’re planning on evaluating whether our civilization is worth protecting, aren’t you? “ “Well… pretty much, honestly… You know me, I’m all for protecting this planet, but the minds of the Symbiote are more focused on the goals… they’ll need some convincing.” Celestia was relieved. She knew exactly who to send to make certain the Symbiote would choose to defend Equestria. “Well why didn’t you say so? Ok, you need ponies to ‘help you’ with something or other. Sure, I can do that. I think we both know how this will end, don’t you?” “Not exactly sure… I have an idea, but we’ll see… Look Celestia, I’ve known you a long time, and I know you’re perfectly capable of surprising me, but you really need to bring your A-game for this. As I said, you may want to start evacuating to the moon…” Celestia was caught off guard. “Where’s all this fear coming from? It’s not like you.” “The Symbiote’s minds have resolved that it is our duty to do what we can to perpetuate our own species… It’s not looking good… Get me those ponies, ok?” The grim-cloaked quadruped promptly galloped out the door. After a moment, the sunlight became warm and yellow and time began to flow normally again, and Celestia continued her daily routine; forcing the strange conversation and the excitement it had brought into the back of her mind for later, when she’d write a letter to Twilight Sparkle. The pony she’d been talking to before the intruder’s interruption became animated once more. “… Hay is cheaper and more versatile than apples- they get some surplus cash and some starchy food to keep them in good physical condition; we get the apples for our growing population in Manehattan…” A Surprised guard ran into the throne room, looked around for a moment, and then left with a dumbfounded expression. ________________________________________ “Tell me again how you managed to drag me into this ---” Rainbow dash was exasperated: it was a nice day and there were a thousand other places she would rather be than at the CMC’s tree house, watching a terrible stand-up routine and trying to explain to the fillies that they just hadn’t found their calling. Rarity replied with an emphatic “Oh, I don’t even remember darling...” This much was true: Rarity knew that she and Rainbow Dash had been tricked into this somehow, but she couldn’t recall the details. Any other day she would have welcomed the chance to instill confidence in the young fillies, but she had deadlines to meet at her boutique, so at the moment she was just quietly going along with the CMC’s antics and hoping they would be done soon. She looked longingly out the window for a minute, as Rainbow Dash had been doing for the last ten. “Rainbow Dash, ain’t you goin’ to give us some constructive criticism?” Applebloom looked up at her with manipulative puppy-eyes, but Rainbow Dash wasn’t moved. “No, this sucks. Comedy just doesn’t suit…” Rarity cut her off, holding her hoof up between Dash and the crusaders. “Now now Rainbow Dash, they’re just fillies, don’t be too harsh to them.” “What about you Rarity? What did you think of our act?” “Well, I…” Given enough awkward silence she could have thought up an appropriate response but this time around she didn’t have to answer- Twilight knocked on the door. “I’ll get it!” said Scootaloo. “Hello there, are Rarity and Rainbow Dash here? Pinkie Pie said they would be.” “Um, no...” Scootaloo said quickly. Rainbow Dash gave her a harsh glance and she quickly decided to change her story; “I mean yes!” Sweetie Belle giggled at Scootaloo’s sudden trepidation. “Well that’s good to hear, I have…” Twilight was cut off by an ecstatic Rainbow Dash. “Ohmygosh Twilight thanks for saving us! LET’S GO!” “To tell them something…” she narrowed her eyes at the smiling Rainbow Dash for a moment before turning to address the rest, smiling again. “Spike got a letter from Princess Celestia of the most urgent nature. Spiiike! Care to read?!” she yelled out the door in no particular direction. “I told you already, It’s a long letter; I’ll read it when we’ve got everyone together!” Spike walked into view from behind some shrubs, looking mildly peeved. “And stop assuming I’m going to follow you everywhere: I was actually going to stay at the Sugarcube Corner until I found out…” he zoned out mid-sentence and stared at Rarity, who once again proceeded to ignore him. After snapping out of this brief daydream, Spike changed the subject: “Anyway, nice tree house Applebloom, I like what you’ve done with the place.” Twilight rolled her eyes at the baby dragon and smiled. Applebloom smiled humbly. “Aw, it wasn’t that tough, ya just gotta know a thing or two.” Taking advantage of the few moments of distraction, Rainbow Dash slipped out the door, and waited impatiently at the base of the tree.  Seeing this, Rarity started to make her way to the door as well. “Well, I guess my work will have to wait then, if it’s for a note from Celestia. Come on, Twilight, we really must be on our way. I don’t want to fall too far behind with Hoity Toity’s orders: he gives good business! Oh, and fillies, keep up the good work, practice makes perfect!” “But we wanna come too!” The three members of the CMC said in unison, shuffling on over to the door as they did. “And how do you expect to become great comedians without hard work? ... ”; Twilight stepped over to the doorway and tried to diffuse the situation: “Uh, we could use a favor though. Why don’t you three take a quick break and go tell AppleJack to meet us at Sugarcube Corner – oh, and tell her to some bring apples too.” “Ok!” the three fillies said again in unison. They left in a hurry; reinvigorated, with a goal in mind. And so Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Rainbow Dash and Spike left in the direction of Fluttershy’s cottage. ________________________________________ Applejack busted through the swinging door of Sugarcube Corner with a powerful kick and ran in. “I came as soon as I heard, is everypony ok?” It was only after she said this that she noticed with some embarrassment that except for the candy coated walls, the startled salesclerk, Mr. Cake, and his wall-eyed customer, Derpy, there was no one else there. “What in tar-nation... Uh, have you seen Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash an’ the rest?” “No, can’t say I have…” A smirk appeared on Mr. Cake’s face for a moment, but Applejack missed it. She turned to leave and muttered “Oh, darn it Applebloom…” It was already late afternoon; Applejack wondered whether her little sister had taken too long to find her, and her friends had made their plans and left already. Applejack was halfway out the door when she thought she heard giggling. “SURPRISE” Pinkie Pie burst out from behind the counter with a corresponding explosion of streamers and anomalous sound of noisemakers. The other ponies followed her lead; walking out from behind the counter. “GOT YOU” “Ya sure did Pinkie.” Applejack said, face re-lit with a smile. Everyone was there; Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy. Twilight Sparkle took the opportunity to explain “It was taking quite a while for you to get here, so we… used the extra time to get all our things ready.” Rainbow Dash gave AppleJack an annoyed look and floated restlessly about. “We still had enough time left to hide behind the counter and do the whole ‘Pinkie Pie’ routine!” “Yep, I figured… so are we goin’ somewhere then?” “Yes we are. Celestia gave us some instructions” Twilight turned to address the group, and Derpy snuck out the door with her daily purchase of muffins. “Spike, everyone’s here now, go on; read that letter!” “Ok. *ahem* ‘To my most faithful student, Twilight Sparkle, and her friends,’ ‘It has come to my attention that, even as I write this letter, the clock ticks toward the end of Equestria as we know it. Despite this I know that we have little to fear, if you take it upon yourselves to go on a mission of dire importance in my stead. You must travel deep within the Everfree Forest, into relatively uncharted territory, and meet up with an old friend of mine. Time is of the essence, but Knowledge will serve you just as well on this journey, so I will tell you all I know. Soon after Luna and I created Equestria, a cacophonous fireball fell onto our planet. We assumed it was a meteorite, but something about it just wasn’t right. I left Luna’s side one day and went to see the impact crater I assumed the object would leave behind and found, much to my surprise, that there wasn’t one: there was no massive chunk of metal either, just a strange greenish object. It appeared plantlike, but it looked as if it were both designed and grown, in a way. I approached the object slowly at first, but then decided that it seemed inert. I looked it over, as a passing curiosity; tried using magic, brute force, anything to get a response from it, but all methods failed. It wasn’t buried deeply in the soil and overall it didn’t seem much larger than me, but I found I was unable to lift the object, so I left it there, and returned to my duties. In just under a week, while my attention was diverted, this object sprouted like a seed; creating what we know of today as the Everfree Forest. Luna and I were startled by the hostility and tenacity of this forest, so I again left Equestria to inspect the impact site. While I was there, I met this ally of mine, the one I’ve asked you all to find, plus a strange pony with a ponderous blue box. I’ll focus on this misadventure of mine: it will be particularly useful to you…’ Twilight interrupted Spike, levitated him onto her saddlebags, and with a slightly anxious voice, said; “You know what everypony? We know which way to go; Spike can keep reading the letter as we walk.” … The other ponies were quiet for a moment. Perhaps they feared what might lay before them. Most of what had been read seemed fairly benign, but ‘the end of Equestria as we know it’ hung over their heads like a dark cloud. Mr.Cake had closed shop for the day and left at some point while Spike had been reading, so Sugarcube corner seemed deathly quiet. Only the dust in the gleaming rays of sunset stirred… “Aw yeah this is going to be just like old times!” Rainbow Dash flew about the room, kicking at the air as if confronting the anxiety in the room head-on. Applejack caught hold of Dash’s tail and brought her back down to earth again, more by instinct than reason. “Don’t get too full-o-yahself now; we hardly know what we’re in for.” At the thought of something terrible enough to destroy Equestria, Fluttershy had sunk behind the counter; in part to hide, in part to help Rarity organize and decorate the supplies. (A pursuit which merited all of Rarity’s attention, considering her perfectionist tendencies) It took a few long, quiet minutes, but eventually the ponies gathered their material possessions and mental stamina, and were ready to go. They marched out of the shop, through the bustling, sweet-smelling town, and off in the direction of the Everfree Forest; accompanied by the setting sun, an evening breeze, and a story. ________________________________________

Mike

50

Adventure,Comedy,Random

The Symbiote

incomplete

<p>A pet project I took up sometime in February 2011. I was in the heat of 11th grade with all honors and AP classes, and I still managed to have some free time, so I assumed that during the summer I would have plenty of time to write this. Turns out that some AP classes give out summer homework&#8230; LOTS of it. Then there are other reasons I&#39;m sure the brony community would understand If I were to post them, but for now I&#39;ll keep those to myself. I&#39;ll get this done some time late in the summer when I may have more free time. In the meantime, have the intro parts. They&#39;re kind of cliffhanger-y, but that&#39;s what I was going for at the time. <br /><br />TL:DR IF YOU DON&#39;T LIKE UNCONCLUDED STORIES DON&#39;T READ THIS YET. I&#39;m just putting it up at the moment to help test the site.<br /><br /> &#8230;I really hope we can change these descriptions after the fact.</p>

everyone

2011-07-30T17:31:01+00:00

The Symbiote, Chapter 2 by Mike The path to the Everfree Forest, framed by tall grass, ran over an open meadow full of low rolling hills with swampy, cattail-filled areas in their dells and patches of farmland on their tops. The chorus of frogs and crickets rose louder here than the cacophony of the birds. Ponyville receded in the distance and the sun, now behind the Everfree Forest’s light-swallowing trees, reflected tiredly off the wispy clouds; lighting the sky ablaze with fast-fading orange. The late afternoon air did the ponies some good. They began to consider in the back of their minds the journey ahead and speculate about what they would find at it’s end, but for the most part they tried to enjoy the journey. Rainbow Dash quickly won the race to the edge of the Everfree (which no one else had actually participated in), gotten bored (and a little creeped out by the dark forest, though she wouldn’t have admitted it), and wandered back to join the other ponies. “Come on guys, you can go faster!” Rainbow Dash crossed her front Hooves and floated lazily about with a frown on her face to exaggerate her boredom. “Not even Ditzy...” Of course Ditzy was completely devoted to capturing every moment of her adventure in her memory- and was just as enthusiastic about chasing a firefly around as Dash was about Racing. Twilight Sparkle and Applejack led the herd at a casual pace, taking little notice of Rainbow Dash because they were busy making plans. “Well, we got a late start, so we can’t make it very far, why not spend the night at Zecora’s. Then, tomorrow we can establish a base camp at the castle of the royal pony sisters, since we know the way there already. What do you think?” “Sounds good… An’ maybe Pinkie will recognize some mountains along the way.” “Exactly.” “By the way, where’d Pinkie go?” Applejack looked around thoroughly, then added: “… An’ Fluttershy too!” At this, Twilight became slightly worried. “I don’t know.” After looking around with Applejack for a moment she yelled back towards Rarity. “Hey Rarity, have you seen Pinkie and Fluttershy?” “No, as a matter of fact, I haven’t. I thought perhaps they were behind us?” “HERE WE ARE!!!” Pinkie leapt down from one of the trees lining the edge of the forest, and Fluttershy descended more slowly, following the sudden drizzle of confetti. “And that’s how it’s done, Fluttershy” “Oh, simply marvelous, I never would have imagined that you could do that…can, can you do that again?” Pinkie Pie looked from side to side, buried her head in the ground, unburied it, looked carefully behind the tree they had jumped from, and cautiously back in the direction of Ponyville, then came up close to Fluttershy to whisper in her ear; “not while the reader’s watching…”Rainbow Dash almost spoke, but Spike beat him to it, muttering in his sleep from upon twilight’s back; “Pinkie Pie, you are so random…” Rainbow Dash remained undeterred: “Er… yeah, what he said!” Applejack spoke to Twilight “Well, we found ‘em!” Then she gestured down the trail “An’ not a horseshoe-toss from the forest too soon.” The Ponies stopped for a moment to stare at the immense trees that marked the threshold of the forest. The sound of frogs and crickets was even louder here than on the meadow-lined trail. Though it was approaching dusk and the thick canopy seemed to hungrily devour the light, the forest no longer felt harsh, unforgiving or threatening; as it had been when nightmare moon had forced the place to remain in its nighttime state. No, today it was calm; the type of deathly calm that plays tricks on the minds of little fillies, trying to make them think that it’s fear, but calm nonetheless. Small creatures scurried about in the gloom. Where Ditzy wandered forth and stepped on a colorful mushroom, an odd call emanated; “Papa Smurf, Papa Smurf!” The vines on the trees were thick and tufted with hanging mosses, making the forest look particularly overgrown, but at ground level, perhaps because the leaves of the trees were so good at catching the light, there were surprisingly few shrubs and bushes, except for the patch of poison Joke. That stuff seemed to derive its strength to live solely from blocking the ponies’ clearest path to Zecora’s abode. “c’mon, Applebloom found a way around that poison joke field that’ll lead straight to Zecora’s place.” The path wound about for a while, but it got them to the hut all the same. Zecora heard a knock at the door. She put down the bundle of herbs she had been making and let in her visitors with a greeting: “Ah, welcome, welcome my good friends. What brings you around the bend?” Twilight Sparkle spoke for the group “Hi Zecora, we were wondering if we could spend the night here. Tomorrow we’re going to explore the forest: we’re looking for some sort of… ‘enemy of Equestria’.” “Sure; this home is a station for rest. I think that’s what it does best. If I recall, I may have seen this foe. It likes to be addressed by simple names like Joe.” Twilight stared smugly at Zecora. “You just had to rhyme that last line, didn’t you?” “No; the pony you seek is quite eccentric: hyper, translucent, and a bit pedantic.” Twilight was confident that, though it was unlike her, Zecora was just stringing words together. How else could you explain such random comments? “Well how could you even be certain that… oh, never mind.”  “Thanks Zecora. That information might prove, um… useful!” “Come on in guys!” the other ponies made themselves comfortable, thanking Zecora for the place to sleep and the warm welcome. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had so many guests, cooking tonight is going to be a quite a test.” Applejack didn’t want to be rude, so she intercepted Zecora before she left to get food. (Darn, now I’m doing it too) “Aw, that’s mighty kind of ya, but I brought some apples for that.” She gathered the other travelers, and they each took a single apple. Rainbow Dash almost went back for seconds, but Applejack stopped her. “Hold on there, partner! I know it’s not much to eat but we gotta conserve food. We don’t know how long we’ll be out here.” Eventually, after bouts of intermittent conversation the tired ponies finished their apples and settled down for sleep around the fire pit. Twilight and Zecora, nearest to the window, were brought back from the brink of consciousness by a sound from the inky blackness of the forest: giggles at first, then a large tree branch fell, then some strange whistling and whirring noises, then footsteps. Aside from Zecora and herself, Twilight counted only four ponies at rest by the fire pit. Twilight couldn’t take it anymore: she walked grumpily to the window to find the source of the noise. Upon ascertaining the source of the noise, She “whispered” rather noisily out the window; “What the? Pinkie, Ditzy, get back in here! What are you guys doing?” Of course, it shouldn’t have been all that surprising; Ditzy Doo and Pinkie Pie were the two most… unique ponies in all of Equestria. The two ponies seemed bent on staying awake. “Aw, come on, we were just chasing after a blue light we saw!” Pinkie Pie flailed around, gesturing towards a specific direction in the undergrowth. “Blue light, eh?” Twilight looked around, unconvinced, into the deep dark. She felt like she was staring out the window of a bathysphere- that Pinkie and Dinky were adrift in the deep ocean, or floating through some sort dark void, illuminated just so by the embers of the fire pit. She couldn’t have seen through the trees, but above them it was cloudy. With the pegasi to clear the weather away, it would never be this dark in Equestria. Even the crickets and frogs had entered into a restful torpor. Receiving no audible or visual input, Twilight sparkle stared at the forest for a minute, considering Pinkie’s suggestion, and trying not to be rude, though she was tired. I don’t know pinkie… but I do know that we’ll need our rest for Then Twilight saw it- a strange blue light accompanied by that whirring-whistling sound. “Huh, I guess you guys were right.” Twilight thought for a moment “Well, you two should sleep to be ready for tomorrow morning; if you wander off, you could get lost. Zecora and I will check it out.” Twilight turned to face Zecora, who hadn’t yet fallen asleep. “You don’t mind going for a little walk, do you?” Zecora shook her head and began to gather some implements the uses of which Twilight could only guess.  Twilight opened the front door and let in the two ponies. “Do you two promise to stay here?” Pinkie Pie responded immediately “Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye!” Ditzy simply nodded in agreement. Zecora and Twilight left the other ponies to find the source of the blue light. It didn’t take long before they heard rustling in the bushes; someone was clearly trying to get away. “Zecora, do you think it’s that pony you told me about earlier, the enemy we were looking for?” Zecora was focused on the chase, but still gave her input. “That’s not the pony - too easy to track. This pony’s likely to end up a snack.” She tossed one of the tools she had brought with her, and by the sound of things, it hit its mark. The shady figure fell to the ground with a loud thud, but seemed undaunted. “ooh, a bolas, didn’t see that coming.” The two victors ran over to their fallen captive, a brown horse with an hourglass cutie mark, barely visible in the gloom. “Hello, I’m Twilight Sparkle and this is Zecora, and we’d like to ask you some questions.” Twilight spoke first in a welcoming manner, then in a more serious tone. “Oh, what a coincidence, me too! First question, have you detected any human telecommunications signatures coming from within this forest?” “uh…” “I’ll take that as a no, anyway, what do you call this place- and what are the names of some of the places around here. C’mon, names, names… no? what year is it? Twilight was caught off guard: she would have been more forceful, but the pony talked too rapidly and she had become compliant in the process. “The 1001st year of the Equestrian calendar” “Oh, not good, not good, never heard of it… Why is that not good?” he asked rhetorically Twilight was no longer really taking note of the pony’s mad ramblings. “Well, we found a crazy pony, now what” she asked Zecora, with a hint of exasperation. She might have thought to provide aid to the strange creature, but she was too tired to really think it through. “Because I ought to know just about every place and time, which leads me to a strange hypothesis…” Zecora also seemed to think, wistfully and reluctantly, that the horse they had found was insane. Any instinct she had to help was overpowered by the memories of rabies epidemics back in the old country. At least it was not as much of a threat as she thought they might find; still, better safe than sorry. “Back away slowly, be careful of bites… let’s just go home now, and turn off the lights.” “This universe is either different from mine, or so far in the future that no Time Lord has ever dared venture here!... Oh? Where are you guys going, I was just starting to enjoy the company!” It was too late, the ponies had already snuck away. The male pony thought to himself ‘What strange creatures this planet has… oh well, it’s probably for the best anyways.’ Then he wriggled out of the bolas, picked up his sonic screwdriver, and wandered off into the forest again. He felt as if during the entirety of that short conversation very few words had actually been passed from either group to the other. Zecora and Twilight sparkle approached the cottage quietly so as not to draw the attention of anything else that might lurk in the darkness. Soon, they too were asleep. That night Ditzy had dreams. They came in intermittent, short bursts which resembled memories in their consistency, but which Ditzy recognized as new. …  Ditzy saw what looked like a pony, but couldn’t have been; it had the striking texture of a leaf! “Ah, yes, Hi, I’m I.P.∞, but you can call me… (Steve, Bob, Joe?) um, Steve, for our purposes… I’ve been expecting you all; welcome to the Symbiote! … … … Oh yeah… almost forgot, follow me please!”   … …   There was a humming metallic sphere in front of Ditzy. A glow seemed to emanate from within it. The air was thick. She heard the leaf-pony’s voice “Ah, wonderful! I knew you’d be good with bubbles… I don’t know how I knew, of course.” Ditzy couldn’t tell if that last part was sarcastic, but she assumed so from the context. “Seriously though: cutie marks, magic: it still seems so surreal after a thousand years of living here… pass the D2O pod please!” for some reason Ditzy felt happy, felt at home.  … …   Ditzy was back in the Everfree Forest, but not quite. There were broad, darkly colored leaves of various hues. Symbols danced across their surfaces. The air around Ditzy shimmered as it might in a desert, but it wasn’t any hotter than usual. The other ponies were with her, but they seemed angry at the leaf-pony, who was making a desperate plea. “No, no, no…! I am not your enemy, ambivalence is! There will come a point for your species, as it did for mine, when the very physical laws of the universe itself pale in comparison  the limits you set up for yourself in your own minds… I beg of you, open your minds!   … …   Ditzy was scared. It was dark. It was cold. She couldn’t breathe. She felt weightless. It felt like her blood was boiling, no, it was! She looked in the direction she assumed was down. She saw a sphere, serene, bright blue and green, crumbling in on itself, the red glow of the powerful implosion which was also swallowed up. Ditzy no longer felt weightless: she felt very heavy, in fact! At this rate she felt that her hooves would tear out. So much pain! She didn’t have to endure for long. All the light there ever existed in the universe cascaded down upon her, and she was vaporized instantly.   … Ditzy woke up. Her dreams faded, but the dread remained.

Roan

52

Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Other,Alternate Universe,Human,Adventure,Dark,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Sterling

I'm sorry.

cancelled

<p>A man seeking an end to his own battle finds himself leading others into the fray.</p><p>Note: I'm sorry.</p>

teen

2012-10-22T22:37:32+00:00

2012-10-22T22:37:32+00:00

STERLING FRIENDSHIP IS MAGIC LOVE IS ELECTRIC Twilight. Daybreak. That would be the time if there were any opposition to the emanations of the artificial sun orbiting Cyrias, the planet this particular story begins on. The tale of a single skirmish, in contrast to a whole war. We could talk about the entire conflict, but all we need to know is the cassas for now. Five hundred years ago, humanity was enticed by the fantasy of independent space travel. With the idea of individuals making an excursion into the void dashed before any attempts could even be made on that front, droves of people pushed for the possibility of groups, as small as families, to have the option to travel the cosmos. The general public found out eventually that such a thing would never be possible. Humanity yet hoped for a chance to grasp the stars. That's when they came. Giegamurs, "Eaters of the Dead." Reapers. They offered spacious nirvana to an avaricious and cynical race. Blinded by our own ambition, we We took their offer. The price: the death of two thirds of the human population, dead, overnight. They took the richest, the most capable of being received, of humanity and brought them to Cyrias. Today, we’ll see a divergence from this tale of desperation. One man has thrown away just about everything he has ever owned all he held dear, to save the people he loves. Not capable of comprehending the nature of his actions, have written it off as a romp. A romp that has left thousands dead. They claim he has gone mad, they call for him in the hopes that he will face his own persecution. But he can’t have that. He has one last thing to do before they can know what it was all about. A man stood on the a small platform, held in front of a swirling mass made up of waves that appeared to be emanating and absorbing light, facing it and staring right into its heart. He wore a suit, almost completely covered by the graphite like substance that it was made of, notably iridescent and shining in the light of the mass in front of him. His face was shrouded by a tinted visor. His head held atop it a black fedora. The light given off by the ball of energy showed through his suit, in an x-ray like fashion, revealing the silhouette of the wearer. He was missing his right shin, and left forearm, but the suit replaced them with it's own mass. A younger man ran onto the platform, stopping behind the suited man. He had His brown hair was done up in a scruffy mullet, lightly coming off to the sides. He wore a dark grey t-shirt, and a pair of almost neon orange baggy shorts. This was all standard issue for stable dwellers... These were all standard pieces of attire for station dwellers, the only piece of personal flair was a turquoise button keeping a pocket on his pants closed. He was barely past the age of 18. He was barely old enough to shave. "Stop! I won't let you just walk away from the consequences of your actions. You've killed thousands-" "You have no idea what I've done," the other man said. Seemingly out of nowhere he pulled out a briefcase, turned around, and lay set it on the ground. "If you find the time in the coming perils, I hope you look through the contents of this. Maybe you'll be willing to ‘see it my way,’ like old times." As he finished speaking, he leaped backwards into the mass, spreading his arms wide as he vanished into the void. Left there with just the case, the younger man opened it to see what the other was talking about. Inside, he found a letter. It was headed "An Introduction to the End." The letter went as follows: "It is with the last bit sincerity this world will afford me that I insist your beliefs that I 'have lost it,' 'started killing for fun,' and have become a 'psychedelic psychopath,' are wrong; any actions you have made under such assumptions have been equally so." "If your law's lists detailing my 'kills' were accurate, then they would begin, and end, with the name: Tom J. Reeds." "The problems you face go beyond this reality, as do the 'tragedies' you've seen me commit." "That is why I'm leaving a record of my actions and all thoughts pertaining to them with you now. Soon, you will see the fruits of my labor, or if I have failed, experience firsthand what I was trying to prevent." "This isn't like what they did on Earth. They can circumvent the effects of a vindictive crop, guilt will not stop the harvest." "Hello?" Tom called out into the pitch black scape. He had expected death upon entering that energized ball of darkness and light, not portage. Without even feeling for it, he knew his fedora had fallen off, just a few feet away, and leaving it so for any period of time had drastic consequences and he quickly snatched it up. Upon placing it on his head, a light appeared a couple of yards from the spot his hat had landed. "I'd like to make a deal with you." a feminine voice said as the light grew in size. "I came here for death. If you're not offering anything of the sort, I'm not interested." "Your release can be arranged." The light stopped it's expanse, and Tom could make out a shape inside it. It was a . . . Horse? No no, a white alicorn with hair reminiscent of the aurora borealis, silly! Having seen stranger beings, the form of the speaker wasn't surprising. He was far more perplexed by not having been taken into death's mantle. "Who are you?" "I am Princess Celestia. I, and my sister Luna, reign over the land of Equestria. A world populated by ponies. We have a problem that we failed to prepare for, and having seen your success in-" "Training the other 5 'heroes' of my race, you want me to speed along the teachings of yours before the exodus." "Yes. But it is the belief of I and my sister that we can avoid that disaster entirely through the use of a Tyrant's Heart . . ." Tom paused at hearing that. The “Tyrant’s Heart” was a very important item that could save the lives of millions if used correctly. But acquiring it meant killing an intelligent being. While others may assume that he’d do such a thing on whim, that was just not so. He didn't like being a killer. The moniker Walker especially peeved him. "A man that treats murder like a morning stroll . . ." Not realizing it, Tom had said that last thought out loud. Though only a mumble, Celestia still heard it. Time passed, no hyperbole needed, as I can assure you it was quite a while. Celestia broke the silence. "You won't be killing any 'living' thing. In fact, I would hardly describe anything you'd be doing as a romp-" "Everything I do is a romp and nothing will change that." ". . ." "But I accept the deal all the same." "There's one condition." Tom stepped forward, leaning toward the princess, before saying "And that is, that I must become one of your subjects during this excursion, right?" "Yes." as she ended her reply, her horn started to glow, and then shot off a ray towards the suited man. Seconds later, he was standing on 4 hooves, in the same suit, same fedora (now with 2 small holes that let loose his elongated ears, still suited), and an equine body. His visor had been adjusted such that only covered the top half of his muzzle instead of his entire face, the insignia of Star-Tech (damn them) now adorned his flank instead of his chest, and he was sporting a loose black tail. "That was quick." Tom thought. "You can still decline at this point. The changes aren't permanent." "As long as I am given release at the end, I'm in." "Good. Now that you've been physically acclimated, let's get you mentally prepared . . ." Celestia had told Tom, in the briefest ways she could come up with, all about the peaceful land of Equestria. The nature of it’s inhabitants. Its general history everything. And then . . . "Now we can talk about Nightmare Moon's defeat, and the Elements of Harmony-" "These Elements, are they made up of 6 virtuous concepts?" "Yes." "Go on." Taking a deep breath, Celestia continued. "1000 years ago, my sister grew jealous of my reign over the day. She believed our subjects didn't like her night as much as the day. She asked for extended night hours and things of the like, and when I refused, her ire turned her into the shadowy beast Nightmare Moon." "Was Luna a penumbra?" Beings can be classified within two archetypal groups, penumbras and emanations. This classification does not determine a creatures paradigm in regards to good and bad intentions. Penumbras are rational thinkers. Often their countenance is such that rational actions cannot be completed, like if they're too shy to speak up. Emanations are emotionally minded beings, described as creatures that think with their hearts more often than their heads. Feelings often get the better of them. "No. I'm a penumbra, she's an emanation." Tom basked in the irony. The sun was a secluded thinker, and the moon an outgoing sensie. Neither had much of a chance to be with beings of their own ordinance. "Continue." "Just 11 months ago she returned. My student, Twilight Sparkle-" "What kind of name is that!?" "It IS her name, what's wrong with that?" There was a small lull in the conversation, during which Tom suppressed his laughter as best he could. After a time, Celestia rolled her eyes and promptly continued the briefing. "Names aside, I sent her on a mission to find friends." Tom asked, once again interjecting, "And those friends happened to be the bearers of the elements?" "I think it would be best if you stopped interrupting." Another pause. This time, Tom was the one to break the silence. "Fine." A few seconds after he said that, a low tone came from Tom's suit. It was unnerving at first, but as the silver pony tensed up it became softer, sweeter. With terse movements, he craned his neck at an angle that looked quite painful, the tone seemed to follow his movements. Moments more of these strange reverberating contortions later, and the princess was met with a pony with a completely different posture than it had exhibited before. The stance didn't last for but a second before he slumped over, with undeniable grace, at Celestia's hooves. Startled by the sudden movement, she stepped back. In a voice alike, but not quite the same as the one used prior to the strange performance Tom had just put on, he said "Sorry about that. Changing one's countenance takes a lot of energy if done in such short time. I can assure you that if it was not for the fact I came here expectant of death I would not have done so with my cockier set of ordinances. "Yes, yes I would. As I was saying, they were the bearers, and together they defeated Nightmare Moon and freed Luna. Since then, they've been through numerous trials without the aid of the elements. But now . . . Well, as I told you, Luna succumbed to her jealousy and became Nightmare Moon. Something of the sort has happened to me. An impostor, or perhaps another wicked persona, has taken my place and banished me, or at least this part of me, to this place. I cannot directly contact the element bearers. So that's where you come in. You will have to warn them of the danger lying in Canterlot, and train them to combat it." "If I may interrupt . . ." "You may." "Would I be right in believing that this is where the Tyrant's Heart comes in?" "Yes. If extracted from the impostor appropriately, it can be used to bring me, and anyone lost along the way back to Equestria." "Ahhhh. Please, continue." "With your help . . . Oh no!" "What?" Celestial pointed a hoof towards Tom's back half. Looking there, he saw the problem. He was slowly disappearing. "I can't keep you here any longer. I was hoping I could give you the bearers' descriptions, but there's no time!" She placed a hoof on his shoulder. "When you awaken in Equestria, you will be in the presence of one of the elements. The element of laughter . . ." As the rest of his body faded, he said "I'll do my best." Or, that would be what he said if he didn't pass out mid sentence. "Ooh! Who are you? You're so shiny! Is that armor? Why do you wear a hat like that if you're in shiny suit of armor? Rarity would say you look atrocious, but I like the clash! Can I wear your hat?" Tom opened his eyes, and was met with a smile he would not soon forget. A pink pony, with a poofy mane and tail of a just barely darker shade, was lying her snout right right on his visor. "I'm . . ." Before saying his name, he remembered his incredulous response to the name of the princess' student. 'Twilight Sparkle,' this time he remembered to NOT think out loud. He decided it would make things easier if he had a name alike the beings of this world. But before making one up, he answered the pony's other questions while he still remembered them. ". . . Wearing armor, it's sort of my thing, maybe later." As he answered her, he noticed how his voice had grown much deeper, and gravely. "But what's your name?! I can't introduce you to my friends if you won't give me your name." "What's your name?" "I asked first!" He had a plan. This being's archetype just happened to be one of the more malleable ones. With just the slightest bit of tact, he could make HER name him. The perfect facade is the one you already have. If naming worked the way he thought it did, he'd need a pretty accurate one to pass as a proper equestrian. Lightly masking his voice (he was sure it was strange to the pony, if not frightening), he began the execution of his cunning schema. "Let's play a game." "I like games! Sure." "Can you guess my name?" "Hmmmmmmmmmm . . ." ". . ." "Fullmetal Jack!" "No." he thought, and said. That would imply he was a soldier, suited to kill. Or worse, to maim. Additionally, he knew a Jack, and that was not the kind of colt he'd want to be in the peaceful society the princess had told him about. Actually, who was this mare that knew terminology with such a violent subtext, especially enough to form a pun like that . . . And more importantly, possessing a demeanor so carefree as to make a joke out of such a loaded object? "Laughter . . ." "Oh Silver Star, you're so crazy!" "What? "I figured out your name, Silver Star! You're all shiny, and your cutie mark has a star in it!" Silver Star? That would work perfectly. But what did she mean by cutie mark? The only thing with a star on his person was the insignia, which had moved from his chest to his flank . . . And then the mare turned around, chattering about party supplies, and he saw it. Her 'cutie mark.’ 3 balloons, sprinkles of confetti to the left and right of them. But there was something off about it. Like there was more to it. Something was hiding there, underneath the 'cute' exterior was another mark that he was slowly getting a better look at . . . It was a grey circle, with axle coming out of the middle. 6 smaller circles containing what looked like ammunition for a weapon he knew couldn't have existed in this world until he carried one into it were placed around the axle. He knew what this was. The revolving cylinder of a magnum. This pony had another side. And she knew how to hide it. Just seconds after entering this world, he’d found a being of his ilk. Another killer. Someone who’d also committed the unforgivable sin. Murder. But unlike any other act of this nature, it was the first. The first the beings of this world had experienced. It had to have happened thousands, if not millions of years ago. This pony was a reincarnation of the first killer ponykind had ever birthed. "Yes! I am Silver Star, sorry for not confirming that while you, uh, planned my party or whatever. Now what's your name!?" "I'm Pinkie Pie!" Her voice faltered at the end in just the way Tom, err, Silver Star expected. She was lying. 'Pinkie' went back to her party talk, and Star listened intently to her while looking about the room they were in. Actually, the first thing he noticed was that he hadn't noticed the room at all. Not that it's appearance mattered, because moments after this revelation he found what he was looking for: A picture of Pinkie Pie as a filly. Her hair was straight, oddly, and she was pushing a rock on a well tilled field. Well tilled, but rock filled? Why would someone till a field and THEN remove the rocks from it? It looked like some kind of punishment, given the miserable look on the filly's face. And then, accompanied by several digital and acoustic tones that drew the attention of Pinkie Pie more so than what prompted them, Star screamed "Ah ha!" in the most playful voice he could muster. "I know your REAL name, miss Pie!" "Really?" She said as her face lit up with a smile that was so memorable, Star's perception of it contradicted and crushed his previous mental statement exclaiming that he would never forget the face he just forgot in lieu of the one he was now presented with. "You are . . ." "Yes . . . ?" "Blissful Diane Sundae, or, should I say Bluh D. Sundae!" Her smile was immediately replaced with something almost sad looking, but not quite. Her hair lost its curly nature and became straight. Her cutie mark faded and was replaced with the one seen earlier, which Star had just decided to call a "melancholy mark." As the transformation from Pinkie Pie to Bluh-D. Sundae was completed, a small frown took over her face. A frown, and a well of tears. She plopped down on her rump and looked up to Star. "I know what it's like." "No. No you don't. Not if you’d show up, and ruin my facade. Just like that!” said as she brought her hooves together in a glancing clap. “I worked hard to become Pinkie Pie. Pinkie Pie is everypony’s friend! Nobody likes Bluh-D . . ." She continued sobbing quietly. Star trotted to her side and gave her an awkward hug. "Would you like to know my real name?" ". . . Sure." "It’s Tom J. Reeds." "I knew it!" she exclaimed as she pushed him away and pointed at the colt with at least a small amount of excitement before slumping down and weeping, an integral but hardly notable step up from sobbing. She received, with a more than complacent motion, another hug. If she could see his name, then that confirmed that she was indeed the being he made her out to be. Killers can tell each other apart, and see who they are. This was the second time he’d ever met another killer, and what had happened so far was occurring just as it had then. To get his name, the mare would have to have some understanding of his archetype. Who he was. The only thing he had presented her with was a willingness to tell the truth . . . "Then you know I wouldn't tell anypony." Wait, when the hell did I pick up that bit of vernacular . . . ? Star thought for just a second before his thoughts drifted back into a consoling mindset. She nodded in response. "Would a story, from one Killer to another, cheer you up?" "No." despite the negative implications of the response, she perked up as she said it. "Do any of the others know?" "Others?" She wiped away the last of her tears, and Star continued. "The other ‘heroes’ . . ." “Heroes?” She doesn’t know? If that were the case, then he could only go forward by asking her about the elements. “I was told that I’d be in the presence of an “Element of Harmony,” and I’d need to find the other bearers.” Bluh-D shot up quickly and stepped away from Star, giving him a confused, angry, look. "Who told you, and how do you know about the elements?" "I was brought here by princess Celestia to train them for something. I would know exactly what, but something or other forced her to drop me here earlier than she had intended." Maintaining what the colt now realized was a scowl, Bluh-D raised an eyebrow. A couple of knocks coming from the door made both of them jump a little. "Pinkie! Twilight wanted us to get all the girls together at the library for something important! Come on out!" "Quick, cover my flank." Bluh-D whispered to Star. "Way ahead of you." he said as he spread body in such a way that whomever came into the room would not be able to see her mark. As more knocks came from the door, Bluh-D called out in her happier, peppy voice from earlier "Come in, Dash!" The door began to open, revealing a blue pelted, rainbow maned pegasus. She froze, either from seeing Star or her friend's appearance. Probably both. "Uhhhh . . ." "Sorry Dash, I don't really feel good tonight. This colt’s here trying to help me get over a sad bump . . ." Star looked at Bluh-D, giving her an unfortunately unviewable but very disapproving glare. Dash seemed to regain her composure. She leaned forward slightly and put on a stern face. "We don't have time to fool around, Pinkie!" "I'm not leaving here without him at my side." she said in the angrier voice, this time. "Ugh, fine, but when we get there and Twilight doesn't let him in, don't ask me to vouch for him!" Star and Bluh-D left the room in such a way that Dash wouldn't see the altered mark. He stuck between the two. Luckily, as they left what Star now knew was a bakery and continued to the literal tree-house, the darkness did more than a good enough job of hiding it from any venues the suited colt could not cover. "So," Star whispered to Bluh-D, "I'm playing as your coltfriend, eh?" Perhaps my mind was altered too? That would explain these equivalent mannerisms . . . "I thought you'd like the role." Looking back into her face, he noticed for the first time that she had blue eyes. Mentally adding that to the list of similarities the two ponies (which he’d started after looking into her to uncover her mark), he found an appropriate reply. "I'm pretty sure that would be narcissism." "Oh, are we really so alike that it makes you feel a little perverse?" “You could say that." Bluh-D smiled at that. Though she didn't send the look towards him, Star knew whom it was meant for. They turned a corner and caught sight of the library. "Quick, once we're through the door, get me in between you and Rainbow, the ponies inside will see my mark if you're the only one covering it." And so they entered, and rushed to get into formation with a less than complacent pegasus. With Bluh-D's flank effectively flanked by the suited colt and Rainbow Dash, they were in. The only suspicious element left o the pink pony was her hair. But the problem wasn't Bluh-D's appearance, it was Star's. As they sat down, all eyes were on him. Though he didn't know it at the time, his appearance unknowingly warranted a distended amount of worry in a certain yellow pegasus. Not that the colt would know it was out of the ordinary. "So, Twilight, you were saying something was wrong with your last couple letters from the princess, right?" said that yellow pegasus, eyeing Star with an aura of fright. "Yes, thank you Fluttershy," the purple unicorn responded, "but before we talk about that, I want to know what HE's doing here . . ." now pointing a hoof in Star's direction. "I'm Silver Star." "That's a nice hat yah got there, Star." the orange pony said. She was wearing a brown stetson herself. He turned his head towards her and said "Thanks." "What's wrong with your face?" a white unicorn asked with an accent reminiscent of a long gone culture. A fancy one, at that. "He's wearing a suit." Bluh-D said before Star could form the words himself. The white mare gave Bluh-D and Star a quizzical look. "I've never seen a suit that was so . . . shiny, before. Where'd you get it? What's it made of?" Star pondered the origins of his primary article of clothing, looking down as he did so. And then . . . "WHO made it?" He tensed up at that particular question. Never again . . . "Can we get back on topic? If what you were talking about was so important that you had to interrupt me and Star from, various things, then I think we should get back to it. Immediately." Bluh-D said in her more serious voice. Star really didn’t like the implications of her statement, false or not. "Yes, again, thanks, but why is he here, Pinkie?" the purple unicorn asked. "He's with me, and that's all you need to know. For now. Let's get back to the letters." Twilight gave the pink pony a look that Star couldn't quite make out. He thought it may have been one of surprise, or worry, for the irregular attitude he could only assume Bluh-D now held. "So . . . They were odd." "Odd how?" the yellow pegasus asked in a much quieter voice than the one she used when Star entered the library. "Well, a couple of weeks ago, she asked me to find a couple of books and send them to her. After I got them into the postal service, she sent me a message forbidding me from so much as looking at the books in question. I sent her a letter asking why she would change her mind like that on such short notice, and her reply ignored the question altogether." A noise, one that seemed to only be heard by Star and the yellow pegasus, arose. "To be specific, the response asked me to bring all of us together at the old castle we defeated Nightmare Moon in." Perfect. Confirmation. Star now knew these were in fact the mares he was asked to find, protect, and teach. Now he needed to find a way to get them to trust him. Though he was presently a being of the same form as them, his appearance was still xenologically questionable. And there was no way the suit was coming off any time soon. What was inside would be more than a good enough reason to not trust him. "So then, we’ll be going too?" said the orange pony. "Well, Applejack, I think we should have a vote on it-" "What IS that noise! It sounds downright dreadful . . ." What Star had previously regarded as a mere change in the ambiance of the room had grown to an easily noticed series of screeches and buzzes. Bluh-D, having moved out of the protective entrenchment made up of Rainbow Dash and Silver Star while no-one was looking, galloped out the front door. The rainbow maned pegasus followed, and shouted "Pinkie, wait!" She managed to catch up to the pink pony, pinning her to the ground. "What's up with you today? First you're with suited coltfriend who came out of nowhere, with whom you look depressed, then you get all serious, and now you're running off to who knows where to do who knows what, and, and . . ." Dashed panted over her friend. Everyone from the library had now left to see what became of the two ponies, and what was making that noise. Bluh-D pointed a hoof to the scene unfolding behind Rainbow and the others. Everyone turned. A multicolored throng of flies were eating away at the houses and vegetation on one side of the town. Even having not seen such creatures before, Star could tell there was something unnatural about them. "Are those, Parasprites?" Twilight said with a drained face. "Yes. But they're . . . Different." Fluttershy stated in a voice that contradicted her name. "They're . . ." "Screaming." "Dash, if you'd not tackled me, I'd already be leading them away!" "Sorry!" Rainbow said as she let loose the pink pony she had trapped under her. As soon as she was freed, Bluh-D was off to the bakery. Star, not knowing much About the situation aside from a presumption that the 'Parasprites' were like locusts, decided to trot besides Twilight. "What are these ‘Parasprites?’" he asked. "They're insects that eat plants . . . But ever since I accidentally modified their eating habits incorrectly in an attempt to stop them from ruining an important event, they've taken to wood and other building materials . . ." In the distance, perhaps so far off that the others couldn't see it without a large amount focus that they simply could not muster as they witnessed their town get eaten away by the swarm, Star saw exactly what he hoped he would not see in a situation like his. A resident of a formerly upright home was galloping out into the road, covered head to hoof in parasprites. Moments later, no more than a skeleton remained as a sepulcher for the pony. "Di-Did they . . ." the purple unicorn stammered. Star answered by yelling "Everypony, RUN!" Everyone galloped to the other end of the town. Bluh-D was nowhere to be seen. Star followed the others. Along the way, Star tried to look away from the horrible demise of several more ponies. The mare with the stetson, Applejack, got the group together and brought them down a road to a farm that Star guessed was her own, or at least where she worked. "Everypony okay?" Applejack asked. Everyone gave affirmations of their well being. Most were panting heavily and thus gave only simple nods. Rainbow, however, said "I-I'm o-okay . . ." while shaking on the ground in something close to the fetal position. "Is P-pinkie . . . H-here yet . . ." "Sorry sugar, nopony saw her on the way here. I'm sure she'll be fine . . ." "Bu-but, how w-will she-" Star stomped his front hooves to get the ponies attention. "I'm going back to find her." "Woah there, Silver! Ah know yah two might be in a relationship-" A stare from the colt made the orange mare falter in her speech. "Uhhhhh . . . Point is, yah cahn't run off into something like that . . . Ah'm sure Pinkie'll get away alright, she . . ." Before Applejack even had a chance to end that statement with another pause, Star was off. Not at a gallop like the ponies were expecting, but with a trot. As he reached about fifteen paces, he seemed to speed up, but at the same time it looked like he was going at the same speed he started with, and certainly the same autonomous series of trots. He seemed to jump ahead along the path spontaneously, it was as if he crossed the distance within the blink of an eye. An odd melody hung in the air, even after the armored stallion was long out of sight. As he entered the town once again, Star felt around his torso for his weapon. He hoped that Celestia had not taken it off of him in a not unreasonable bid to keep Equestria's inhabitants from acquiring and utilizing anything designed to kill or maim. To his surprise, his magnum was still holstered in a position analogous to it's original (around his belted hips, under the suit). But it wasn't the same . . . The only things that appeared to be relatively unchanged was the revolving component. The rest had been acclimated to better suit a pony, one way or another. It now had a horse shoe grip, and spring loaded barrels that surrounded the rounds. Of the 6, only the topmost barrel would be sprung at one time, and only when it the gun was not being placed on the ground. It was designed to function as both a gun and a shoe. Feeling awkward with just one raised hoof, he felt around for another gun. His hoof brought back one that couldn't quite recognize with the modifications. It had a black finish, contrasting with the more flashy sterling one his magnum had undergone, and was magazine fed. He assumed it was a Mi, a cheap pistol that he had picked up purely out of the necessity for its increased bank of loaded ammunition (16). It had received the same treatment as his other gun. Now it's magazine was circular, and the barrel slid back into it with each step just as the other gun's did. He didn't know how to fire either of them, but he figured it would come to him once he needed to know. He continued his trot through the street until he heard a scream that WASN'T part of the ambient parasprite screeches. He advanced towards the noise. Turning a corner, he saw a pegasus flying in a low circle barely evading a small group of parasprites. Leaning back on his hind legs, he fired into the small colorful mass of insects. Everyone of them dropped dead. The pegasus stopped for a moment, just long enough for star to get a good look at it. She was a pegasus mare, grey, with a straight blond mane. She said something that sounded like "Thank you!" but it wasn't loud enough to be heard over the noises that had just sounded across the street. As the mare flew to safety, Star turned to face the unmistakable sounds of gunfire, something he, again, did not expect to hear from anything other than himself in this world. He should have gotten the hint earlier, when he found his own guns turned into functional analogs. Or earlier still when he saw Bluh-D's melancholy mark. Having not heeded to the foreshadowing in either, he was dumbstruck by the sight of the pink pony he was looking for now equipped with two rifles strapped to her sides, dispatching large numbers of the swarm effectively on her own. The guns were firing at such a high speed, and with so little user interaction that they had to have been automatic. Bluh-D would bite down on the two mechanisms sprouting from the pieces to her face to shoot them. Literally firing from the hip. Once he got closer to her, and found a decent position, he opened fire on the parasprites. As soon as the two had effectively cleared the immediate area of the beasts, they stopped firing and looked towards each other. Silver Star took off his hat and hooved it to Bluh-D. "Here. I said you'd have a chance to wear it. This is it." "Pfft, narcissist." she said while placing it on her head. Locks of hair returned to the poofy state Star had seen when he'd arrived in her room earlier in the night.

Roan

52

Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Other,Alternate Universe,Human,Adventure,Dark,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Sterling

I'm sorry.

cancelled

<p>A man seeking an end to his own battle finds himself leading others into the fray.</p><p>Note: I'm sorry.</p>

teen

2012-10-21T23:52:50+00:00

2012-10-21T23:52:50+00:00

It was the next morning. The parasprites had receded. The two gunsponies were looking at an unlit wall in the basement of Sugarcube Corner. One had an expectant, though unseen, face, and the other pony’s expression was stoic, uncaring. Bluh-D caught a swinging chain and yanked it. Several bulbs flickered for a moment before hitting an equalized on/off frequency. As Star's eyes scanned the contents of the recently revealed shelves, his head went spinning. So many weapons, so many differences from the ones he’d seen at home . . . He'd find the time to pour over the details later. He needed to know what Bluh-D knew about the other bearers, and convince her he was working for the princess. She wasn’t going to let him. "What do you think?" "It's certainly a veritable collection." Realizing something was off between this display of firepower he was being presented with and the description of Equestria's history as dictated by Celestia, Star decided to focus on the guns for the time being. "Where did they come from?" "They were produced for the last big war Equestria had. All recorded history of it was wiped out. The griffons vied for dominance over the land 170 years ago. Ponies won." There it was. He was told previously that Equestria was a place with limited knowledge of strife or even general trans-grievance. But that was a lie. Why would the princess mislead him like that? There was more at play here than he knew. He had a feeling that Celestia genuinely wasn't trying to hurt anyone, but having played the villain himself on several occasions, he knew that didn't necessarily mean she had good intentions. Star thought about what she had asked him to do. The Tyrant's Heart, an item "removed from the bosom of an unjust ruler," was used to alter the events incited by said ruler. It let it's holder (or 'habeaea') control these events and effectively change the past. Perhaps the princess had reached the level of cruelty and destruction required to change her heart, so she could use it to create the fair and peaceful Equestria he was assured he'd be saving? It would be a brilliant plan if it weren't for the fact that she'd die in the process of retrieving it, and thus someone else would have to use the heart to the effect she was hoping for. Theories of regal deceit now fully formed, he continued to gawk at the pieces that lay before him. "How did you get them?" "An antique salespony received them one night, and on the next he nearly received a swift death. I intervened, and they fell into my hooves as his thanks." "Who-" "Royal guards. Verbal and physical history was almost completely erased too. They’re still looking for this stash as we speak." Proof to back up his theory. They were covering things up to this day. He didn't know to what extent though aside from denying the physical existence of high speed ballistic weaponry. Bluh-D picked up a piece that resembled a pump action shotgun. Where the stock and trigger would be on an human gun, a lead knob was apparent. "This is designed for unicorns. It's supposed to be levitated and fired on the go, in close proximity to an enemy. Unicorns can't use them without knowing the exact shape of the hammer. Each one has it's own hammer design, making them 'locked' to specific unicorns on the battlefield. The lead ball prevents any peeping spells from seeing the firing mechanism." A lot like ID locked weaponry, Star thought. Putting back the shotgun, Bluh-D grabbed hold of something that looked exactly like a light machine gun, aside from the grip . . . which was a laterally placed, hoof sized ring, with a flat trigger facing opposite it's human counterpart. "Pegasi, being most effective as aerial combatants, have their hooves free most of the time. They use these small rifles to pepper encampments or clusters of enemy troops with lead while the earthbound ponies use the distraction to rush in." All basic tactics, yes, but she was trying to convey to the colt the application of each weapon, not complex battle strategies. Suddenly, a squeak was heard by the two ponies. It was followed by a crash, as the yellow pegasus Star had seen the night before tumbled down the stairs into the basement, in between the Silver and Bluh-D. She made another nervous squeak while the two ponies looked down at her. "I Pinkie Pie swear I won’t tell anyone!" she muttered, just barely audible if not the the room's lack of ambient noises. "Fluttershy . . . ?” Bluh-D said, with a concerned look. She made another squeak, closed her eyes, and whimpered, letting her legs cringe and shake above her, expecting only the worst possible punishment for her intrusion. "How long long have you been listening to us?" Star asked in the least scary voice he could muster. "S-since ye-yesterday . . ." "What did you hear?" "You said . . . That you're . . ." "That we're what?" "You're . . . Ka-ka . . . Ki-" "Spit it out already!" Bluh-D yelled, eliciting an angry (though still unseen) glare from Star. Fluttershy took a deep breathe, and let it all out . . . "You'rekillersandPinkiePieisn'twhoshesayssheidandI'msorryohsosorrypleasedon'tkillme!" Bluh-D snickered. Star gave her an even more angry, yet again unseen, look. "I think you'd best explain what a 'killer' is to her quickly, before she dies of a heart attack.” Another squeak. Star looked straight into Flutterrshy's eyes. They had a strange mellowing effect on him. "We're not killers in that we murder ponies for fun or personal gain, we're called killers because we're the first beings of our respective races to commit the ‘ultimate sin.’" She said that as if it were a perfectly clear explanation, rearing up and making circular motions with her hooves as she spoke the last part, trying to make it sound spooky instead of downright scary. Which for Fluttershy, made it seem all the more creepy, what with the mare she used to know looming over her and a stallion she hadn’t even met yet backing her up. Or at least, not stopping her. “You wanna know who I killed?” Fluttershy just made a scared squared squeak in response. “It was four thousand years ago,” Bluh-D started in a more playful voice than the one she had earlier, “my first life. I was the best party planner in all of Equestria, and the princesses were having me set up the Grand Galloping Gala! I had everything done, no detail was spared, but the best part was all the balloons they let me use!” Bluh-D picked up the pegasus with a foreleg, locking them shoulder to shoulder with one hoof on Fluttershy’s side and the other waving in front of the two mares. “Balloons! Balloons as far as the eye could see! I couldn’t even count them . . . And then HE showed up . . .” Bluh-D said as if her statement added something other than another layer of confusion and fear to her yellow friend’s scared little thoughts. “That stupid unicorn, with his stupid horn! He just kept jumping around, popping all of my balloons. It made me so angry! And the princesses showed up, and he started laughing, and they laughed with him!” Fluttershy was beyond her previous “shaking” state, and was now oscillating so intensely that her back looked like it might actually be hurting the pink pony holding her up. “The next morning, I followed him back to his home . . . And, and . . .” She started crying. Fluttershy, now embraced in a tighter grip by the other mare, could be seen weeping as well. “I regret everything. Sincerely.” Both of them cried for a few moments. Fluttershy seemed to have calmed down. Or tensed up because the pony she believed to be a serial killer had her in a vice. She squeaked again. Bluh-D gave Fluttershy some space, moving from her side to the opposite end of the room. After a few minutes, she spoke up. "So your real name's Blee-D Pie?" "Bluh-D Sundae." "Oh-okay. " The room was silent again. The killers kept their eyes away from the frightened pegasus, fearing that even so much as a glance could scare her to death at this point. “Fluttershy, I Pinkie Pie swear . . . oh, right.” Silence again took the room. "I know it sounds scary, but killers are usually pretty nice." Wait, what? thought Star. Where could she have met another kill . . . ohhhhh . . . "Just look at this stallion over here," Bluh-D waved a hoof in Star's direction, "he just showed up here last night and risked his life to save me and another pony! Would you expect somepony like that to MURDER anypony like you?" "...No." The two mares made eye contact. With a smile, Bluh-D winked at Fluttershy. At first she drew back from the sudden movement, but eventually she returned the gesture with a weak smile of her own. Squeak. "I-I have a confession to make." What could possibly lie on the conscience of this shy pegasus, that could be ranked against a revelation as life-changing and strange as the one spoken of but moments ago? "I could have stopped the parasprite swarm from ever even getting near Ponyville, or at least warned somepony, but after seeing Angel . . . reduced to . . ." Skeletal remains, whomever Angel had been. And she wept again. Star decided it would be best if he left Fluttershy in her friend's company (which was frankly a really bad idea considering the pegasus’ belief that she could be gutted by Bluh-D any second now), but as he took to the stairs, she spoke up in a demanding tone. "Wait!" Star turned around to see a teary eyed, but otherwise very stern looking pegasus staring him down. "I want to get rid of them. The entire infestation. I heard their screams. E-every second is just another bit of agony for them. Their extermination would be an act of kindness to them as well as ponykind." Fluttershy said grimly, her determined tone sending a cold shiver down Star’s spine.. and those eyes... They had a glint of calculated ire he'd seen only once before. It was unmistakable. This was the Catalyst. "If that’s what you want, I have a book that might help.” Stratting. Creating solutions out of various chemicals on the go, and putting them to use without hesitation. Star didn't know much about it himself, but he always carried a guide to the practice, written by a human that was arguably the best Stratter to have ever lived. It wasn't about spending time testing theoretical combinations of elements, that's what lab trials were for. Stratters had to develop the know-how and the guts to follow through with any plan they came up with on a moments notice, no matter how crazy it might get. "Revisions later, success now!" was one of many mottoes mentioned in the guide. A valid argument could be made that the only reason the writer of the guide was "the best stratter ever" was that every other stratter died before they reached his level of success. Regardless of the dangers of the practice, Fluttershy was hurriedly studying the pages, occasionally stopping to ask Star what certain anatomical equivalents were. It was written for humans, by a human, after all. "I need a suit to do this, don't I?" "If you want to live, yes. Do you know anyone who could make one for you?" "Rarity. She lives and works in the Carousel Boutique. The light blue and purple building with a carousel on top. Let me just . . ." And at that, the yellow pegasus began drawing something based on a diagram in the book. The designs seemed odd, and they were, but they had some undeniably genius adaptations of the designs displayed in the book. 'Gloves' that fit over the wings, pockets along the sides that held buckets or vials of frit or other chemical products. It may have even been greater than what the book detailed. When she was done, she hooved the sketches to Star. "Take these to her, she already has my measurements. It'll probably take her no more than a day to get it all done." "Where will you get a gas-mask though? That's article #1, you know! I don't want to see somepony go through all this trouble just to die when they suck in just a little too much frit." "Bluh-D had a few lying around." she said as she pulled one out and put it on. "Alright . . ." There it was. Most of it. The Carousel Boutique had clearly been eaten at by the parapsrites from the night before. Half of its roof was missing. He hoped whomever Rarity was, she had not fallen victim to the swarm. Not because it would have delayed Fluttershy's suit, and the parasprites inevitable destruction at the shy pegasus’ hooves, but because it would be yet another pony she'd feel responsible for the death of. After knocking on the door, a unicorn filly greeted him with a small curtsy. "Hello sir, I'm Sweetie Belle. If you need some help, my sister's upstairs offering aid to the wounded." "What kind of aid?" "Stitches." Stitches don't do a very good job of fixing up chunks of missing flesh. Certainly not en masse. He shuddered at the probable medical practices being performed just a story above him. Medieval methods, as he could only assume that was the dressmaking pony’s only knowledge of medicine, were often worse than the wounds they were intended to treat. "Does your sister do this for ponies under less dire circumstances?" "Nah, but when Nurse Redheart said they didn't have enough room at the hospital, Rarity started taking in the ponies rejected by the doctors." "Can I speak with her?" "Sure, just a moment." Sweetie Belle trotted away, closing the door behind her. Seconds later, a muffled scream sounded from the second floor. Forceful stomps sounded throughout the boutique. The door opened and the white coated and purple maned unicorn Star had seen in the library just over 12 hours ago took it’s place. "If you don't approve of my methods, you should complain to the clinic down the street-Oh! You're Pinkie's coltfriend, right? Did she make it out alright?" "She's fine. I know you're busy, but Fluttershy needs something-" "Fluttershy? Why wouldn't she just come by and ask for it herself?" "Well, Fluttershy is busy right now. These are some sketches of what she wants." He passed Rarity the papers. "Let's see . . ." She hooved through them. Her face turned from a look of excitement to confusion. "What is this? Why would she ask for something so bland and uninspired. All that rubber . . . And what are these things on the wings? Gloves go on hooves, not wings . . ." "Please, I can't explain her reasoning. She'd be here to tell you herself, if she wasn't already preoccupied with something at Sugarcube Corner." "Fine, I'll make this absolutely garish outfit. She better have a good explanation for this when it’s done. But tell me, what is THAT?" She pointed at the mask adorning the sketched Fluttershy's head. "It's a gas-mask." "What could that girl be thinking . . ." Rarity muttered to herself. Not seeing much reason to peruse the wealth of information Rarity may hold on the other three ponies from the meeting, at least at the expense of Fluttershy’s suit and the ponies receiving ‘help’ upstairs, Star began trotting away. "Remember, everything has to be airtight!" he called out to the distressed seamstress. Having given Rarity Fluttershy's instructional sketches, Silver Star had nothing to do for bit. Fluttershy was studying intently in the basement of Sugarcube Corner, and Bluh-D had to work there so he couldn’t talk to her about anything that might, well, upset her customers . . . Maybe he’d run into one of the ponies from the meeting if he just wandered the town for a bit? He could at least survey the damage done by the swarm while he was at it. Star set about, pacing around the town. Whistling melodies very few might recognize, but many would find comforting if they could. He may have been off key, but his rhythm could not be beat. A mare with posters draped across her sides approached him. She had a vanilla pelt and a stereo-chrome mane. Indigo and pink. "Have you seen this unicorn?" she said, craning her neck towards the poster. It had red typography signifying the missing state of a pony named Lyra. Its picture depicted a unicorn, the sight of whom made him stop dead in his tracks. Light green coat, stereo-chrome mane similar to the mare in front of him with a vibrant shade of green accompanied by a white accent. He saw this pony last night. It was during the run to the farm. She had been covered in parasprites from the shoulders down, crawling into the street with what little strength (and muscular tissue) she had left. "I'm sorry miss, but I haven't seen her." "Oh, I hope she's okay . . ." For the first time in a while, he broke out of the walking, err, trotting beat as he moved quickly away from the poster touting mare. Whatever relation she may have had with the unicorn, it had ended last night, with Lyra's life. He felt sick. Sicker than he normally did over death. Which was sick enough to coat the inside of his visor in puke. He did a good job of restraining himself. As he got back into his rhythmic pace, he tried to avoid looking at any of the ponies on the streets. He didn't want to see their faces. He refused to see anymore heartbreak, for now. Perhaps on a 'hero' it was fine. After all, their tragedies were designated. They were chosen to deal with the more dastardly things life could throw at them because they could handle them, perhaps they’d even grow stronger by surviving the series life shattering ordeals that would manifest in their time. Normal beings rarely had the strength to go into the darkness (or light). His thoughts drifted to the human child he had taken under his wing for a time. Marie Geladrin [Gel = Hel]. The supreme synesthesiac, people called her. She was thrown into the ranks of Hell's Firing Squad and survived, but she would never be the same. It was her story, surviving the practices of the terrorist syndication time and time again, that inspired him to become a synesthetic soldier. Despite his best attempts to avoid contact with the pedestreponies, a pegasus had taken to following him. It hovered just a meter above his right shoulder, probably waiting for him to notice its presence. It was the one he'd saved last night before finding Bluh-D. Having looked at her to identify the mare, Star was now compelled to converse with her out of politeness. "Hello." he began. "Thanks for saving me last night. I knew it was you, even without the hat." He had completely forgot that he'd lent his fedora to Bluh-D. He'd have to pick it up from her later. "I was a goner, there was no way I'd have out-flown those damned insects for much longer. And then you just reared up out of nowhere with that weird music," she posed in midair, enthusiatically pantomiming Star’s actions with her hooves, "and shot all the parasprites dead." Before responding, he noted how she didn't have any qualms about the devices that had been attached to his keratin palms. He hadn’t seen any ‘hoofguns’ among the throng in the basement, so up to now he was curious as to whether or not they had existed in Equestria before he’d arrived. "I was hoping to ask you about somethings." "Anything for the stallion that saved my life, especially with such style . . ." "What's your name?" The pegasus brought her hoof to the bottom of her muzzle. She pondered over an answer for quite a while, considering the question and all it entailed thoroughly. "I'm Ditzy Doo, but most ponies call me Derpy. It's a nasty poke at my condition. I’m kinda . . . wall-eyed.” Star looked into her eyes, having not paid attention to them earlier. Sure enough, one of her eyes was obstinately refusing to look forward at him. Having gotten onto the subject of sight, he took a brief moment to think about how even though his eyes were now situated on the side of his head, his visor effectively prevented him from experiencing 'prey' vision. Somethings never change. "That's unfortunate." "Yeah. It's a pretty good way to judge a pony's character though! You should try it, just ask a questionable pony if they know me. If they say something like "don't you mean Derpy," you can guess that they probably aren't very nice!" He remembered using a similar trick to solve a puzzle a long time ago. This mare, as ditzy as she may be, was pretty clever. "Hey, uh, why don't we go to Sugarcube Corner and get some muffins, on me!" That was the place Bluh-D lived and worked. He could talk with this pony and get his hat back all in one go. "Sure, that sounds great." "Sorry Ditzy, all the ingredients for the muffin mix were given to BonBon for her "Proper Sustenance in Times of Despair" project." (she’s making a giant cake shaped like Lyra, spoilers) said Bluh-D, who’s hair was now mostly poofy with but a few straight locks here and there. She was wearing the fedora, and a roan colored outfit with orange trimmings. It covered her melancholy mark. Silver felt sorry, having been the one that uncovered the psychological (and now physical) scar. "Ohhhhh . . ." "Buuuttt! We do have some eclairs in the fridge. They'll be a little frozen on the inside, so if you'd give me some time to unfreeze 'em a bit, you can have a free Pinkie's dozen!" Looking towards one of several chalkboards denoting the bakery's varied offerings and daily specials, a Pinkie's dozen was revealed to be "As many as you can eat, with Pinkie Pie in a nearby seat!" So while Bluh-D patiently waited for the filling to warm up, Ditzy and Star sat down and talked. "I never got your name." "It's To-" Hold it. Gotta use your pony name. What caused that slip up, man? You've gone as far as calling yourself by the false name in thought. By now you should be having an identity crisis of some sort . . . Oh. Of course. It was an identity crisis. And Tom's mind was dealing with it like it did everything else: regression. There's something about this situation that prompted an emergency excursion to the sanctity of his last remaining sliver of human influence on his (outward) life. "Uh, Silver Star." "Are you okay?" she asked, a hint of concern in her voice. "Yes." he replied, lying unconvincingly. He had to figure this out quickly. What could it be . . . The bakery? No. He'd been in here, talking as a pony, long enough to confirm that there were no problems with this place. The events leading up to this point? Again, no. He'd been through far worse. Ditzy Doo? Maybe. There wasn't anything reminiscent about her features. He'd recorded and shelved that bit about "judging character with her name," and he'd completely forgotten what it reminded him of. And then it hit him. Or rather, he hit it as he fell from his seat onto the hardwood floor and yelped something very close to an expletive. As Ditzy and Bluh-D stepped into his fading vision. He passed out. It was sleep. He needed some. So here he was, out cold, forced into a slumber by the fatigue he’d failed to notice earlier. And then the real regression began. Im sorry, did he just have an existential crisis or something above? Feels strongly disjointed and sudden. Yeah. A familiar scene began to resolve itself from the haze of his vision... A Somnium Concerto - Celestial musings representative of real events. Musical analogs meant to synchronise the events of two disparate parties, no matter how far apart in thought, mind, and body they may be. He’d seen several. Been in a couple to, for that matter. He didn’t like this one any more than he had the last. Arrayed before him, through a curtain-like veil, was an orchestral throng of ponies. The “dream”, or so he termed it, had drawn them in ethereal shades of blue, but by focusing intently on individual beings he could see their true colors, in addition to perceiving their names and the true bent of their spirit. There were a total of sixteen assorted beings in all. Each one playing their own instrument or singing. Like all narcissistic creatures, he turned his attention to himself first. His ephemeral counterpart was playing a large bass. As a detached element to the scene, it was no surprise to Tom that he was behind all the other members of the orchestra, close to a pony playing a cello. Looking out to the front row, six ponies at front and center stage. Their forms were more solid, their colors more vivid than that the others. These appeared to be the elements of harmony, the heroes. The living heroes. He was unable to clearly focus on the ones he hadn't spoken with for more than a moment... he either wasn't near enough to them outside this dream or they weren't 'open' enough to him. Either way, they were inaccessible. Turning to those he could access, he confirmed his beliefs about the jobs, and elements, of the few he had intimate knowledge of. Pinkie Pie was the element of Laughter, the Killer, playing several instruments in her one-pony-band harness. She was chaotically switching from an emanation, then back to a penumbra rapidly. The effect was disorienting. Fluttershy was Kindness, the Catalyst, a singer and beautiful penumbra. Surprisingly, Rarity was opened to him after only the short conversation they had had that morning. She held the element of Generosity, and she was the Mender, raising her seductive voice along with Fluttershy; a penumbra. He was starting to doubt his own suspicions that she may be mistreating the patients that the hospital refused to admit. Rainbow Dash was enthusiastically playing an electric guitar, while Twilight was playing a synth. Applejack was abusing a viola, to put it lightly. That thing is NOT a fiddle! Onto ‘the dead.’ The back row. The thankless beings that give up everything to save their own kind, regardless of their inclination to do so. Their role in all of this was yet to be made clear, but they were present all the same. He started with the one playing the cello. A grey coated mare, long black mane, a treble clef for her mark. A Penumbra. Octavia. Going from the middle of the throng to one of the the ends, he began focusing again. Not surprisingly, the unicorn he saw last night was there. Wearing a mournful expression, was Lyra. An emanation, she was soulfully plucking a lyre with heart-wrenching skill. Next up was a male unicorn Pokey Pierce, his coat a dark, gray-brown. Silver mane. An oddity, neither an emanation or a penumbra, he fluctuated between the two. He was DJing along side a unicorn mare. There was more there though, another name. Further focus revealed his name was . . . Able? A coincidence, surely. His mark initially appeared to be a pin forced into a balloon, resolved into with a pike. Also a coincidence. Clearly. Moving on. The mare beside Pierce was DJ PON-3... a stage name... he pushed past it and found her real moniker. Vinyl Scratch. Her spirit was not on the light side of the spectrum. Not an odd occurrence among the band of the dead. Stereo-chrome blue hair. White pelt. Purple sunglasses hiding a pair of deep red eyes. … Ah, now here was an odd one... A pony that looked very much like an inverted Fluttershy, playing a ukulele and singing in a much deeper voice than the real Fluttershy could manage. It was not uncommon for catalysts to become hosts to sentient parasites, called Luci, before they found their calling. In almost all circumstances, the parasite would die due to one or more physical complications in the host before they became ‘heroes.’ Occasionally those parasites would be among ‘the dead.’ In most of those cases, the organism’s body would be left brain-dead. The remains would stay, performing autonomous actions and augmenting the host's body. The death counts as that of the host, preventing the passage of that soul in the event of bodily death. His team’s Catalyst had ‘died’, and his Luci revived him. At present, it gave him a super natural healing prowess, at the cost of a metabolism that could kill him if he didn’t watch his diet. Apparently, at least some of that applied to this team’s Catalyst. It was a penumbra. Next in line was Soarin'. A lean pegasus colt with a light blue coat. Dark blue mane. Singing. An emanation. And now Roseluck. Another mare he swore he had seen die. Cream coat and rose colored mane. Playing a glockenspiel. An emanation. The next was veiled in darkness. No amount of focus would yield its name, nor true bent of character. Its form was that of a pegasus playing a trombone. Perhaps he couldn’t see them because they hadn't died yet? Then the dam broke . . . . . . PRINCESS LUNA? That was certainly the name presented by this small nightly apparition. Filly. Alicorn. Light blue mane. Indigo coat. Emanation. So that wasn't a joke then. Noncombatant. She appeared to be the conductor, but as one of the dead she was not allowed to take center stage and direct the band just yet. She simply tapped her stick against a musical stand with a bored expression. As he finished observing and mentally cataloging the information he'd collected, he felt the strangest sensation of something trickling down his throat. It was the feeling of an unhealthy of amount of water; Bluh-D's attempt to wake him up. She managed to pop open the very end of his visor and had filled his helmet cavity full of water. Shooting up from the ground in response to the sudden feeling of the water against his vocal chords, he found that he could not breathe without opening his faceplate entirely and letting out all the water. Turning away from the the two ponies he knew were in the room with him, placed a hoof against a point on his head, and another near his hip. The tinted panel fell from his face, along with all of the water. After he'd successfully evacuated all the liquid from his lungs, he picked up the visor and reattached it. He breathed heavily for moment, and then brought his head to eye level with the mares behind him. Before he could question and reprimand them, his eyes met with Fluttershy's. Having not realized that the pegasus was there before taking off the plexiglass that protected his visage from stray gunfire and looks, he felt as if he'd just stared into the gates of hell and survived. Especially so, considering which of the room's occupants had seen IT. Years ago, he was captured while attempting to distill the actions of a coup. They'd outsmarted him. When subdued, a boy named Jack removed his visor with feverish pleasure, and branded a swastika into his forehead. The last time he showed his face, it turned a friend into a dissenter. Banishment from a town of misfits on another occasion. But when shown to the most easily spooked being he'd met in Equestria, it elicited little more than a reflection of the physical agony warranted by it’s application. Not even a hint of worry over it's real meaning was shown. "That's a weird scar." she said, before returning to studying one of the three books she had open in front of her. One was the the guide he'd given her, now marked up and covered in sticky notes (Hey! That was my last signed copy!), while the other two appeared to be books on the elements and physics of Equestria. He suspected that would be the case. The idea that two universes would have exactly the same physics and elements as another was more ridiculous than his arrival. "What was that about a scar-Oh! You're finally awake." Rarity moved her head out from behind the yellow pegasus. She was giving Fluttershy a back massage with her embalmed hooves. "Did you finish her suit?" "Of course! It took me a fortnight, but I would never let down a friend in need, even if it is such a GRUESOME need . . ." "Like sewing alcohol covered gauze into the wounds of ponies you know are going to die? That's pretty gruesome if you ask me." interjected Bluh-D, laughter in her voice at the contradiction. "Hmmph! I'll have you know I saved at least four ponies today! Some were even brought to such a condition that the hospital took them back instead of shoving them onto my doorstep." "Because they totally didn't just free up forty rooms with that medical transport to Fillydelphia, right? And your doorstep? So you just admitted that your house is a morgue. Now we have a proper place to host that party for all the dead-" "Bluh-D!" A new voice joined the conversation. It was Twilight Sparkle, the purple unicorn. After trotting down the steps into the basement, she punched, or more accurately slapped with her hoof, Bluh-D on the face. Bluh-D seemed to willingly accept the blow. "Rarity, I ask that you refrain from speaking with Bluh-D until tomorrow afternoon. Unless it's an emergency." "But she-l, errr, yes. Alright, I guess there’s no need to stoop to her level . . ." "So you're the leader, then?" Star asked. Twilight gave him a very, very serious glare. He felt as if a large predator was watching him for the slightest movement, the barest possible chance to strike and bite into his neck. His leader had never resorted to such tactics of intimidation, but he knew how to combat them all the same. Ignore them. "So how long have I been out? What have Bluh-D and Fluttershy told you?" A pleasant look returned to her face, and then she answered him in a much less hostile tone. “Thirty-eight hours. I asked Bluh-D to keep you asleep until you stopped talking, and had Ditzy write down everything you said. I know about 'Pinkie's lies.' she told me about how you're both ‘shooters.’" From the corner of his eye, or visor rather, he saw a bruised and frizzy haired Bluh-D winking at him. Replacing “Killers” with “Shooters” was going make convincing the others to listen to him much easier. Now, what was this stuff about him talking? "Was I saying things in my sleep?" he asked. "Yes,” Twilight replied, “the names of many recently deceased ponies. We could only confirm that you had knowledge of two before you passed out. And no, we don't know if Luna's alive. There was an explosion in the princess’ castle last night though, and no word has been heard of her since. You told Bluh-D that Celestia sent you. Why?" He had yet to tell any of them the whole story about how, and why, he was here. Of course, he suspected that the reason supplied by the princess was a lie. At the very least, a half-truth. “Well . . .” "Ditzy, write this down." He told them what the princess told him about Equestria. How it was a peaceful land. Crime was low, and grievances rarely amounted to more than a boastful pony appearing in the wrong place at the wrong time. Bluh-D rolled her eyes when he spoke of about how war was a thing unheard of. “We get it. She gave you a brief history lesson, but what did she bring you here for?” she interrupted, getting a mean look from Twilight in the process. “Well, she asked me to train the bearers of the elements of harmony. She said that something similar to Nightmare Moon had taken her, and presumably only the elements could dispel it.” “That sort-of explains the letters, and the books she asked for.” Twilight said. She sighed before continuing. “What’s this whole training thing about?” “You, and your five friends, are-” “Ouch!” yelped Fluttershy as she took to the air, bowling Rarity right over. “What’s wrong, Fluttershy?” As she floated back to the ground, her expression changed from one of painful surprise to something more . . . morose? “It’s just a paper-cut. I’ll get a band-aid, don’t worry. Just . . . carry on.” “Oh no, please dear, allow me!” Rarity said as she pulled at the pegasus’ hoof. “Wha-what’s this?” Having turned over Fluttershy’s hoof to show the cut to everyone else in the room, an orange liquid was seen oozing from the wound. It was very slow, and seemed to stop moving altogether after a few seconds. Fluttershy gave a dejected shy. “Ohhhhhhh . . . That’s going to take a while to scrape off . . .” Star had been holding his breath since he’d seen the off colored blood, in stark contrast to the gaping of the other ponies in the room. He began breathing again after hearing the sad, but clearly not heavily concerned, remark from the injured pony. He’d seen this before. Another parallel. Or perhaps this was the first difference between the two. Both catalysts had altered blood, due to the parasites. But his catalyst’s blood was green, and became a vapor when it met the open air. He was shunned for a time, labelled a miasmite, because of the toxicity of this vapor. This catalyst’s blood was the exact opposite. It hardened. How this pony could function with a condition like that, he could only guess, but that didn’t matter. Fluttershy had to have known about it for a while. Not necessarily the cause, but he could test that. It would make things a lot harder for him in the long term, but he was sure he’d not get a chance to do this in the future . . . “How did you die?” “. . .” “It’s okay, I promise your secret won’t leave this room. Nopony will think lesser of you when it’s over. I just need to know.” “It was the day I got my cutie mark,” she said while dropping her head below her shoulders, “I fell off a cloud into a mass of butterflies. I told everypony that they had caught me. That was a lie. I hit the ground hard, all my limbs splaying out underneath me. A stick had embedded itself in my skull. As I passed out, I saw a glow that seemed to be coming from the hole in my head. When I woke up, I was fine. Shaken, unbelieving, but fine. As I got up, I struggled as all the hardened veins of blood along my coat cracked and fell away. Two patches persisted, on my flanks. Inside of them were several butterflies, trapped. As if in amber. I thought the whole thing was a hallucination for a long time...” Everyone except Star remained frozen. Fluttershy got up and trotted to one side of the room where she picked up her suit that Rarity made for her. Without another word, she put it on, and left the basement. At the front door of the bakery was Rainbow Dash, who had just arrived. She had missed Fluttershy’s grim tale. “Hey, Fluttershy! There are a ton of squirrels hiding under Applejack’s porch. She asked me to get you over there so we can get them out safely and-” “Not now Rainbow. I have something I’ve got to do.” She pressed past her stunned Pegasus friend, and trotting away. Silver Star was the first pony to move. He ran up the stairs and out of the basement, catching up with Fluttershy just as she left the building. “What are you doing now?” he whispered to her. “You’ll see.” Frit: Chemically active products in small (dust-like) quantities. Article #2 is, quote, “A lot of rubber.”

Roan

52

Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Other,Alternate Universe,Human,Adventure,Dark,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Sterling

I'm sorry.

cancelled

<p>A man seeking an end to his own battle finds himself leading others into the fray.</p><p>Note: I'm sorry.</p>

teen

2012-10-23T00:51:39+00:00

2012-10-23T00:51:39+00:00

Silver Star and Fluttershy had just reached the end of Everfree forest. They were sitting together. At least Star was. Fluttershy valiantly stood, watching the fire in the distance with a stoic, uncaring face. But her eyes... oh, those eyes, they had something to say. They broke apart her facade the second they were seen. They spoke of the inner turmoil the pegasus faced. Destroying the life of any creature, however beastly or dangerous it may have been, was a subversion. Possibly the most direct subversion to her own interests she had ever undergone. And yet she was never asked to do it. Fluttershy chose to exterminate the parasprites. On her own. She didn’t even want the company of the pony beside her now. “I want to see your face again.” Her voice had a profundo tinge to it. It was not an inquiry, it was a command. And he would oblige. But first . . . “You will, but may I ask why? You saw it before. The scar, even.” “Just do it.” the tinge from before had grown. And he did. He popped off the faceplate like he had before, however, this time the material of his suit seemed to melt away and receded down his neck. His scar, black mane, and blue eyes had been revealed unto the pegasus once again. Seconds passed, and the metallic substance had now completely encased itself in a small box on the underside of the colt. Numerous bands, some taut and others limp, spanned his body. They covered his torso, his neck, his legs . . . What was left of them. He only had two. Right foreleg, left hind. The others were just stubs. He did a remarkable job of balancing on the remaining appendages. Fluttershy kept her emotionless stare as she scanned his composure. She looked over various weapons, and then stared at his flank. The one that still had a leg attached to it. She pushed through the belts that covered it, looking for his mark. It was the black silhouette of a cross. An allusion to the very cross that Jesus, whether he existed or not, had been crucified upon. It cast a shadow and within it, instead of a true quarter lattice, was a swastika. Reversed, at least when compared to the one on his forehead. A sign of peace, to the hopeful. But to the majority of his people, it would be interpreted (rightfully, mind you) as a sign of hate and destruction. But looking into it himself, Star saw that it was not his true mark. He didn’t know much about ‘cutie marks,’ but it was evident to him now that as far as killers were concerned, they were probably different in every incarnation. Like he did to Bluh-D. to find her real name, he focused on himself and a bit of his past. “I was once an astronaut . . .” “Wha-what’s happening, Silver?” Fluttershy asked, her face had gone back to the more passionate, emotionally expressive one he had only seen in a couple of stressful situations prior to now. “What’s wrong with your cutie mark!” “It’s not real. Just hold on a second . . .” The mark had simply disappeared, with several colors flaring in it’s place for brief moments before losing opacity just like the cross had before them. It was taking a lot more focus to break through and find that first mark, assuming he’d have an equivalent of such a thing, given he would have been a human when it first existed. But he was getting there, just a bit more, a couple more memories should do it . . . “Remember the star that fell through the surface? That was me. Sorry about your house!” No, not enough . . . “Your rose was red from the beginning.” And that did it. His new, vintage rather, mark had appeared. It was a cornucopia. Weaved of graphite. Filled with persimmons. He had no particular interest in persimmons, but he vaguely remembered a book that had used one as a metaphor for something . . . Thoughts of the book meshed with those of Marie Geladrin. And with that, he’d figured it out. The cornucopia’s hold of the persimmons signified how he took in the grotesque and, at the very least, tried to help. Even if it turned them into melancholy warriors. At least they’d be happy. The metallic, or at least iridescent, nature of the weave was referring to his resolve. Well, he hoped that was it . . . If that were not the case, it probably meant he was a hardass. He didn’t like being a hardass. “What did you do?” “I shed a lie, and showed you the truth. You’ve seen Bluh-D’s mark, how it was different from what it was before I showed up. She did the same thing, albeit with a bit of encouragement from me.” “Oh... okay.” And with that, the pegasus had returned to the adorably timid countenance Star had wished to get the chance to know before. “Let’s go back to the others. Now that any immediate, knowable threats have been taken care of, it’s time you all got an explanation.” “One thing before we go . . .” “What would that be, miss Shy?” “Well, two things actually . . .” “Shoot.” he said patiently. She took a deep breath, stopped (hesitated) for a moment, and then spoke. “You said you were something else before you were brought here. What were you? And, I, uh... I think pink looks good on you . . .” That’s right . . . He hadn’t even told them he was a human! “We’ll talk about that when we get everypony together.” Wait, wait, PINK? The group had assembled in the library. Twilight was angry, her eyes bloodshot. She was quick to tell anyone who arrived later than she had expected that she hadn’t slept since the event a few nights ago. Bluh-D was happy. Her hair was had found an equilibrium state, and was now made up completely of frizzy instead of straight or poofy locks. In her poofy locks, Star’s fedora nestled tightly atop her mane. Fluttershy wore a contented look, as if her work had made her feel much better about the situation the ponies were in, and who she was. It was far more likely that the pegasus was simply too tired to contemplate the complex moral decision she had followed through with just hours ago. Rarity was scared. She hadn’t been scared about Bluh-D earlier, but then again, she wasn’t told the truth. Fluttershy’s dispensations had hit her hard. She and Rarity had a bond (which Star could only assume involved many timely visits to the local spa) which was now, at best, strained from the revised pegasus’ history. She sat as far away from the yellow mare as she could. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were confused by so many things, but mostly by Rarity’s obvious resentment of Fluttershy. They sat together. The only pony who’d yet to have shown any inclinations towards any of the particular jobs that Star believed the group was composed of. Except running. Both of them did that pretty well. Ditzy was present as a scribe. When everyone was seated, or otherwise acclimated to the room, Twilight spoke up. “We’re here to find out what’s been going on. Recently, or otherwise. And to get a complete introduction from Mr. Silver. We’ll start by going over our origins. Truthfully. That means none of this ‘shooter’ nonsense, Bluh-D. I saw right through that. The only reason I allowed you to continue with that lie was because I knew you were hiding something that could make or break our friendship. So, we’ll start with you. What are you and Silver Star?” The two mares in the room that had not gotten the chance “to meet Bluh-D” were even more confused by this than by the white pony’s behaviour. They looked around frantically to spot the pony Twilight was addressing. Bluh-D would have laughed, if the atmosphere were a little less serious. Just a little. After 30 seconds of this, she’d had her fun. “I’M Bluh-D, girls.” This was met two quizzical looks. “Me and Silver Star, or should I say Tom, are Killers. BUT! Before you run off screaming or anything, we’re not murders. We’ve just killed someone, a long time ago, and for that we’ve been imbued with special powers and stuff! We regret ever hurting anypony, and we don’t really want to do anything of the sort, ever again.” Everyone except Fluttershy, Tom, and Bluh-D, and Twilight, stopped whatever they were doing and either gaped or muttered something about how it was all some sort of prank. “A-ha!” What? “In one of those books the princess asked for, it said something about this! The first pony to kill another pony intentionally would be punished with an eternal life, full of suffering. Bluh-D, are you that pony?” “Yes! Yes I am that pony and I wholeheartedly regret what I did 4000 years ago!” Equestria should be commended for having existed so long without murder. “And how can we trust you to never kill again?” Dammit! Tom thought, this is exactly what he didn’t want this meeting to amount to. Star would have to get their trust now, or else he’d have to watch, alongside their shunned killer, as they rebelled against a tyrant they didn’t even have any idea they were fighting. The only way he could think of in such short notice could possibly end the meeting just like the last, and alienate the two ponies from the group whom he needed to see next. Twilight was their leader, no doubt, but he didn’t know whether she was like the leader on Cyrias. The fatherless subhuman, Marcelli Alender. Part reaper, infected by a dead luci. Created by the tyrannous party. It was likely such an existence was this purple unicorn before him, but it was within such a small margin that he couldn’t be sure. That bit about having received letters from the princess made it lean towards his theory, and if he knew why Twilight was corresponding with the princess he’d have all he needed to make his claim. As if she sensed Tom’s thoughts and what he needed, Bluh-D whispered in his ear. “She’s the princess’ personal student. Her protege.” Perfect. No, more than perfect. This fell in perfectly with his theories on Celestia’s reason for bringing him here. He could reveal Twilight’s past, gain at least some bit of trust, or at least the attraction incited by incredulity, and make known his ideas about what was going on. “Twilight!” he yelled. “You don’t need to shout Tom.” “Have you ever wondered why you were so lucky as to become the student of a royal figure, nay, a goddess?” “Yes. And I’ve already found out why, thank you very much. I showed talent, however uncontrolled it may have been, when I attempted to join a school for gifted unicorns in Canterlot. After many years of studying under princess Celestia, I was sent to Ponyville, here, to make friends. It was part of her plan to stop Nightmare Moon when she returned from her 1000 year banishment to the moon. I’m the-” “Element of ‘the flow!’” Tom said while rearing up on his hind hooves and point towards Twilight! Everyone in the room looked at Tom with a look of confusion. Twilight was mostly agitated, but was still quite bewildered. The colt who made the loud, and frankly embarrassing, outburst brought himself back onto all 4 hooves and sighed. “I meant magic, sorry.” Shouldn’t have expected them to know the proper term. Not in a place like this. “Regardless, you’re not a natural born pony. You’ve been genetically altered, such that you’re adept at the arcane. More so than the princess herself, possibly. Your parents are real, and they did birth and raise you, but you were modified after conception. You’re a chimera.” “What? No, sir! No! I am a natural being and I refuse to listen to any assertions to the contrary!” “It’s not a bad thi-” Tom started before being tapped on the shoulder by Bluh-D. She whispered to him “Dash is the chimera, stupid!” And then Tom felt sick. It didn’t matter how Bluh-D knew there was a chimera, or whom it was. She continued to whisper to him, something along the lines of “just look at her cutie mark,” but he had stopped listening as he stewed in his “Oh god-I’m sorry!” And then Bluh-D brought a hoof to her face and slowly “Let me just start from the beginning. The real beginning. Maybe you’ll trust me when I’m through. I can understand why you wouldn’t.” “Ditzy, make sure you get all this down. I’m sending it to the princess if he doesn’t give me a good reason to believe him by the end.” Star took a deep breath. This was going to be a long, long spiel. “I’m a human. A bipedal creature without wings, or horns. Well, most of us don’t have those. We have hands instead of hooves, you probably have beings here with them so I’ll spare the details on out dexterity. After millions of years of wallowing around in the muck, our kind made it’s first voyage into space. 120 years later, we were contacted by Giegamurs. They offered, to those wicked enough to accept it, a deal that left only a third of us alive. 500 years later, we live on space stations orbiting a planet called Cyrias.” “You’re either crazy, or you think we’re crazy enough to believe you.” Ignoring Twilight, he continued. “4 years ago, I, and 5 other humans, were trapped under the surface of Cyrias. In a place called the labyrinth. It was a place where dreams came true, as hard as it may be to believe. But its nature also spawned stuff of nightmares. It was also the place where “the dead” of humanity appeared. You remember that list of everything I said while I was asleep? Those were your dead. Anyway, they manifested as small creatures that I’d be hard pressed to describe. They were made of something akin to stone, but other than that, utterly indescribable! I, 3 of those humans, and 4 of the dead, broke the surface of Cyrias and converted into a sun that now orbits the planet. In the process, we freed a Giegamur from his ire, in a method quite similar to how you defeated Nightmare Moon. However, we suffered losses in our fight. The dead moved on, starting a quest on another planet similar to Cyrias, and we got ourselves into trouble when we returned to a station. We were split up for about a year, and then got together and were given a book called “The Heroes and the Dead,” which told us about ourselves and what we were supposed to do. Actually, just a second.” He stuck his hoof into his suit, and pulled out a hefty tome. “It told us we were the heroes of humankind, that we’d fix the world. Whether that meant our original planet or the one humanity inhabits now, I still do not know. With the help of the Giegamur we saved, and a human we’d only met after finding the book, we fought a corrupt ruler and acquired an important item called ‘The Tyrant’s Heart,’ which could have been used to undo everything the tyrant had done. But we chose not to use it, because it meant we couldn’t continue with our quest and save everything. It’s supposed to be an off switch of sorts. With it, the heroes decide whether they want their species to go beyond subsistence and grow, or idle peacefully forever. Anyway, up until now I’ve been fulfilling my duties as the killer of my group. It was all supposed to end when I tried to die, as the book foretold, but before I could be torn apart by a vortex of energy, Celestia performed a schism and brought me here.” There was silence for several minutes. “You’re absolutely nuts.” the purple unicorn stated. “I believe him . . .” Fluttershy said, limply. “You’re on trial here too, Fluttershy. Don’t make yourself anymore untrustworthy.” “Uhhhh . . . Twilight?” “What is it, Rainbow?” “I believe him too.” “What!?” “Hear me out! I had this weird dream last night, I thought it was some kind of nightmare, but I think it has something to do with this. There were these 3 weird ponies, they were all shiny, but they looked like . . . like Lyra, Roseluck, and, well, the third one looked sorta like Fluttershy. Lyra was . . . She was just a head . . . We talked for a bit, I asked them if they were real, and they said they were. It wasn’t like when you hallucinate and everything you think up tells you what you want to hear . . . I asked them if they knew about what happened the other night . . . They said they knew they were dead . . . And then I woke up.” “Oh please! Dreams, Dash? You’re going to cite dreams as proof?” “Ah don’t know ‘bout any of this dream nonsense, but ah know when somepony’s lying, and this Star, here, ain’t!” “Applejack! You can’t even see his face, he could have been, could now be, snickering at how stupid you two are for believing in his ridiculous story!” “No, Twilight-” “No, Dash, I’ve had it. I’m going to send a letter to the princess asking her what’s going on, and I’ll be sending his little story along with it.” Suddenly, a loud tearing sound could be heard. “D-d-der-” “He saved my life! I don’t care how much has changed in the past few days, nopony would save another and then lie to everypony!” A very good judge of character. “But-” “No buts Twilight, he’s telling the truth, and we’re just going to have to believe him if we’re going to make any sense of this.” Rarity feinted. Twilight stood still. She started crying. “Fine. Let me see that book.” “Hello?” Lyra called out. She had awoken in a strange, grey landscape. Everything was dusty, covered in something akin to soot in spread and consistency but not quite the same color. The ground was broken apart, like a series of small tectonic plates. She was near a fault, in a concave formation. She couldn’t see more than 30 feet in any given direction because of the ridges risen all around her. She heard another voice, muffled, but certainly there. Figuring that she wouldn’t be able to hear any other voices from her position in what for all intents and purposes was a ditch, she tried to pull herself up from an awkward sitting position. In doing so, Lyra felt herself. Her skin was cold and hard, but she couldn’t feel herself on the inside. Only when contact between one part of her body and another was made did she feel her temperature. It was strange. Everything about this was strange. Could it be a dream? No, she’d just woken up from a dream. A nightmare. A very, very lucid nightmare that she’d tell her friends about the moment she figured out where they were, and where she was in relation to them. Maybe she’d just woken up from the nightmare and unknowingly went back into another, less scary, dream? Regardless, she continued trotting out of her hole, noting the odd ping her hoofsteps made. Maybe this was a dream. She peered over the ridge and saw an expanse of similar depressions. In the distance, a cream coated, red maned earth pony could be seen trotting at the tops of the ridges. “Roseluck!?” The other pony perked up after hearing this. It wasn’t a confirmation that it was indeed Roseluck, but at least there was a pony that could hear her in this grey scape. Lyra heard what could have been a response, but the other pony was too far away for it to carry as more simple noise. The two moved closer and closer towards each other, following what from above looked like an intricate pattern. Their movements brought them closer and closer to a third pony, a pegasus lying unconscious in a depression that lay between the two. As they neared, their voices became clearer to each other. When they’d gotten within 50 meters, their shouts became a viable form of communication, and they could see each other far more clearly than before. “Is that you, Roseluck?” “Yes! Where are we!?” “I don’t know! I just woke up here. I was having the scariest dream . . .” They unknowingly woke the sleeping pony. She had a neon blue coat, and dark green mane that was long and flowing. She moaned for a few moments, but not loud enough to draw the attention of the two mares closing in on her position. “What was it about?” “Parasprites!” “That’s weird, so was mine . . .” Parasprites? thought the blue pegasus. What’s a parasprite? “Did you . . . Did you die, in the dream, perchance?” Lyra asked with a concerned face. “I think so . . .” They thought they were dreaming? Ughhhhh . . . I’d hate to be the one to break it to ‘em but . . . “Hey, who’s that?” Roseluck said as she and Lyra now found only the pegasus’ hole preventing them from congregating. My name is . . . I don’t have one . . . Oh! What do I do what do I do!? My hostess, perfect! “Yes, it’s me, Fluttershy!” Lyra thought to herself about how forward the timid pegasus was being. Adding in the odd colors she now sported, an argument formed in her head that this mare was not Fluttershy, at all. “What’s wrong with your coat and mane, Flutters?” She asked, hoping that it was Fluttershy and she had just gotten dirty or something along those lines. “Well, um, I don’t know, to be honest . . .” Her voice cracked. “You’re not Fluttershy, are you, honey?” “No, no I’m not . . . I’m such a terrible liar, why do I even try . . .” Moments later, the plates shifted underneath the three mares. The depression underneath the pegasus deepened until it opened up and sucked her in. The other two ponies followed suit. Everyone screamed as they fell into a far darker place than they had woken up in. “My . . . My hooves! What happened to my hooves!?” Roseluck screamed as she looked at the missing appendages before her. Her two front legs had broken into small pieces in front of her. They looked like porcelain, or another ceramic material. This has to be a dream! She thought. “They’re broken, simple as that.” the unnamed pegasus said. “But . . . How do . . .” “You’re made of clay now, that’s how! Now, if you’d kindly get off of me, I can go and find something to help you get your hooves back.” Roseluck hadn’t even noticed that she was lying upon the blue mare. She quickly rolled off her and tried not to touch the sharped stubs her hooves had become. As she moved, several liquids, the colors red and cream, started to ooze from the vacancy of her legs. “What . . .” “Blood. But not really. Try to keep that inside you or you’ll pass out.” She shifted her appendages so they pointed upwards, the very idea of such movements made Roseluck feel sick. She looked into her broken legs. They were hollow, aside from the liquid welling up inside them. “I’ll be back with some clay to patch you up. It would do you well to find the unicorn that fell down here with us. Don’t move, obviously . . . Just, holler out her name, tell her you’re here or something like that.” As the blue pegasus got up, she scanned her body for any injuries. She found one. “Ah dammit, I was REALLY wanted to fly . . . Well, just another bit of encouragement to get us some clay, I guess.” Roseluck just stared at her, perplexed. She lost two limbs, and the pegasus before her had lost her wings. Neither of them appeared to be in pain. How could the blue mare be so . . . Nonchalant, about everything that was happening. As she walked away, Roseluck tried to take her mind off the sharp, wet stubs in front of her by looking at her surroundings. She was in the middle of a dirt road, with trees lining the path to her right. On her left, was a stone wall, about twice her height when standing. Both of these prevented passage unto the road from the outside. A cacophony sounded off from behind the wall. Brown dirt and small shards of green were forced into the air. Several landed near Roseluck. “L-Lyra . . . ?” “EY! That’s my talking head, git yer tentacles off it!” “You’re selling it to me, you dolt. And frankly, it hasn’t been talking much. Where’d you find it?” “The minefield, of course! I found it screaming on the ground.” “I’ll give you 20 irids for it.” “Deal!” Lyra was confused. She’d been awoken by swift tug on her hair, and a strange feeling in her . . . Neck? It was like that was all that was left of her. The last thing she remembered was waking up in a field, taking a few steps . . . And a loud noise, all around her. But she felt like it was heard throughout her entire body, not just her ears. It was like her body in its entirety was her ears. “So, I was told you talk. Mind speaking up, just for a moment?” Lyra opened her eyes. In front of her was a purple mass. Her eyes were going to have to adjust to the light before she could actually see what it was. “If you can talk, and are therefore a living figment, I might give you a job. If you can’t speak, I’m afraid you’ll just be another ornament. So please, speak up.” They were talking about me. I’m the “talking head.” She thought. “I-I’m Lyra.” “Well hello Lyra, I’m Dokker. Owner of this small shop. Does there happen to be, uh, any more of you lying around anywhere? A head isn’t a very useful assistant, you see.” It’s a dream. Just play along. He said I was found at “the minefield,” right? “Yes, I’m sure there’s some of me left back at the minefield.” “I’m sure there is, missy, but I don’t think anything left there would be very . . . Intact.” She gulped, however that may work when you don’t have a neck. It was then that she got a good look at the thing that was holding her. It was nautilus with a purple shell, and blue, slimy tentacles. One of which was, at the disgust of both her and whomever had found her, holding her by her mane. This is the weirdest dream I’ve ever had. “Excuse me!” A feminine voice called out. Lyra couldn’t see to whom it belonged, but she could swear she’d heard it before. “Ah, yes. What would you like, dear.” Dokker swiveled on the mass of tentacles propping him up, turning his eye in the direction of the patron. Lyra caught a glimpse of her. It was the same blue pegasus from before, but its wings were broken off. “Oooh, that looks bad.” “Oh, these?” She said while craning her head and nudging the sharp stubs that were once wings with her muzzle. “They’re fine for now. Do you happen to have any-” She stopped and stared at Lyra. “Ah, you’re interested in this, aren’t you.” “Yes, I happen to know that, uh, head. Her name’s Lyra.” “Well, tell you what, if you do me a favor she’s yours.” “Sure.” The nautilus jumped to the front of the shop, dropping the head onto the floor. Her face was engulfed in several inches of water, but she didn’t feel like she was drowning. It was an unpleasant feeling, of that there was no doubt, but she didn’t feel like the lack of breath was detrimental to her health. “Find me a nice piece. Something with a decent caliber, if you can. That prawn across the street has been stealing all my customers away with his “moral” policy of not accepting living figments for cash. I’m going to scare him outta town, and if that doesn’t work, I’ll shoot him dead! No-one messes with Dokker’s flow of irids and gets away with it. Hell, you can take this head now, and I’ll give you some clay to help the poor girl to her feet once I get the gun.” “I can do that.” What’s a gun? Lyra thought as she was handed, no, tentacled over to the blue pegasus. “Try to get me the piece by tomorrow night. I heard there were some big-pocketed travellers coming through town soon and I’d hate to see all that money just slip by me.” “Will do.” Lyra, what was left of her, was propped against a wall. The blue pegasus was sitting in front of here, expecting the head to say something which she had already prepared an answer for. “So, um, this is a dream right? I’m pretty sure I was knocked out by the fall. Or I could still be in the same dream with parasprites, or-” “I’m really sorry about this Lyra, but you’re dead. You and Roseluck have both said that you were killed by parasprites in your dreams. Well, those weren’t dreams. Now, you’re just a soul in a ceramic doll. A doll that’s been reduced to nothing more than a head, might I add. How’d you manage that?” “I just sorta trotted away from where I landed, and then there was this loud sound . . .” “You stepped on a mine, honey. They’re these little metal things filled with explosives, and they’re rigged to explode when anyone touches them.” “Ohhh . . .” “But don’t worry. With, well, quite a bit of clay you’ll have your body back in no time.” Lyra, only having a sliver of doubt that she was in a dream, had no choice but to continue under the assumption that this pegasus was telling the truth. What was her name, anyway? “Who are you?” “Onassis.” “That’s a weird name.” “Lyra’s a pretty weird name too, same goes for Roseluck.” The mention of the other mare brought concern to Lyra’s face. “Where is she?” “Where she fell. She’s injured too, not as extensively. It would be best to get her back to health before we even start on you, considering she can’t move on her own or be carried.” Lyra was about to speak, but she was cut off by Onassis biting her hair and dragging her across town. She was pleasantly surprised that the experience lacked any painful sensations. She stopped in front of a storefront somewhat similar to the one they had just left. It had a sign near the front that read “I refuse to buy or sell any living or deceased figments, in whole or part!” A large prawn popped out from behind the chest high counter. “Hello there! What can I do for you?” “My friend and I need some clay, badly. I don’t have any money, but I do have some information you might find quite valuable.” “Well, I don’t see why a trade of such items couldn’t be made . . . I’ll give you 5 buckets of the purest clay I have.” “Deal.” The prawn and the pegasus leaned towards each other. Onassis whispered into what was probably the prawn’s ear-hole. “The nautilus, Dokker, wants to run you out of town. He’s asking around for a gun. He intends to scare you away, but he’ll make good on his threats if it comes down to it. I suggest you either arm yourself, or call him out on it.” “Really! That no good scoundrel Dokker? Why, I know exactly what I’m going to do.” The prawn moved to the back of the store, and pulled out a long black rod. Is that a gun? “I’ll run him out! And if he doesn’t oblige . . .” And with that, he was off. Lyra and Onassis watched him scurry across town. He arrived at Dokker’s store, the two shop-keeps conversed for a moment, and then the prawn fired 3 times at the nautilus before running back to his own building and clambering back inside. “You two can have all the clay you need, I thank you kindly for tipping me off on that one.” Onassis carried the many, many buckets of clay she’d been given by the prawn. She held Lyra with her teeth as she had before, but this time she avoided dragging her neck along the ground. Lyra wanted to know some more about what her companion had just done. “You said you weren’t very good at lying, so what was that there?” “Thum fings ‘ange hif ‘ime” “What?” She let go of Lyra, letting her roll for a moment before placing a hoof down on the head before it left her reach. “Some things change with time.” Lyra thought about that for a moment before being scooped up again by the pegasus. In the distance, a disabled Roseluck could be seen. As the pegasus brought the two friends together, Lyra noticed that she was weeping. Her fore-hooves were shattered, pieces of them scattered around her. When they had gotten within several feet of each other, Onassis lay Lyra down beside Roseluck. They looked at each other. The earth pony’s tears grew in viscosity. The unicorn gave her a goofy smile. She was still under the impression that she’d be waking up to the smell of BonBon’s cooking, and would eventually talk to the ‘real’ Roseluck about this crazy dream. Roseluck responded appropriately, sniffling and shutting her eyes wishing that the head that lay before was just part of her imagination. “Well, it’s time to fix you up.” Onassis placed all the buckets on the ground. She picked up one, and poured it’s contents into one of Roseluck’s truncated limbs. She repeated the process, switching between the two hooves. The ceramic material she was made of started to grow at the break points. Onassis stopped and watched as the pony’s appendages reappeared. Roseluck stood up, and, having no words for what had just happened, shook the pegasus’ hoof profusely. “Don’t put your full wait on them for a bit, they’ve got to dry and until then they’ll be quite fragile. Now, we need to find a place to stay-” “Wait, aren’t you going to fix me too?” Lyra exclaimed. “Yes, but I think it would be better if we found somewhere to do it where we couldn’t be disturbed. It’s going to take a while to get your body back. We’ll have to poor some into your neck, wait for that grow out and dry . . . We don’t even have enough clay right now! Personally, I couldn’t say that I’ve been ‘merely a head’ for any period of time, but I’m sure you could hold out just a bit longer . . .” “Hmmph. Fine.” She would’ve brought her shoulders down in indignation, but she had none.

Roan

52

Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Original Character,Other,Alternate Universe,Human,Adventure,Dark,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Sterling

I'm sorry.

cancelled

<p>A man seeking an end to his own battle finds himself leading others into the fray.</p><p>Note: I'm sorry.</p>

teen

2012-10-23T00:56:44+00:00

2012-10-23T00:56:44+00:00

It was dark. Very dark. So dark, nothing could be seen until the eyes of the observer had adjusted to the lack of light. It was a big room. The office of a very important individual. A man, barely 19. Sam Geladrin. His skin was a sickly green. He wore no shirt, and had several tubes attached in a method similar to an IV. They were draining fluids from his back into several unseen vats. He was situated between 4 tables, all of equal make and shape. Three of them had items pertaining to his various fields of study, hobbies, and jobs. One held many revised editions of books on chemical and physical theories, most of which were written by himself, and many chemistry tools like a Bunsen burner and a localized barometer. The next had many different contraptions, all created by Sam, designed as small versions of larger components that would improve the lives of all humans some day in the future. The third was covered in reports about an individual referred to only as “Walker.” We’ll get back to that. The last one had a large amount of food strewn across it. The food ranged from morning toast, midday snacks, and evening steaks. If he didn’t eat every so often, more so than a normal human being, then he would die. Just like that. Another man walked into the room from a door that had been designed so it would not let in any light as passage was made through it. Sam was very picky about lighting. His experiments required even variables as oft overlooked as light be accounted for. The other man happened to be a friend. If he were not, he’d be reprimanded viciously for even possibly disturbing Sam. “Have you figured out what it all means yet?” “The stuff in the case? No. That’s going to take a while. I haven’t even started building anything from that yet . . .” “Building?” Sam took a sip of tea and then answered. “Most of the stuff inside was part of a blueprint for a machine. I don’t know exactly what it does, but it’s similar to a psyche-archiving device.” The other man lowered his head and muttered under his breath “Seeing it his way again, literally.” “Marcelli, I know you think there’s something to be done about all this, but . . . We can’t bring back the dead, at least not these people. If you really wanted Walker to pay for what he did, then you’d have stopped him when he started over a year ago.” “I know that. That’s why I want to know more about what he left behind. Tom-” “Walker.” “He wasn’t the kind of person who just up and shoots people to death, killer or not . . .” “Isn’t.” “What?” “Isn’t that kind of person. Sarah says she found him in a dream an hour ago. He’s not dead. I called you here because she’s setting up personas for an somnium excursion. She’ll be done within the hour, but she can’t go herself because she has to maintain the dream. It’s just you and me.” “Alright.” “One more thing. Jack was spotted.” Marcelli clenched his fists upon hearing that name. “Where?” he said in an agitated voice. “He followed Walker.” Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from behind Sam. “Doh!” Marcelli dashed to the location of the noise while Sam peered over his shoulder. There was a small blue creature on the floor. It had wings, and a polychromatic mane. A pegasus. Upon opening its eyes and spotting the humans staring at it, it gasped for a moment and disappeared. The two men looked into each others eyes for several seconds. “I forgot to mention where Walker is, didn’t I?” “Yes, yes you did.” Twilight and Star were standing over the book. They had partitioned themselves from the other ponies in a room on the second floor. “What does this say? It’s not in any language I’ve ever seen before . . .” She had only just opened the tome and was already having a hard time believing it was relevant at all. On the first page was a line written in a language she could not for the life of her understand. “The dead will fight the darkness, the heroes will fight the light.” “What does that mean, though?” “You and your friends will be fighting the tyrant, the light. And the dead, trans-literally ‘lavich,’ will be fighting the darkness.” Twilight accepted the answer for the time, and continued scanning through the pages. That is, until she hit a point where she couldn’t read further. The book refused to open around halfway. “You’ve hit the logistics section. Only the heroes and lavich described within can see it. You’ll have to find this world’s copy of the book. For now, just read through the first half. It explains what the heroes are, and what they’re supposed to do.” She went back to the beginning of the book, and began reading the description of “the leader.” Leaders unite the other heroes. They have a mastery of the flow, either through natural or artificial means. The rest of the passage detailed “the leader’s” use of “the flow,” which Twilight didn’t see much use in reading, whether she believed Star or the book’s dispensations. She skimmed until she hit a list at the bottom of the page. “Denominational Maladies?” “The most common ‘problems’ that leaders have. There is only one, but it’s one that every leader has. Every hero has it. Most of the dead have it.” She read, out loud, the only bullet present. “Synesthesia . . . ?” “It’s a psychological disorder wherein the afflicted relate senses to others. Most importantly, sound to motion, and motion to sound. Heroes and lavich have a very sophisticated form of it. They only feel, hear, and see the effects of it under special circumstances.” “Like what?” “Battle.” There was a pause at this. Twilight went back to the book. The next page’s heading read “The dreamer.” Dreamers use their minds to communicate with the dead. Their power has a degree of duality to it, they can also see far off lands, and project themselves to other beings. The list of ‘problems’ had some substance to it this time. Ignoring the apparently standard entry, synesthesia, she looked at the 3 new ones. Schizophrenia (misdiagnosed) Overconfidence Pyrophilia “I believe that would be miss Rainbow Dash.” Star said, surprising Twilight. “Why?” “She said she saw Lyra and Roseluck, two dead ponies, in a dream. That’s what it means by communicating with ‘the dead.’” Twilight thought about this for a moment. She still believed this colt was insane, or a very desperate liar with a crazy imagination. She hatched a plan, a plan to test this book and it’s heathenish teachings. “I have a deal for you, Silver Star. If you can prove to me that Dash is “our dreamer,” I’ll believe your story, and this book, without even a second thought on the matter. If you can’t, I’m going to chock up everything that’s happened in the past few days to coincidence. The strange correspondence with Celestia, the parasprites, the disappearance of Luna, the explosion in Canterlot. All of it. I’ll have you arrested, on whatever charge I find suitable-” “Try genocide.” he interjected. “What?” “Genocide. Have me convicted of genocide. If I don’t prove to you that that pegasus is a dreamer, then blame the entire parasprite swarm’s doing on me.” Twilight eyes twitched. “Fine. You have a week.” “I only need a couple of minutes.” he said. He promptly turned around and sauntered to a banister separating him and the purple unicorn from the first floor. “Rainbow Dash, would you kindly fly up here. Right over my left shoulder, as quick as you can. I’d like to test something and-” Before he could finish, the rainbow maned pegasus was gunning it. Seconds before she passed over him, Star pulled something out of his suit and held it in her path. It was small, metallic rod, wrapped in a dirty looking grey net. Dash hit it without slowing down, knocking the rod from Star’s hoof. She and the device tumbled and rolled across the floor behind him. Turning around, he saw Twilight sporting a look of abhorrent shock. “WHY DID YOU DO THAT!?” “She’ll be fine. A little bruised, but not quite as bad as she would be if I had used any other method. You’ll understand in a moment.” Twilight just stood in place, gaping at him. This colt had shown up out of nowhere, claimed he was here to protect and teach her friends, and now he’d given one of them a concussion at the very least. “Twilight?” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight turned to her friend, lying to the left of the unicorn in what could not have been a comfortable position. “Why did call me up here?” The voice didn’t come from the body, and nothing about it said it did. The lips hadn’t moved. It was from above her. She looked up and was met with the crimson eyes of Rainbow Dash. They were not completely opaque. “You, I, what-” “I knocked her out, but because I did it with this,” he said, grabbing and presenting the rod to the perplexed mare, “She began to dream, to really dream. Specifically, she’s dreaming that she had made it to us, unobstructed. I forced her to create an astral projection.” “Twilight, what’s he talking about? This is all . . . Woah, woah, is that . . .” Rainbow’s eyes fell on her own body. “But I’m . . .” She looked about her body, feeling herself to confirm presence and tangibility. She dropped to the ground, nonplussed. She circled and prodded her sleeping self, pinching both bodies. Eventually, the body shuddered. The ghostly form disappeared. Dash woke up, rubbing her head as she turned to her friend. Twilight stopped gaping and spoke. “All right. You win. I believe you. Pinkie’s a reincarnation of a murderer. Fluttershy’s a zombie scientist. Dash is some sort of psychic . . . I don’t even know. But, in this convoluted reality you’ve forced me accept, what am I?” Star trotted beside Twilight. He laid a hoof on her shoulder and lowered his head. “You’re their leader.” Dash woke up, gasping for breath. “So, what do you think of humans?” said Silver Star. Rainbow was being trained to use her dreaming powers, with the colt’s help. She asked him earlier in the day if there was any way she could be shown what a human looked like. At the time, Twilight interjected and told her to practice her ‘mystical dreaming mumbo jumbo instead of speaking with Star about trivial matters,’ so she decided to do just that. With the help of the book, Twilight and Star had pronounced her the dreamer. The hero that could peer into faraway places in their sleep. She was glad she’d gotten an equal amount of practice getting to sleep quickly as she did flying. “Well?” “Tall. Really tall, and . . .” Agreeing to work with her powers as requested, she modified her question. Could I see them in a dream? Two birds with one stone. He had her lie down, and fall asleep, while he took out a small metal object. She didn’t know what he did with it, but instead of having a ‘normal’ dream she found herself in a dark room with a green man silently manipulating small objects with his fingered hands. After a few minutes, another man entered and they discussed things she didn’t understand. When they mentioned the name Tom, she realized they were talking about the pony sitting over here presently. What luck, that on Rainbow’s first controlled peak into another universe would give her information so relevant to her situation. Unfortunately, having no real experience with her powers, she mucked up and revealed herself to the humans she had been observing. “And what?” “Green. Well, one of them was . . . Star, do you know anyone by the name Marcelli?” He didn’t speak for a moment. When he did, his voice faltered. “Yes. But we can talk about that later. You woke up in a panic. What happened?” “I sorta, uh . . . Appeared over there, somehow . . .” “Ahhhh. You see, you focused just a little too hard on staying in the dream. Once you’ve started observing an area, you won’t be pulled away if you lose focus.” “So, like, I can actually appear wherever I dream?!” “Yes, but it takes a lot mental energy. You may not feel it, but you’re exhausted.” Seconds later, Rainbow squirmed in response to a splitting headache. “Yeah, I think I know what you mean.” Lyra sat, stood, whatever a head does, on a desk at one end of the room while her cohorts slept in beds on the other side. Well, one of them slept. Roseluck had not voiced her opinion over the past day. She was suspicious about everything that they’d seen since this spell had begun, but far more inclined to believe that they were not dreaming. She crept out of her bed and silently trotted across the room and whispered to her friend. “Psst, Lyra.” “What is it, Roseluck?” “I can’t go to sleep . . .” “Because you already are. Hell, if we’ve been in a dream for this long I’m more than willing to believe there’s some crazy communal thing going on.” What’s hell? Why in the world would I use a word like that, it feels so vulgar. I’ve never heard it before, so why does it sound so familiar . . . . “But Lyra, I think we’re really . . . Never-mind, I wanted to talk to you about Onassis.” “I don’t trust her.” “Me neither, but I think there’s more to it. I don’t think she’s really a pony.” “Well duh.” “How should can we find out what she is, though?” “You could just ask me about it.” Lyra and Roseluck immediately announced their startlement, through motion and sound respectively, at the appearance of the third voice. Onassis moved out of her covers and stared at the two mares with a pleasant smile. Roseluck was so frightened by the idea that the pegasus had heard them speaking of their dissent that she just shook in place. Lyra, on the other hand, fully expected her to be listening, and put on a straight face. She hadn’t expected Onassis to interrupt, especially not in such a way and certainly not at that point in the conversation, but it didn’t matter. She’d be getting an answer. “Great, what are you?” “A parasite. Was a parasite.” “What do you mean by that?” “I was a small organism residing in your friend Fluttershy’s brain. One day, she died, and I gave my life in her stead. Years later, I’m chosen to go on this stupid adventure beyond the grave with you and 8 other ponies. You’re dead, your friend is dead, and 6 other ponies you may or may not have ever met, are dead. This isn’t a dream. Deal with it.” “Wh-what?” Roseluck, either mellowed out at this point or sufficiently numbed by incredulity, stopped shaking and spoke up. “Could you say that again, slower this time. I didn’t catch everything . . .” “Gladly.” They’d gone out to eat. That’s what Onassis them they’d be doing. No sleep would be had that night, not that they felt like they needed any. After her revelations, they wouldn’t feel like doing so for a while. They were in a ‘pizza’ parlour. Run by an otter. This existence grew even more confounding and whimsical at every step. Lyra had been placed on the table, beside her friend, with the green maned pegasus on the other side. They were still processing what they had been told by Onassis. Roseluck was confused. Lyra took the words from earlier with a grain of salt, but not out of distrust or disbelief. She’d practically come to terms with death, with only the slightest doubt remaining to chide her into believing otherwise. A pseudo-pony, once a parasite . . . A parasite in a pony, no, my friend, too . . . I don’t care if this is a dream. I can’t just let this pegasus make claims like that and not at least try to investigate them. Even if I wake up in the middle of it, and everything I uncover turns out to be for naught. Even if this is all real, and delving into the truth hurts me and Roseluck more than what happened to me on the minefield . . . I’m going to find out what’s going on. “Hello, may I take your order?” An otter, female, in a waitress getup had rolled herself to their table. She was wearing roller-skates. Onassis answered her. “Yes, a medium pizza please. Half pepperoni, half vegetarian.” What the hell is a pizza? What the hell is pepperoni? Vegetarian? Is pepperoni . . . M-meat? The waitress wrote down the order on a small notepad. “Will that be all?” “Yes.” She rolled to the kitchen, placed the order on a hook, opened, and promptly entered, a door to what was presumably the break room. There weren’t any other patrons. The 3 ponies were their only customers. “You can ask me whatever you want.” “Before you two went to bed, why didn’t you start doing the whole regeneration thing?” “Because you don’t have any blood.” “What do you mean? I’m made of . . . Clay! I don’t think dolls have blood, fantasy or not.” Onassis sighed. “Roseluck, you can attest to this. When your hooves broke, they bled, did they not?” “Y-yes. Red and white . . .” Roseluck said, shaky from the memory. “Lyra, as a head, a head with a hole at the bottom especially, you don’t have any blood. You’re hollow, empty. Without blood, you can’t metabolize clay and regrow any of your body.” Lyra thought about this. It made some sense to her, crazy sense but still sense. “How do I get blood, then?” Just then, the waitress reappeared, along with their order. She placed it on the table. Onassis pulled some irids out of her saddlebag by the teeth and placed them in a small tray held by the otter, who rolled away and counted out the coins in her paws. The food itself was odd. Lyra had never seen much like it before. It was like a quiche, but flattened, and missing the layer of dough that would normally cover the contents of the dish. It was sliced, like a pie, into 8 flat cone pieces. The ingredients were proudly presented atop the meal. Almost every one was covered by a layer of thick, white cheese. One half was made up of things reminiscent of a salad, and the other . . . The pepperoni side, at least the side she hoped was pepperoni, had something she hoped more with all her being was not slices of meat. She was disgusted by the possibility that anypony, no, anyone, would eat another living thing that was not sessile. It was odd, this repulsion. She hadn’t flinched, or produced an analogous motion of such, when the prawn shot Dokker, probably killing him. But when presented with the possibility that someone in her party was omnivorous, she couldn’t restrain herself. Couldn’t banish the thought. Couldn’t keep quiet. “Is that . . . meat?” “Yes, and if you want to recover your body anytime soon, you’ll be eating some of it.” Lyra’s pupils shrunk. She stared at Onassis. Even though it was not a command, it was far more than a simple suggestion. She was being asked to eat meat, nay, required, not out of courtesy but condition. This, she could not take. “You’re sick.” she muttered. “What was that Lyra? You’re going to have to speak up.” The calm demeanor the pegasus carried only served to make the pale green head that was Lyra begin to seethe with anger. “Onassis, you disgust me. I’m not going to eat meat.” “Understandable, which is why I’m going to have to make you eat some.” “Wha-hmmmmpph” With a few flicks of her hoofs and what remained of her wings, Onassis stuffed a slice of pepperoni pizza into Lyra’s mouth. She tasted it, and was disgusted to find that her taste buds obliged without even a hint of refusal to the meat. She tried for a gag reflex, to force out the doughy, bloody, mass of food, but as soon as it had been tasted it simply ceased to exist. The entire slice was gone after just a moment. Lyra had just consumed the one thing she never thought she’d even have an inclination to try, that she never thought her species would ever be able to stomach, and that was that. No physical qualms. No aftereffects, yet. She looked to her companions. Roseluck was crying into her hooves. Onassis had a smug grin. They stared at each other for a few moments. Lyra donned the most resentful face she could, while Onassis kept up her grin. “Would you like another slice?” “No.” Two men, one sporting green tinted flesh, walked through a well lit hallway. Every so often they’d come upon a door that would automatically open and close for them. Everything had a very sharp, cubic design to it. Zero salient angles to speak of. There were no lights. No torches or bulbs, fluorescent or otherwise. The walls, floor, and ceiling illuminated everything with their own emanations. They reached the end of the hallway. A door, like the others, but manually operated. The green man stepped forward and hit several keys that, due to polarization, could only be seen with clarity when the observer was within a close distance to them. The door opened, and on the other side was a dark room. Not as dark as the one we’d first seen these two in, but much darker than the hall they had just traversed. A woman, age 21, stood up from a desk littered with sketches. She turned around and gave them both a welcoming smile. “Hello Sam, mister Alender.” She said, in a voice failing to belie her expression. Marcelli opened his mouth and began to speak, but the green man silenced him with a raise of his hand, and spoke in his stead. “Hello Sarah. We understand that we’re late, but there was a situation on station 4 that required Marcelli’s immediate attention.” “It’s alright. Walker hasn’t moved from where I spotted him last night. Have either of you seen Indigo?” Marcelli had the answer to this. “No. He’s still in his ‘little Versailles,’ until this afternoon.” “Well, that’s great. He can join you two then. I’ve already prepared 4 personas. I won’t be going anytime soon, gotta establish the link and all that jazz.” “Sam didn’t tell me anything about where you found Walker. Could you enlighten me a little. I’d rather not just wake up in a completely different body, different world, and be expected to track down the most dangerous man in existence.” Sarah walked across the room and picked up multiple drawings. She brought them to the two men. They depicted several colorful houses and landscapes. She went to her desk and went back to sketching, talking as she did. “He’s in place that the locals call Equestria. I don’t know if that’s the name for the entire planet, or just a nation.” “Regardless, what are the locals?” She grabbed several sketches and tossed them to Marcelli and Sam, immediately getting back to the one she was working on before. Only one of them made any moves to catch them, and that was Marcelli. Having succeeded in receiving the paper, he flattened it and scanned it over several times. He was confused by what he saw. “What are these supposed to be?” “Ponies.” “So that’s what that thing was . . .” His expression went from nonplussed to something alike the face he’d walked in with. He walked beside Sarah and presented to her the sketch he’d been given, now pointing at one particular object on it. “The one with the hat, is that him?” “Yes.” “When can we go?” “Now.” And then, a blue object fell to the floor, trailed by a rainbow. This time, Marcelli was prepared, expectant. He dashed across the room, caught it, and immediately stared into it’s eyes. They looked at each other for what felt like minutes, but was really only seconds. Sam and Sarah, far more informed about the other world than the man now holding the pegasus, were not surprised by the appearance of the creature. Well, Sarah was, but she wasn’t startled. Marcelli turned to her. “Sarah, can you lock the projection?” “Done.” “Good.” He turned his eyes back to the pegasus. “We’ll be able to speak without any interruptions, then.” Its face turned pale, whimpers of fear began. “I promise not to hurt you. I just want to know where you’re from, and who you are. I already know one of those things, so if you’d kindly answer the remaining question . . .” “Rainbow Dash . . .” she said in a solemn, but compliant, voice. “Well then, Rainbow Dash, I know you’ve heard at least two conversations between me and my cohorts. Is that all you’ve heard and seen of us?” She nodded slowly. “There’s someone in your world wearing a suit. It looks like it’s made of silver, or something of the sort. Somewhere on this suit, is a small insignia. A spiked cane, with a 5 pointed star in the top. He also wears a black hat. Have you seen him?” “Y-yes. I’ve s-seen somepony like that . . .” “He’s dangerous, and a lot of dangerous things will be happening around him. Promise me you’ll stay away from him.” “I-I’ll try . . .” “Are you a spy?” “No!” As part of her exclamation, she burst out of Marcelli’s grasp. “You can go now.” And with that, whatever prevented the pegasus from ending her projection was removed. She left the humans as soon as it went. Sam paced from one end of the room to the other, scratching his chin. He spoke. “So, they’re about to hit genesis. This is going to be interesting. Maybe we should just sit back and wait this out. We might mess up something over there. Maybe Walker’s assembling some heroes, he does have the book.” “I don’t care what part he has in this. We’re confronting Walker. Sarah, begin the dream. Start up the personas. We’re going now.” “Wait!” “What?” “We have to name them first.” Rainbow Dash had not intended to dream herself into the presence of those scary creatures again. She’d left the company of her friends to get some rest as Star had advised. The pain in her head had rather obstinately remained long after she reached her cloud home. She went into her kitchen, and had a daisy sandwich. Afterwards, she turned to her bed. Cognizance left as she hit the vaporous sheets. And without even trying, Rainbow was back there. Watching the men through the corridor. Learning the green one’s name, Sam. Seeing a new face, Sarah. Hearing their talk of this “Walker” . . . Then being held, by that strange one with the brown hair. Marcelli. She hadn’t noticed it before, but there was something on his back that she just couldn’t quite make out. It shined. Not like it was giving off light, just reflecting it. It didn’t matter though. He told her to steer clear of the suited being, shining and hat-having. But dangerous. That was the message she’d received. Silver Star was a dangerous pony whom she should avoid. Possibly even the one they were trying to find, Walker. She doubted it given her experience with the colt; he didn’t seem like a pony that would kill people. But, the three humans shared this confoundment in their target. Even with these thoughts running through her head, she couldn’t bring herself to condemn him. Sure, he chose a very . . . violent, method when convincing Twilight of his assertions. She still had the bruise from earlier, just above her left eye. But she’d forgiven him, and he was sorry for doing it. But was that just tact? Was he really some sort of psychopath? She pushed all these doubting ideas back, mentally labelling them as ‘auspicious,’ or at least the closest word she knew that had the same meaning. Before Dash could finish repressing the thoughts, she heard a noise behind her. The twang of a guitar. Normally, the idea that someone had snuck into her home unnoticed would have been the first thing to come to her mind. Instead, she reveled in the calming effects that the sound carried. It warmed her, all throughout, removing a chill she hadn’t even realized was there until it ceased. The headache was gone. A familiar voice said something rather impolite. Rainbow turned around to face the noise, and the following swear. There, on the other side of the room, was the girl from before. She was sitting on the cloud floor, legs crossed in a way that Rainbow assumed was uncomfortable. It was, of course, entirely normal for a human. Held in her arms, was the guitar Dash expected to see, albeit in the hooves of a pony. “Well, I guess I can’t really play my song now . . . Doesn’t matter though. You figured out who we were talking about, right?” Rainbow Dash, perplexed beyond what she’d felt when she’d first seen a human, responded after a couple seconds. “Ye-n-no. What?” “Walker. You heard those two talking about him like he was genocidal maniac.” “Yeah, but . . . What was there to figure out, I mean . . .” “Obviously, Marcelli, the one that caught and questioned you, told you to avoid him. Silver dude, with the hat?” “Yes . . .” Sarah stood up, sliding the guitar around her torso until it held not in her hands but by a strap around her shoulder. “You and your friends have been speaking with him for the past few days now. I didn’t tell either of them that. There’s no reason you shouldn’t be with him, now especially. Anything we said about him killing, it’s . . . Well, you see, we don’t have any proof he’s killed anyone, you see. I’ll try to explain this as quickly as I can, Sam and Marcelli are expecting me to speak with them in a bit.” She paced around her side of the room and continued. “Walker, or as you know him, Silver Star, got himself into a very bad situation. The only way out, was to . . . No, no, too far back. This guy, Jack, he . . . Ugh, just a second.” She sat down, same crossed legs as when Rainbow had first seen her, and brought a hand to her chin, stroking it in thought. “Okay, I’ve got it. A year ago, something happened to someone he cared for dearly. A young girl named Marie was captured by a group that called themselves “Hell’s Firing Squad.” She was indoctrinated by their leader, and made one of their highest ranking members. Months later, Walker was captured by the same group, but instead of being converted to their cause, they did something else entirely. When Marie saw him, whatever had her set on working with them was crushed. So they took Walker, and made him an example of what would happen to her if she tried to disobey the squad. He escaped, and attempted to free Marie. But . . . when all was said and done, she decided to kill herself. She didn’t want to live with what she had done. Walker acts like she’s still alive, and for that reason some of us believe he’s delusional. Anyway, after all that, he disappeared for a while. The three of us used to meet and discuss important things, politics and the like, but that all stopped. He came back months later, armed to the teeth. “Killed” thousands . . . But there were never any bodies.” Rainbow Dash gulped loudly at this. “Oh, shoot! I don’t have much time left. Uhhhh . . . okay, uhm, how do I . . . Right, Marcelli believes that he killed a ton of people, but me and Sam disagree. For different reasons. What I’m trying to say is, don’t go off and tell your friends he’s a maniac or anything like that. You don’t have any reason to believe he is. Don’t even tell them about this conversation. You could muck up a lot of things if you do. Uh, any questions.” Dash, thoroughly confounded, shook her head. “Great, I have to go, seeya!” And with that, she was gone. The guitar, however, was left in her stead. The blue pegasus stared at it for a moment. Then, she slowly crawled into her bed and pulled the fluffy covers over herself. The headache returned. I really need to stop eating right before bed.

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-12T04:54:44+00:00

2015-03-29T05:57:14+00:00

The hall had been quiet for all of half an hour when the door opened once more. The two Earth Pony Guards standing outside of Princess Celestia's room glanced at each other before looking at the creaking door as Princess Luna made her way in. Again. She walked towards them only to stand right in front of a blank wall. The two guards exchanged looks. When one was about to speak, the other one shook his head. Grumbling a bit, the first guard settled back to his post as they surreptitiously observed the Princess. Luna paced in the hall for the sixth time that night, having walked out of the hall in a huff only to return shortly after. The two guards followed her with their eyes, getting more and more nervous as she would stop and stare at a wall a few feet down from her sister's door, muttering to herself. They exchanged glances once again when she shook her head. “Hey... do you think she's going...” one of them started to whisper from the side of his muzzle. “Damn it!” Luna suddenly roared making the two guards jump in fright. The crash alerted Luna to what happened and she sheepishly watched a helmet roll past her. “Eh.. hehe... sorry.” The two looked at her bewildered until the door behind them opened slowly and Princess Celestia walked out of her room, eyes heavy with sleep. “Luna?” she shook her head and looked down at the two guards who were still holding on to each other and blushing so hard their whole heads were red. She arched an eyebrow and the two hastily separated to stand on their posts. Still looking a bit embarrassed, Luna placed the helmet on the top of the guard's head using her magic. “Sorry sister...” she sighed. “What happened?” Celestia asked, more awake now and trying to stifle a yawn. “It's pretty late at night.” Luna sighed. “I know, I know it's just... there is something strange here.” her hoof swept in the direction of the empty hall. “I know I haven't been here for a thousand years but... wasn't there a room right next to yours?” Celestia blinked. “What? I don't remember any rooms next to mine.” “But... I'm sure of it.” Luna said making her way to where she thought it should be. “Did you rebuild anything around here while I was gone?” “No...” Celestia said, walking up to her. “But, Luna, are you sure you're not confusing this hall with one in your old castle?” Luna shook her head. “No... I distinctly remember there being a room right here... I can almost see the door.” Celestia turned and stared at the wall. Her eyes narrowed. She peered closer. Her left eyebrow twitched and then curved inquisitively. “No... I don't think there was anything there, Luna.” Luna groaned. “I feel something here sis! Really!” Celestia blinked, looking at her sister's stern expression. “I can see that, Luna but there is nothing there.” Luna groaned then turned to look at the guards. “Hey, you two. Come over here.” The guards looked dubious but a Royal Order was, after all, a Royal Order. There was a reason the words were capitalized. “Yes, your majesty?” one asked. “Look over here and tell me what you see.” She pointed at the blank wall. The guard stared at it. “I see... a wall, your majesty.” “Me too.” the other added, then, as if suddenly inspired he smiled triumphantly. “I also see granite blocks, making the wall.” The Moon Goddess seriously considering punching the guard in the face so hard he would meet the celestial body itself, but gritting her teeth she held back. “Celestia...” “Luna, there is nothing there, really. You must be confused.” Celestia said kindly. “Maybe you're tired.” “Sister.” Luna snapped. “Look at them. Guards. Look at where I am pointing.” Celestia decided to humor her sister. After a moment, she frowned. “My loyal guards, please, look to where the princess is pointing.” Both of the guards looked confused. “We are, your majesty.” Celestia looked at Luna, who had a smug smile on her face. “I see. There is some sort of compulsion making them not look at the spot you are telling them about.” “Not only them.” Luna said after a moment. “You too, sis.” “What?!” Celestia reared up. “But... that can't be, the only other pony that could cast such a spell is you!” Luna nodded. “And I didn't. Well, I'm sure the door is there, so, if you'll excuse me...” she quickly turned around and using her considerable strength kicked with her hind legs. There was the sound of cracking wood, and for a moment, Celestia thought that she had seen something. She concentrated harder as her sister kicked again. There! Just as her sister's kick had connected with the invisible door there had been a mirror-like sheen splintering for a second. Concentrating her magic she waited for her sister's third kick and cast a strong dispelling spell. The magic and the damage to the door were too much for the illusion trying to protect it. With a crack that shook the hall the spell broke into ephemeral pieces that were visible to the naked eye for a split second before evaporating into nothing. The guards stared in surprise at the sudden appearance of the room where there used to be nothing, but to their credit they recovered quickly and began to approach it. “Wait.” Luna ordered. “My sister and I will go first, we don't know if there is any more magic in there that might affect you.” The guards looked slightly nervous at the prospect, and fell back after looking at Celestia for acknowledgment. Celestia and Luna slowly made their way to the door and carefully kicked in the last pieces of the strong wooden door before walking inside, their magic bringing with them a couple of torches. When they looked inside, they gasped. “W-what does this mean?” Luna asked, looking around in wonder and some measure of horror as she looked at her sister. Celestia for her part sank to her knees. Tears started flowing freely as she looked around the room. “I don't know sis... but... I... I can't stop crying...” her hoofs came to her eyes, she was confused and scared, but even worse, there was a horrible, sinking feeling inside of her. Luna watched as her sister's eyes betrayed a terrible hurt. She hadn't seen anything like that since she had turned into Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago. Back then she had been disgusted at what she know recognized as the pain you can only feel for someone you love with your soul. She walked slowly around the room avoiding the small bookshelf, the little table, the wooden blocks... until she stood in front of an empty crib standing next to a small cabinet with some tiny dresses and a couple of cute diadems . The room still had magic in it, and it had preserved everything just like it had been the night or day it had been closed and hidden. On the sheets of the crib she could see the wrinkles around an empty space. Next to a small pillow lay two small dolls, one of which, with a pang of sudden pain, she recognized as herself, before she turned. The other one was of course, was a doll in the likeness of Celestia. Luna noticed the guards approaching the room and quickly galloped to the entrance and blocked their view. “You cannot come in.” she stated. “One of you, stand guard and let no-one inside and don't look in yourself, the other is to get Lance here.” The two guards scrambled to follow orders. She looked back at her sister, who was looking at the room in desperation, searching for clues, tears still streaming out of her eyes. “There must be something!” her sister whispered. “Some clue, some sign... why was this hidden?” she looked at her sister. Luna cringed, there was so much pain in those eyes. She had to ask. She hated to ask. But she had to. “Sister... did you ever have a filly?” The Empty Room By Wanderer D Chapter 1 The Great and Powerful Trixie growled as she looked at the map for the umpteenth time. She had followed the directions on it perfectly! The Great and Powerful Trixie looked around her at the dense forest and finally admitted that she was lost. Very lost. Completely, utterly, absolutely, undeniably, definitely lost. She was so lost her compass was not even trying to point North anymore. It had given up on her. Just like all her also lost fans. The Great and Powerful Trixie also admitted that she had no idea what do do now, but promised herself that if she ever saw a certain purple unicorn or the Earth Pony that had sold her the useless map in her hooves, The Great and Powerful Trixie would make them pay! Oh yes. And they would pay soooo hard. Because nopony humiliated or scammed The Great and Powerful Trixie and lived to tell the tale unscathed. A treacherous voice inside Trixie's head however, reminded her that she was so lost that it would be pretty much impossible to meet those two ever again. The Great and Powerful Trixie, however quenched that thought with so much force she passed out. When The Great and Powerful Trixie woke up again, she had a splitting headache. It was also nighttime. Trixie cast a quick cantrip to tell the time. About two hours away from dawn. She then remembered that she also had a cantrip spell to know which direction she was facing. Her horn glowing with magic, she concentrated, only for her horn to shower her in sparks. “Yaaaah!” The Great and Powerful Trixie squeaked in surprise. “What the hell? WHAT THE HELL?!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “A silly compass I can understand! But a spell!? A SPELL?! What the hell is going on here?!” A soft, rumbling growl quieted down The Great and Powerful Trixie, who looked around fearfully. “Who daressss” a hissing voice made its way towards Trixie. “Who daresss awaken the Guardian?” The Great and Powerful Trixie blinked then looked down at the map, where a circled red “X” marked a spot in the middle of no-where with the words “Temple of the Guardian” scribbled next to it. “Oh.” Who knew. The Earth Pony that sold her the map had actually given her what she wanted. The Great and Powerful Trixie mentally removed him from the list of ponies that would suffer her wrath. A slithering sound around her snapped her back to the present. “I await your ansssswear, little pony...” the voice hissed on her ear. Fearfully she turned around but there was nopony there. She tried to speak, but faltered. Taking a deep breath, she looked defiantly into the darkness between the trees. “I, The Great and Powerful Trixie have awakened you Guardian. I made my way here through challenges that would have made any other pony shrink in fear! Facing dangers that none but The Great and Powerful Trixie would have been able to overcome!” “And what doessss 'The Great and Powerful' Trixssssie, want with the Guardian?” Trixie frowned. The Guardian had said her name in a way that sounded... condescending. No, it couldn't be. The Great and Powerful Trixie would never be treated condescendingly. She was the only one that deserved to look down on others. “Guardian! I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, have come here to learn from you the ancient Magics of the Guardians!” A low rumble shook her and she looked around confused until she understood. The Guardian was laughing! At her! The Great and Powerful Trixie mentally added him to the list of ponies or whatever it was, that would suffer her wrath. “Little Pony...” the voice hissed, amused. “Little, little Pony.” it chuckled. “Do you know who it issss you have... awakened?” “Well, duh.” The Great and Powerful Trixie snorted. “The Guardian. You said so yourself.” Mist slowly started to gather around her hoofs. “Yesssss.” the voice said. “But did it ever... occur to you to wonder... the Guardian of what, exsssactly?” Trixie opened her mouth to answer, but then slowly closed it. The Great and Powerful Trixie had not, in fact, wondered what the Guardians she was looking for actually guarded. “Uh... I guess you guard great power?” she ventured. There was a pause. “Well... Yesss, I do.” the voice said eventually. “But! That is not all... I possssesss great power, true, but it isss not for poniessss to learn.” “Damn it.” The Great and Powerful Trixie swore adding the stupid Earth Pony to her mental list again. “Are you sure?” she asked hopefully. “I had heard that you had vast knowledge of Magic. Surely you can teach me something?” There was silence again. This time though, even the slithering and rustling around her had quieted down to nothing. The Great and Powerful Trixie shifted nervously, asking herself if this had been a good idea after all. Then the voice spoke. “Yessss. I ssssuposssse there issss ssssomething I could teach you, oh Great and Powerful Trixie.” the voice said. “Really?!” Trixie smiled genuinely, fears forgotten. “Please do! Anything I can do to make those that humiliated me pay!” The Great and Powerful Trixie debated whether or not to take the Earth Pony and the Guardian off of her list, but decided to wait until she learned the new magic. If it was cool and powerful, she would take them off, if not... Well... they didn't need to know anyway until she exacted her revenge. “Yesssss.” The voice said, once again whispering in her ear and sending shivers up her spine. “I will teach you now.” Slowly The Great and Powerful Trixie turned around and looked up. And up. Until she could see the face of the Guardian. For a moment she stared at... it. And then, with quick move giant jaws descended upon her. Her screams echoed in the jungle until they slowly died away... only to be followed by a very loud belch. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle jumped in her bed when Spike belched loudly. On the way down she completely missed the bed and crashed next to the still snoring baby dragon. “Oww...” she moaned, shooting the sleeping reptile a glare that slowly melted away when he grumbled in his sleep and turned. Really. Who could stay angry at such a cute- Her thoughts were interrupted when a scroll bumped her just behind her horn, making her go cross-eyed for a second. Shaking her head, she levitated the scroll with her magic, noticing that the seal was not Princess Celestia's, having a moon in it instead of the sun. “I've never received mail from Princess Luna...” she whispered as she opened the scroll. “Explains the hour, though.” she chuckled, noticing that it was still dark outside. As she was about to read the scroll, the door to her balcony was kicked in. “What the...” Twilight shot to her feet. With a flash of her horn the candles in the room were ignited. “Rainbow Dash?! What are you doing here at this time of night?!” Breathing heavy, Rainbow Dash looked at her and shook her head. “Twi... [gasp] this is... [cough] not... nighttime!” Twilight blinked. “Dash, you are clearly mistaken. Just look outside. The moon's still up.” “I know that!” Rainbow Dash snapped, having finally regained her breath. “But it should have been gone by now! Everypony's in a panic!” “What?” Twilight walked to a small water clock she had received as a present from Princess Celestia. She stared. It was eight AM. “But that's...” “Everyone is starting to think that Nightmare Moon has returned!” Rainbow Dash said, and in the distance, Twilight could hear confused shouting. Remembering the scroll at the mention of Luna's alter-ego, Twilight quickly returned to it and read as fast as she could. Rainbow Dash paced around as she observed her friend. “Twilight?” she asked as the unicorn's hold of the scroll ended abruptly. The piece of parchment fell to the floor next to the still snoring Spike. “Are you okay? You look pale.” “I... I need to go to Canterlot.” she said shaking her head, but obviously still in shock. “The Princessess need me. Immediately. They've already sent the chariot.” “What?!” Dash's eyes followed her friend as she started packing things with her magic, still obviously in a daze as she was trying to pack Spike, bed and all into her bag. “But... if the moon is out... it has to be Luna! You can't go there!” “Dash!” Twilight said, her magic twisting Spike upside down and trying to force him into the bag. “Princess Celestia can't bring the sun up! They need me there!” “Then you are not goin' alone, sugarcubes.” a voice said from the entrance to her room, and the pair turned around to see Applejack, flanked by Rarity and Fluttershy, with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind them, muffled “I can't see! I can't see!” making their way to them. Twilight felt her fears calm down a little bit, but she was still very worried about Princess Celestia. “I... thank you... please go get ready, I need to finish packing and write back to Princess Luna.” o.0.o End Chapter 1 o.0.o

Wanderer D

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Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:36:14+00:00

2015-03-29T05:57:22+00:00

The Empty Room By Wanderer D Chapter 2 “Hey!” The Guardian looked around, licking his fangs clean, but it would not look at her. “I said HEY! Look at ME you... you... reptile!” The Great and Powerful Trixie shouted at the oblivious creature. Trixie growled. NOPONY ignored the Great and Powerful Trixie! “Oh! You are going to pay! RIGHT NOW!” Her horn flared with magic which took the form of a big bucket of water. With a smug face, Trixie proceeded to dump it on top of the Guardian's head.... only for the spell to fizzle into nothingness the moment she ordered it to do something. Trixie blinked, confused. Then her eyes narrowed in anger. “You stupid Guardian! Stop affecting the magic of The Great and Powerful Trixie!” she stomped up to the huge creature and kicked it with her hind legs. However, her hooves met no resistance and she lost her balance. The Great and Powerful Trixie landed in a heap on the floor and turned around to glare at the creature as it moved away. “What the hell was that?! You were supposed to teach me something! And all you did was scare me half to death!” she paused. “N-not that The Great and Powerful Trixie was even scared to begin with! But it was a good attempt! I'll give you that!” the Guardian did not turn around. “HEY! STOP IGNORING THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE!” “He's not ignoring you.” A small, almost nasal voice said from right next to her. “YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!” Trixie jumped several feet into the air and landed face first facing the cloaked pony that had startled her so. Her eyes followed the cloak up to the skull hidden under the hood. Two burning red dots fixed on her under a strangely shaped (and apparently very sharp) horn. Now, The Great and Powerful Trixie could be pretty dense at times, but she had not gotten far as a showmare by pure luck alone... “Who the hell are you and why are your skin and muscles missing?” … then again, she could be pretty dense at times. As the mysterious pony was about to answer, she interrupted him. “And what the hell do you mean that he wasn't ignoring me? I was shouting at him and even kicked him!” The pony seemed to sigh. “He wasn't ignoring you. Look around you.” For the first time The Great and Powerful Trixie looked around the small clearing. “Well, what do you want me to see? I mean there's a lot of red liquid around, and pieces of blue... mane...” in a panic she looked at herself and sighed in relief when she noticed her mane seemed to be in perfect condition. Then she noticed something that made her tremble to the core of her being. She slowly edged towards... it. “I-is that...” “Yes.” “But...” she motioned with her hoofs at her face, obviously still in place. And in one piece. “Let's just say that the Guardian did not just... 'try' to scare you.” “Oh.” The Great and Powerful Trixie grew confused as she started to float and glow softly, wisps of light floating out of her and disappearing into the night. “Wha-what's happening?” The skeletal pony seemed to shrug once more. It was hard to tell, with his body covered in that black cloak. “Nothing. You are going beyond. As your ties to this world are broken you will begin the next journey.” Trixie fell silent. Seeing that his charge was well on her way, Mort nodded to himself and turned to go to his next appointment. Maybe soon he would get another interesting pony. Like that drummer. Or maybe a lead singer? He could get more autographs that way. Trixie looked sadly at the world around her. From her vantage point, now that she was floating over the treetops, she could now make the lights of a distant city... a city she would never be able to perform at... all those ponies that would be deprived of her greatness... the revenge she wouldn’t be able to achieve... slowly the lights around her body died as she grew angry. “Oh, hell no. The Great and Powerful Trixie is NOT going quietly after becoming lunch for an overgrown snake!” Her form, almost ethereal by now, seemed to solidify as she slowly floated down to ground level. When her hoofs touched the jungle floor she grinned. She would get her revenge! o.0.o “Princess Luna!” Luna turned to stare at the guard, who shuffled uncomfortably in place. “I thought I ordered the whole hall to be out of bounds for everything but the most important of matters.” she said, calmly walking up to the terrified guard. “What could be so important as to make you burst into the hall without even knocking?” “Uh...” he took a deep breath. “Twilight Sparkle and her friends are here. You asked us to let you know immediately as soon as their chariot landed and uh... there is no other way to reach you than to walk into the hall.” “...” The Guard cast a glance at the exit, calculating how quickly he could get there. “Oh.” Luna said finally. “So I did. Well done, guard. Bring Twilight Sparkle here... alone, and have her friends tended to.” “At once your highness...” he hesitated. “Yes?” Luna asked. “Um... how is Princess Celestia feeling? We are all worried about her.” Luna sighed wearily. “She... she will recuperate... please tell everypony that the sun will return to its daily routine soon, its... just a personal matter.” The guard nodded sadly and left immediately, leaving Luna alone in the hall with her thoughts. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle walked slowly through Canterlot, her friends following her a few steps behind. Around them ponies of all types argued amongst themselves about the situation, and who was responsible. More than once a reference to Nightmare Moon reached her ears. She sighed. “I wish they would not speak of Princess Luna like that.” she said. “Well...” Dash said from where she hovered. “You have to admit it looks suspicious. The last time something like this happened it was her fault, you know?” Twilight nodded. “Guessing is not going to get us anywhere.” Applejack said after a moment. “Let's hurry up and meet with the Princess. Then we'll find out what's happening.” It was then that a group of guards approached them. “Lady Twilight.” one of them said “Princesses Luna and Celestia require your presence... in private.” “Hold on!” Applejack said, stepping up to the guard. “We are all here friends of Princess Luna, Twilight and loyal subjects of Princess Celestia, we should be able to go with her.” The guard sighed. “Princess Luna knows you are here as well. She needs to speak to Lady Twilight in private. I imagine you will find out what's happening after that... maybe even with the rest of us.” “So, none of you know what's happening?” Twilight asked the guards. “I'm afraid not, my Lady Twilight.” The guard said gruffly. “The only one that knows at this time is Captain Lance, and he hasn't left either Princesses' side since Princess Luna called for him.” Twilight Sparkle blinked. “I see...” she turned to look at the others. “This sounds very serious... please let me go first, I promise that if I can tell you anything, I will.” she looked pleadingly at the others, who smiled at her to a pony. “Aw, don't worry about it, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I'm sure we can find something to do in the meantime! It's not like we have been here in Canterlot that much!” Rarity nodded. “She's right my dear. Please go ahead. Maybe Spike could show us around?” “Come to think of it... where is Spike?” Twilight asked turning around. o.0.o In another part of the castle, in Twilight's old room, where the guards had carried her luggage, a powerful snore shook one of her saddle bags from the inside. o.0.o “He must have stayed in the Library, I guess.” Applejack said, while Rainbow Dash tried to stifle a giggle. “Don't worry,” the head guard spoke up. “Princess Luna asked that you were tended to for your stay, we have already assigned you rooms and some of the hoofmares will be along shortly to show you about the castle.” “Sounds good to me!” Applejack said. “Very well then,” Twilight Sparkle said, smiling at the head guard. “Please, take me to the princesses.” At once two of the guards escorted Twilight away, leaving the friends behind with a couple of other guards. “Hey, wasn't it funny how Twilight flinched every time they called her Lady Twilight?” Dash asked the others. “Yes... it was very strange... I think... maybe.” Fluttershy said, noticing that the guards had traded looks when Rainbow Dash had asked that. A fact that the others, except for Rarity, seemed not to have caught on to. “Yeah, since when has she been Lady Twilight?” Applejack chuckled. “Why, they make her sound like a noble!” One of the guards was about to speak up, but Rarity spoke first. “Oh dear.” The unicorn sighed, her hoof massaging her temple. “You really don't know, do you?” “Know what?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well... I shouldn't be surprised...” Rarity said after a moment. “You don't think that Twilight Sparkle is a normal unicorn, right?” “Well duh!” Pinkie Pie pipped up. “Of course not, silly! She's the Element of Magic!” The guards traded glances again. This was new to them. “What I mean is... you didn't think she was a... common unicorn.” “Honey, I think Pinkie Pie already pointed out that there is nothing common about Twilight Sparkle.” Applejack said gently. “If anything she is unusual.” The unicorn whirled around to face away from the group. “Argh! How dense can...” Rarity grumbled and muttered incoherently to herself for a few seconds, then, taking a deep, calming breath and forcing a smile, she turned to face the others again. “Okay, let me spell it out for you... she is a N-o-b-l-e.” “Oh, we knew that.” Rainbow Dash said. Rarity and the guards blinked. “You did?” “Yes! We know she is a noble, honest, over-working, wise pony.” Dash listed. Rarity gritted her teeth. “Not noble that way! NOBLE capital 'N'!” “Ooooooooh...” the collective light of understanding in their eyes was at that moment as beautiful a gem as she had ever seen. “Wait... so... she's rich?” Rainbow Dash asked, then grew excited. “Wow! And she probably knows a lot of influential and famous ponies right? So she might actually know one of the Wonderbolts! That makes her like... 20% cooler!” “Is this true?” Applejack asked the guards, who nodded. “But how did you know?” Pinkie Pie asked Rarity, who blinked in surprise. “Well, she grew up in Canterlot, she could afford going to the most prestigious university in all of Equestria, she was selected to be Princess Celestia's personal student...” “Wait! But that was because she really impressed her when she applied to start!” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “She told us herself!” “Well, yes,” Rarity nodded. “But you cannot apply to Canterlot Magical University if you are a commoner.” “Oh my...” a new voice said. “Did you just hear that?” The group observed a pair of unicorns that strutted up to them. “I believe I saw these five walk through the hall in the company of Twilight Sparkle. Could they be her servants?” One of them said. The other peered at them closely. “They are not dressed as hoofmaids... and I have never seen them in Canterlot before.” “Hey! Who are you calling a servant? We are Twilight's friends!” Rainbow Dash asked, glaring at the unicorn. “And for your information we have been here before! We came to the Grand Galloping Gala.” “My, how... rash.” the unicorn sneered at the pegasus. “And the way you call her... ugh. I can't believe she associates with someone that does not know their proper place in society. Why don't you go back to whatever... place... you came from? Guards, please escort them out.” Dash was about to reply but one of the guards stepped in front of her. “I am afraid, Lady Glitter Horn that these ladies are guests of Princesses Celestia and Luna, as well as Lady Twilight.” The unicorn looked at them with scorn. “I don't know why the Princesses bother with this... rabble.” “Come now, dear.” the other unicorn said, sniffing rudely. “Let us be away from them.” The group watched them prance away with complete disgust. “If that is the kind of people that she has to deal with daily it’s no wonder Princess Celestia was so happy we crashed the Gala.” Applejack muttered. “Why, I should break her horn and shove it up her-” “Please ignore them, Rainbow Dash.” a new voice said, making the whole group turn around. “Glitter is just as her name suggests, pretty, but useless.” “Lyra?” Rarity blinked. “Why are you here?” Lyra smiled shyly. “Well... I have family here in Canterlot and I attended the University here along with Twilight Sparkle... and those two.” “I... I never knew...” Rarity stammered. Lyra smiled. “It's okay. If it is fine with the guards, I could take you on a tour of the palace.” The guards looked at each other, and one shrugged. “We have to keep you company, but we can give you some space as long as we don't lose you.” “Sound's good to me!” Applejack said with a smile. “Lead the way, Lyra! Or should I say, Lady Lyra?” “Lyra is fine.” the unicorn said as she started walking. “Did you and Twilight have to deal with those two idiots while you were studying?” Rainbow Dash asked. The guards followed the group out of the palace, sharing small smiles as their guests seemed to forget for the moment the attitude of certain Nobles. o.0.o Twilight followed the guard through the palace. Although she knew her way around it perfectly well, she had to maintain a certain protocol while she was here. She sighed. Things were so much easier in Ponyville. When they finally reached the hall, the guard stepped to the side of the door. “Please, go ahead Lady Twilight.” The unicorn nodded and walked in. The first person she saw there was Captain Lance. The old unicorn still looked as solid as he had as far as Twilight Sparkle could remember. Although she had not lived all her life in the palace, she had seen the guards plenty of times during parades in Canterlot, Lance had always been proudly at the front of the guard. “Twilight Sparkle!” he chuckled as she rushed up to him and nuzzled him. “It has been too long! How are things in Ponyville?” “They are great!” Twilight said, smiling. “I'm sure you've read the reports about the Ursa Minor and such, but I assure you, those are far and in between.” The old unicorn chuckled. “Well, you can tell me about that later, right now we have a more important matter at hand.” “What happened?” Twilight asked. “Everypony has been so secretive about it! Even Luna's letter was very vague.” “That is because only Captain Lance, Celly and I know what's going on.” Princess Luna said, as she walked out of a room that Twilight could have sworn was never there. “And we all trust you to use very careful judgment if you tell anypony about this.” Twilight Sparkle nodded soberly. “Follow me.” Luna said, as she started walking towards the strange new room. o.0.o “Princess!” Twilight ran to cuddle next to her depressed mentor. “What happened?” The Princess for her part nuzzled against her student's shoulder. The Alicorn visibly perked up, immediately feeling better, although not by much. “I'm sorry Twilight... I know I should be out there but I couldn’t... not... after seeing this.” Stirred by that comment, Twilight Sparkle finally turned around and looked at the room herself. The words that she could have said stuck in her throat as her mind quickly connected the dots. “B-but... how is this possible?” “We don't know.” Luna confessed. “Someone cast a spell so powerful that everyone in the palace forgot about this room, and if anyone even knew about my sisters' filly... they forgot about her too.” Twilight Sparkle looked at her mentor. She loved Princess Celestia with all her heart, she was in more than one way her mother, since she had spent more time with her than with her real parents. To see her like this, deprived of the happiness that a filly of her own would have brought her... and to make her forget even having had one... it was... horrible. A travesty. “Who would dare do this?” she asked quietly, but the other three in the room could feel the cold anger in her voice. “Who would take...” she couldn't say it. “Again, we don't know,” Luna said, her own voice angry. “but we intend to find out. Between the three of us we are three of the most knowledgeable ponies in magic. If we study the spells here we should be able to gain some clues.” “And I will conduct my own investigation.” Lance said from the side. “I only need a time-frame.” “Twenty years.” Twilight said, drawing the attention of the three ponies. “It should be around twenty years ago. Princess' Celestia's filly should be a young mare about my age by now.” “Not that I think you could be wrong...” Luna began. “But how can you be so sure?” Twilight Sparkle walked towards the small bookshelf containing Foal Books. “Here... this rhyme book was first published around twenty years ago. I have a copy myself at home.” Lance chuckled and Luna smiled. “I am glad I immediately thought of you, Twilight, to help us out.” “You couldn't have kept me away...” Twilight said with a sad smile of her own. “Not when my beloved mentor needs me.” Luna sighed. “And speaking of which.” she walked towards the other alicorn. “Celly. You have to get up. You have to bring the sun up today. My moon has been there far too long. Our subjects and friends need you to be strong. Concentrate... between us we can solve this and find your filly.” Slowly Princess Celestia looked up, first at her sister, standing regally next to her, a warm, comforting smile on her face. Her eyes strayed to the old unicorn, Lance, who nodded at her, his face tired, but understanding. And finally, her eyes sought out Twilight's. There she found strength, in the eyes of the one filly in her many years of life she had considered as close as possible to a daughter. Twilight was there for her too, and she would help her find out what had happened, and where her daughter was. Closing her eyes she took a deep breath as she deliberately stood up. She was tired from crying and lack of sleep, from the shock of finding out that she had had a daughter at some point in the last twenty years and that she had had her memory erased of the events. For her sister. For her loyal captain. For her faithful student. For her subjects. For... her daughter, wherever she was... she could not simply stay there and do nothing. When she opened her eyes, she was ready. “Let's bring out the sun, my dear sister.” Luna beamed a smile and nodded. “I will stay...” Twilight said, looking around. “I feel the magic in this room... I think I can start making sense of what happened here while you two do what you need to do... and rest.” Both Princesses nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Captain Lance and Twilight Sparkle behind. “I will leave some guards outside the hall.” Captain Lance said, the old unicorn looking around the room one last time. “Is there anything you need?” Twilight shook her head. “I think I have it covered for now, thank you Captain.” Lance chuckled, drawing her attention. “You have been hanging around the Princesses maybe too much, my dear Twilight. You almost sounded like them.” Twilight blushed. “I'm sorry Captain I...” The unicorn shook his head. “No. Don't be. I'm glad to have lived to see you become the self assured young mare you are today. I'll take my leave for now, my Lady.” o.0.o The lights of the city attracted the Guardian to its edge. From the protection of the trees he watched as the ponies in the city looked nervous, casting looks to the night sky. Why was that, he wondered? Suddenly a murmur drew his attention back to the sky as the night turned to dawn and then midday in mere minutes. What was happening? He hissed as the sunlight burned his sensitive eyes and withdrew deeper into the jungle. He would wait. As he turned around, he absently used a claw to remove something that was stuck in between his fangs. Finally getting the edge of it, he pulled out the offending item and glared at it, then snorted, throwing the hat of the formerly Great and Powerful Trixie to the jungle floor. He walked deeper still, ignoring Trixie who glared at his receding form. “I think I will need help.” she sighed. She hated asking for help. But there was little else she could do. Concentrating hard, her horn started to glow, and soon a small breeze pushed her hat towards the city. There was only one pony she could think of that would give her the time of day. And if she helped her, the Great and Powerful Trixie was willing to take her off the list of ponies (and creatures) she hated. o.0.o End Chapter 2 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:40:46+00:00

2015-03-29T05:57:30+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 3 By Wanderer D By the time Lyra had gone home and promised to see them the next day, the five ponies had a pretty good idea of the layout of the castle. As they sat down to eat a small lunch in the gardens, courtesy of the Princesses, the guards accompanying them took positions around them, trying not to be too obtrusive to their guests, but still curious about them. “It was awfully nice of Lyra to show us around.” Applejack said. “Yes! And did you see those amazing grounds?!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I bet I could throw the bestest party ever for Princess Celestia! That would really make her happy!” The guards smiled at each other. Given how stressed they all had been a party sounded nice. “But it has to be big!” Pinkie Pie continued prancing around. “I have to get cupcakes and streamersanddanglersandcakeanddrinksandhotsauceand...” she stopped when she turned and came nuzzle to nuzzle with Fluttershy. “But... you would have to make sure that the party didn't disturb the animals.” The Pegaus said. Although they hadn't been as friendly as she had hoped before, she was not going to hold it against them. “Yeah yeah, parties are good, but I want to explore! Hey! You know what? This place is old!” Rainbow Dash said. “Yeah, we know.” Applejack deadpanned. Dash gave her a look. “It has been around from even before Nightmare Moon appeared! That's thousands of years!” she smiled. “I bet there are ghosts here!” Applejack suddenly grew nervous. “Oh, Dash, don't be silly.” Rarity laughed. “There are no such things as ghosts! Next thing you'll say is that humans are real.” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash glared at her. “I never said I believed in humans! I stopped believing in fairy tales like that when I was a little filly!” “But you believe in ghosts, dear.” “Hey now, I don't know about humans, but ghosts are as real as this table here.” Applejack broke in, tapping her hoof on the table. “No they aren't.” Rarity said. “But humans are.” Pinkie said with a giggle. “I met one just before the story started.” The other four ponies slowly turned to look at her, while the guards tried valiantly not to stare. “He was very strange! No hoofs, and they don't have wings!” Pinkie Pie continued, slightly confused. “I always thought they would have wings.” “Now, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack said after a moment. “Don't go making up stories, okay?” “But it happened!” Pinkie Pie declared, bouncing around. “When I said ‘hi’ he stared at me, then said something about 'self insertion was a low he was not going to hit' and then...” “And then?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning in, interested in the story despite herself. “He imploded!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Twice!” Applejack and Rarity smacked their hooves against their faces and groaned, there was a crash behind them and a helm rolled past them... Rainbow Dash smiled. “Really?! That's awesome! If I implode I want to do it twice! NO! Thrice!” the pegasus declared. “There's no way I'm losing to a human!” “Um...” Fluttershy drew their attention. “What is 'self-insertion'?” “Well... I don't know... but it sure sounds painful.” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. “Why are we talking about this?” Rarity asked, giving the others a wary look. “Oh! Because of the ghosts!” Dash jumped and turned to one of the guards. “Are there any ghosts in the castle?” While the one that had face-hoofed so hard he had knocked his helm off sheepishly made his way past them to pick it up, the other guards exchanged nervous glances. “Uh... there used to be one in the library tower, but it disappeared a year ago.” one of them ventured. “It's gone? Aww.” Rainbow Dash sighed, but looked up hopefully. “So... what did that ghost do? Was it scary?” “Well...” the guard shuffled in place when everypony's attention focused on him. “It was usually late at night... when everything was calm, and even after Lady Twilight had gone to sleep... when we did our rounds... we would hear a voice, but whenever we investigated there was no-one there!” “I remember that the voice was that of a capable general, commanding his troops.” another guard said. “It freaked us out... we thought there really was a battle happening.” “Hm... that does sounds suspicious.” Rainbow Dash said. “I wonder what happened to it?” o.0.o *Snort!* “One does not simply walk into Mordor!” Spike bellowed as he rolled out of Twilight's bag. He whizzed when he hit the floor belly first. He stood up, shaking his head and rubbing the sleep off his eyes. “Uh? What? Where am I?” he looked around, spotting the calendar. It was the same day as when he and Twilight had gone looking for books about the Elements of Harmony. “Oh... Celestia... I'm in Twilight's room back in Canterlot... this... this can only mean one thing!” he fell heavily on his rump. “I... must have dreamt the whole thing! We never went to Ponyville!” He started to despair. “But then... I never met Rainbow Dash! Or Pinkie Pie! Or Fluttershy! Or even Applejack! But most importantly... I never met Rarity!” his little claws made fists as he shook them at the heavens. “Noooooooooooo! They were all figments of my imagination!” he sighed. “Although I must say that my imagination gave Rarity very, very, nice flanks.” Then he groaned. “Why does this always happen to me?” o.0.o Rarity shuddered. “Is it getting cold?” “Not really.” Applejack said, taking another lick of her apple-caramel ice-cream. Pinkie Pie giggled. “What?” Rainbow Dash asked, turning her attention to the pink pony. “Oh, nothing... I just think 'Mordor' is such a silly name!” “Uh... right. Anyway, aren't there any more haunted places here? This place is so old there should be at least a couple!” “Well...” one of the guards ventured, but hesitated when another shook his head violently. “... uh... never mind.” Applejack and Rainbow Dash shared a glance. o.0.o “Hmm...” Twilight Sparkle hummed as her horn shone in different shades. “Interesting.” next to her, a quill quickly took notes as she proceeded to cover the room inch by inch. She stopped when she reached the bookshelf. She felt tears flooding her eyes as she watched the shelves full of foal books, lovingly chosen by her mentor for her daughter, who never had the chance to lay next to her and listen to the kind alicorn read the wondrous stories within. She sighed. Before the Princesses left, she had felt anger and horror at what had happened. But now... now all she felt was sadness. She had stopped several times as she moved about the room, when her hoof had hit a toy in the floor, or the mobile made with little effigies of ponies, stars, the sun and the moon had chimed when a breeze had swept through the room. Whenever that happened a deep sorrow filled her, and she had caught herself crying more than once. She had tried to detach herself from it, a little, at least, to be able to do her job... but there was so much love in this one room... she looked in sorrow at the crib with the two dolls in it, a mental image forming of Princess Celestia's kind smile as she leaned in to wish her filly a good night. Or the wooden blocks in the corner, where she could almost hear childish laughter and the gentle and warm chuckles of an amused Princess Celestia. She took a deep breath and concentrated. She was not going to fail her mentor. Especially after the Princess had gone back to her duties after experiencing something that would have kept most ponies... indisposed... for a few days at least. She had to find out what had happened here. o.0.o Luna lay in her bed thinking. She should be asleep, especially if she wanted the night to come in time, but... she sighed. So many things had changed since she had arrived. She knew technology would be much different when she finally emerged from the Moon. Faces had changed, obviously, the forests had changed, even the continents had changed a little bit. Islands that had been there when she had controlled the night so many centuries ago were gone now... Like Celestia, she had had some temples built in her honor by her devoted subjects as a sign of love and appreciation... most of those were gone, except for a few that had mysteriously been kept clean, although she had been unnerved to find an effigy of Nightmare Moon rather than the Moon or Stars that were traditionally used to represent her. But none of that was as shocking and saddening as what she had found out today. She sighed. “Today” felt like it had been a whole week of stress. But... she hadn't really felt the loss of so many things as deeply as today, when she had found out that even her sister had changed. The thought of her sister... her sister, Princess Celestia, starting a family? A week ago she would have laughed if someone brought it up as a possibility. There had to be a limit to attachment, after all. They were immortal. Whoever they married, whichever fillies or colts they produced would pass away eventually, while they remained. That didn't mean they had to be aloof, or unkind, or even feel superior -hard lessons that she had to face after the Nightmare Moon debacle- but it meant that if they didn't draw a line, they would be miserable. But her sister had taken a bold step beyond that line and produced the first filly to be related to them by blood. And then she was taken away, Celestia deprived of even the memory of her filly. Luna felt bitter tears forming as she considered what it would have been like being an aunt? If she had had more family, someone to keep close and teach about the stars and the moon and those places invisible to normal pony eyes, would she had transformed into a monster? Even as Nightmare Moon, she knew, she would have been touched by the existence of more family. Someone that would not judge her, maybe even love her unconditionally. Why had this happened? And who had done it? She sighed and looked out the window at the busy streets, lost in thought. o.0.o A filly. She had a filly. She felt so much joy at the thought of that... and then a jolt of pain that she had been taken from her. And yet, somehow, for some reason she felt that she knew that filly. The sense of loss had been overwhelming, the years and happiness that she had been deprived from sharing with her daughter felt like stab wounds directly in her soul... but when Twilight Sparkle had walked in, she had remembered what if felt to care for a filly like it was her own daughter... She would find her, and she would apologize for not having been there for her, and more importantly, she would spend every second she could with her, making up for lost time. But for now... she had to hold court. As the latest petitioner started speaking, Celestia's mind drifted for a second to her faithful student, wondering what she had discovered so far. o.0.o A slightly chewed out blue magician's hat rolled down the street, pushed by a breeze that only seemed to affect it until it bumped to a stop next to the wheels of a blue stage wagon. The Great and Powerful Trixie panted as she stopped. It had taken considerable concentration to get the hat to her stage wagon, and now, proudly she looked up. “Finally! I would like to rest, but the sooner The Great and Powerful Trixie reaches Ponyville, the better.” With another burst of air, her hat fell into the driver's seat as she made her way to the front to slip inside the harness. Ducking her head in, she slid forward. When she didn't feel the harness resting on her back, she leaned forward even more, until she had to quickly get her hoofs into position to avoid falling face first onto the road. Growling she looked back, ready to start swearing when she realized that part of the harness was inside her body. She looked at it for a few seconds before she remembered. “Ah... I forgot. I'm a ghost.” she sighed. “Okay Trixie, there's no need to panic.” she said after a moment. “Deep breaths, deep breaths. Am I even breathing?” The Great and Powerful Trixie began to walk in circles around her stage wagon. “Okay, what do I know about ghosts?” she thought for a moment. “Well... ghosts are ethereal. That means they... we... cannot really touch normal objects, however, according to Magister Crowley, magical objects can be moved and touched by spirits... that is how fetishes are created. Ohhh... I hate magical theory.” Her eyes narrowed. “She was always better at it than I was, even if I could levitate stuff first.” she shook her head. “But now is not the time...” she looked at her stage wagon, considering. The old one, which she had left in Ponyville, had been enchanted to produce several magical effects on demand, something she hadn't gotten around to casting on this one for some stupid reason... ah, yes, she had needed ingredients and she hadn't been to keen on getting them herself. And her father had only sent enough for buying a new stage wagon. Sure, she had enchanted some items herself, but they were all inside. Sigh. It was then that she heard the clopping of somepony approaching her stage wagon. “Now dear, see? This... Great and Powerful Trixie is not in her stage wagon right now. I'm sure we will hear when she starts her show, and I promise you I will bring you over to watch.” It was two unicorns. A mare and her colt. Trixie grimaced and tried to concentrate on what to do, when... “But mom, why don't we ask her? She's right there.” the little colt asked, pointing with a hoof at her. Trixie blinked. “Huh?” “Now, Six, don't start this again... there's no-pony there. Really.” “But mooom.” Six? Who named their colt ‘Six’? “Look dear, if you promise not to touch anything, you can stay here and look at the stage wagon. Look. Not touch. I’m sure if the Great and Powerful Trixie were here she wouldn’t appreciate some mischievous colt touching her things, right? We have to take advantage of the sunlight, so I will go to the store over there and get the groceries if you are a good colt and wait for me here. How is that?” The colt looked at Trixie, doubt filling his eyes, but The Great and Powerful Trixie was already on her knees, hoofs clapped together and nodding desperately for him to agree. “I... guess...” he said. “Good. I'll be right back.” Six's mother went into the store, leaving him with Trixie, who was giving him a thankful smile. “Thank you! Thank you! You see, I really need your help, if you are willing to do something very, very simple for me?” Six nodded slowly. “Are you really the Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Yes, yes I am!” Trixie said, striking a pose. “And I guess you are a fan?” The colt nodded, shyly. “Well then, The Great and Powerful Trixie will sign you an autograph if you do that small favor I was talking about. Do you know how to perform the basic spell runes?” The colt nodded and Trixie had to hold herself from shouting in glee. “Well, I need you to scratch one of the magic runes onto my stage wagon...” “Uh... but my mom said not to touch it...” “Silly, that's my stage wagon, right?” The colt nodded. “And I’m giving you permission to touch it, right?” The colt nodded. “Then, its fine if I let you, right?” “I... guess.” He approached the stage wagon. “Where do you want it?” “Um... anywhere will be fine.” Trixie said, finally noticing the colt's cutie mark. An eye with a small number 6 in the middle. Huh. How odd. “So, Six...” she started as he carefully scratched the paint on her stage wagon with his glowing horn, drawing a basic magic rune for speed. “What did your mom mean when she said you shouldn't 'start this again'?” The colt didn't answer immediately, until he was done. The magic in his horn died, and for a moment nothing seemed to happen, then suddenly the stage wagon seemed to glow for the barest of seconds. Trixie nodded happily. “Well done, Six!” Six, for his part looked around, then motioned for Trixie to get closer. Curious, she leaned forward. “Well... I have a problem, and that's why my mom was saying that thing about not doing it again... it hasn't made me very popular with the other ponies.” he confided. Trixie blinked. “Well, what is this problem?” “I see dead ponies.” Six said, eyes very wide. “And they don’t know they’re dead!” Trixie snorted. “Well, it’s not like it feels much different, you know?” The colt blinked. “You mean you know? But... aren’t you going to stick around and see me through a journey of self-discovery and my purpose in life by helping those lost souls in desperate need to find peace and continue to the next world? Only to leave me sad, bitter and alone once you realize you too are dead?” Trixie laughed. “Oh, silly colt. The Great and Powerful Trixie has better things to do. Here...” her horn shining, she levitated a magic ink pen from within her stage wagon and proceeded to sign a piece of paper, which she then blew towards him with the same wind spell she had used on her hat. “There you go. Go find more dead ponies, now, ok?” She tried to pat him in the head, but her hoof went through it in a very disturbing way, so she chuckled nervously and jumped on top of her stage wagon. “Bye-bye now!” With a sudden lurch the stage wagon rolled forward, leaving a thoroughly confused colt behind. o.0.o In a dark room with six slightly glowing circles and one column of light in the middle, several ponies had gathered. Obscured by shadows, the only visible detail was that they were all wearing dark cloaks they nickered and shuffled in place, until one stepped into the light. From within the cloak a female voice emerged. “Brothers and sisters... both the Princesses are acting strange... they are weak.” There was a moment of animated whispering, but the pony in the middle stamped her hoof on the floor, drawing their attention. “I have seen signs that the Guardian has awoken. The time to strike approaches swiftly... be vigilant. We will find what makes them weak and we will bring night eternal again to Equestria.” “The Nightmare in the Moon will live again!” the others chanted. “Not only her, this time.” the mare said, the light allowing the others to see a small smile in her muzzle. “This time... both the Sun and Moon will forever bring the night.” o.0.o End Chapter 3 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:42:38+00:00

2015-03-29T05:57:42+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 4 By Wanderer D Spike walked morosely through the castle grounds. “Why me? Really? This happens to me all the time!” the baby dragon growled. “I mean, it's weird enough to dream that I am someone else altogether heading armies into battle, but to dream a whole year of experiences in Ponyville only to find out I never visited? That's harsh!” he blinked. “Although I guess that explains why sometimes it felt... episodic.” He waved absent-mindlessly at a couple of guards as he passed them, eyes on the floor. “And then to dream of perfection herself, the most beautiful pony to grace Equestria only to have her be a figment of my imagination? That is a cruel, cruel fate!” He sighed. “Well, at least I still have Twilight... I'd better go find her...” he looked around and hummed. “I wonder where she is? She usually wakes me up before leaving and its almost the end of the day!” he thought for a second. “I guess I’ll try the library.” o.0.o Princess Celestia glanced at one of the large windows of the court room. Twilight was approaching, and soon, she would be able to meet her aptly named student. She felt a measure of comfort, knowing that one of the most capable ponies she had ever known was trying her best to help her. Comforted... and blessed. Soon Luna would take over the court duties, which, under her, would last just a few hours before she would be free to join them. Now, more than ever, she was glad to have her sister back. Not to say that she hadn't been delighted to have her back in the first place but... under the circumstances, having her loving sister at her side gave her much more strength than she had had in centuries. As a noble rambled about something to do with the state of the Grand Theatre in Canterlot, she had to fight her instinct to hurry the sun down. She was unable to hide her nervousness completely though, as her front hoof scratched the marble floor impatiently. The noble stammered. “Ah, your highness if I have offended you...” Celestia took a deep breath and smiled her kindest of smiles at the pony who had no idea what she was going through at the moment and was taking her time to complain about a structure that was in perfect condition. Clearly it was more important than her filly. Clearly it was more important than her feelings and her life and... “Not at all, please continue... a thought, crossed my mind at the most inopportune moment.” The noble nodded slowly, reassured by the fake smile she had valiantly brought forth. She felt a pang of regret for a moment, for her selfish thoughts, but how could she simply pretend that nothing was wrong? It was then that the doors crashed open as Luna, followed by several guards, ran into the room. “Sister! Something horrible has happened!” o.0.o “Why did we let them talk us into this?” One guard asked. “It was because somepony decided to spill the story of the crypt.” another guard muttered venomously, glaring at the guard that walked at the front of the large group. Said guard did not look happy at all as he was flanked on both sides by Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “So this crypt has been here since before Canterlot was built?” Applejack whistled. “Why isn't it part of the tours?” The guard nodded miserably, stealing a glance back and wincing at the displeased looks his fellow guards were giving him. “The Crypt is mostly unknown to the citizens of Canterlot, and it has been closed for as long as anyone can remember.” he lowered his voice. “Nopony is allowed inside. It is said that those few ponies who went in saw the spirits of those that had passed away there... and that if you are not careful, they will drag your soul screaming into the abyss, leaving behind an empty shell... and sometimes you can still hear their voices whispering to you through the door.” “A-are you sure this is a good idea?” Rarity stammered, looking around nervously. “Aw, come on, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash smirked. “You know there is no such thing as ghosts, right? Why are you scared?” “I- I am not scared, Dash.” Rarity said. “I simply do not want to get my coat dirty in a stinky old crypt!” “W-we could go someplace else... you know... if you want to, that is... maybe.” Fluttershy suggested. “Nah.” Rainbow Dash smiled at her friend. “Don't worry, Fluttershy, I'll make sure nothing happens to you.” Fluttershy lowered her head, looking away as she followed the others. “I don't know if you can...” she whispered. “Hey! If there are ghosts in there can we invite them over to Ponyville?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Think about it! We could have a party that would never, ever die!” “Sometimes, Pinkie Pie, you really scare me.” Applejack said. “Just remember to laugh!” Pinkie Pie replied merrily bouncing around the group as they approached a large pair of copper doors embedded into the mountainside. “What's that supposed to mean?” one guard asked another, only to be elbowed into silence. The closer they got the more oppressive the air became until all ponies were walking with lowered heads and quietly, their hooves clopping on the hard stone had become the only sound around. As the colors of twilight filled the sky above, Pinkie Pie started humming to herself and singing under her breath. “In the land of twilight, under the moon...” Clip clop, clip clop. “We dance for the idiots...” Clip clop, clip clop. “Ring-around-the-roses, jump to the moon” Clip clop, clip clop. “We sing with the castanets...” Due to the silence, her whispered strange song carried on to the ears of everypony, and just as her voice was getting on their nerves, Rarity turned around to growl at Pinkie Pie, opening her mouth to tell her... “WHAT WAS THAT?!” “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!” Rainbow Dash's shout was followed by a shrill scream that made everypony cringe until Applejack shoved a hoof on Rarity's mouth, shutting her up. Pushing the hoof out of her face, Rarity glared at the pegasus. “Don't EVER,” she gasped “do that again!” “But I saw somepony!” Dash said, cringing under the disgruntled visage of her friend. “Over there! By the rocks!” A couple of the guards trotted over to where Rainbow Dash was pointing and looked around, but shook their heads when they found nothing. “Listen... it's getting a bit late and I don't want to be here at night time.” Applejack said. “So, let's take a look, see if we can hear anything and then we can return to the castle.” “Aww... scaaaaared?” Rainbow Dash taunted her. “Yes.” Fluttershy said. “No.” Applejack declared. “I just know that Twilight is going to be looking for us, and we cannot talk to her while we are here.” “Sure.” Rainbow Dash said. “Well, anyway, let's... Pinkie Pie!” Said pink pony was already at the large gates, looking inside. “Hey everypony! The gates are open!” At that, the guards tensed and stood around the group protectively. Sensing the change, Applejack carefully looked towards Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie... come over here.” “Aww... but I can hear a voice!” she said excitedly. “I'll take a look!” she turned words into action and jumped past the gates before anyone could stop her. “Darn it! Pinkie Pie!” Applejack shouted as the whole group trotted towards the doors. They were ajar, barely enough space for a pony to slide through. The guards immediately pushed the doors open and as the dimming light illuminated the large chamber, they immediately spotted Pinkie Pie, standing still, looking at something just beyond their sight. “Pinkie Pie?” Rarity asked. The pink pony slowly turned around. She was, for once, not smiling. In fact, small tears welled in her eyes as she stepped back, letting everyone see what she had found. Outside, unseen by the ponies as they recoiled in horror a shadowy figure observed, then melted into the mists. o.0.o The court had been adjourned immediately. When only the few guards that had ran into the room were left, Luna spoke. “Sister, Lance has disappeared. This young guard,” she motioned with her head to an extremely uncomfortable pony, “went to his quarters to find him, and found the whole place ransacked, whatever Lance was working on had been taken, as evidenced by the empty desk... but, it was clear there had been a fight and... he also found blood in the room. Apparently he had left instructions that if something strange happened we should be informed immediately.” Before Celestia could even speak, the door to the court room slammed open as a pegasus crashed through it and rolled on the floor. Several guards chased after her and as soon as she slid to a stop, surrounded her with their lances at her neck. “Rainbow Dash!” Celestia exclaimed, motioning for the guards to step back. “What's the meaning of this?!” “Princess!” Dash looked up in panic. “Princess! Where is Twilight?!” Princess Celestia felt her blood run cold ash she exchanged concerned looks with Luna, and as if to answer her sudden realization, the castle shook with an explosion. “Go.” Luna said. “I'll bring up the moon and join you shortly... there's no need to worry the rest of our subjects even more.” Celestia shot her sister a grateful look then flew out of the room. Rainbow Dash immediately went after her. Her parting words echoing in the hall. “Send paraponies to the Crypt!” o.0.o An old pony rocked in her chair watching end of the day pass her by. It had been odd, today. The sun had not come up until mid afternoon, but at least twilight seemed to be on time. She chuckled to herself. It had worried a lot of ponies when the lack of sun extended and extended, but for her, well, it was nice to see some random change for once in her old age. But some things never changed in the end. Like dawn gave birth to the day, twilight would die to make way for the night. She heard a squeak. Slowly, she stopped rocking. There it was again. Looking around she spotted a stage wagon on the road. But, it was empty, and nopony was strapped to it. She looked the other way and heard another squeak. Looking back she stared hard at the stage wagon. Was it closer than before? Her eyes opened wide when the stage wagon seemed to turn her way (giving her an unpleasant feeling that it was looking at her.) It started advancing towards her and she could feel her heart racing. The ponyless stage wagon finally ground to a stop just before the steps to her home. A small window to the side of the stage wagon opened and powder seemed to float out... before her eyes it ignited into a blaze of fire forming words in the air. WHICH WAY TO PONYVILLE? The fiery words spelled out. She felt pain above her left hoof... and everything went black. “Hey! Granny!” The old pony opened her eyes and groaned. “W-what...” “Are you okay? You passed out!” the voice asked. “I... I'm okay,” she assured the stranger that helped her up. Funny. Her legs didn't hurt so much now. “I just had this strange nightmare of a stage wagon that spoke in words made out of fire to me... I thought I was going to have a heart-attack!” “Y-you did? Ah... hehe.” The old pony looked at the young unicorn that was helping her up. She had a soft blue coat and a magic wand with pixie dust and a star as a cutie mark. “Yes.. I must have fallen out of my chair!” she chuckled. “Oh... well.” the unicorn cleared her throat. “I ah... I need to know how to get to Ponyville from here, if you don't mind?” “Not at all!” the old mare said. “It's west of here, a few hours on the road for a fit young mare like you. Just walk that way and you'll get there just after 8.” “Well, thank you!” The Great and Powerful Trixie said with a conflicted smile. “I... uh... I should get going... you know, beat the traffic and all...” “...” the old mare looked around. There was nopony in the area. “... sure.” “Thanks again!” the unicorn called as she jumped on top of a familiar-looking stage wagon. Her horn started glowing and soon the stage wagon lurched into a fast roll towards the West. “Young mares these days.” the old mare laughed. She turned around to take a seat again, but somehow her feet got stuck with a weird silvery line. She shouted in surprise as she stumbled and fell forward. Her eyes widened as she realized she was falling towards herself! “Uh...” the old mare took a gasping breath and shook her head as she opened her eyes. “That was strange...” she looked around the empty town. Everypony else would already be inside. She could smell the food her daughter was making. “Hm...” she carefully lifted herself up, bones hurting. She felt unusually happy to be alive. “Mom?” a voice called from within the house. “Dinner's ready!” “I'm coming dear!” she called back. o.0.o Twilight. She could see it from the windows in the room in all its glory. The purple colors that allowed daylight to transcend into nighttime. Although she would never consider herself to be as beautiful or as awe-inspiring as her eponym, she could allow herself a little vanity and ego-stroking when she thought about just what her name meant in the grand scope of things. She shook her head. She couldn't allow herself to be distracted. There was so much to do! And she had discovered so much already! She glanced at the neatly stacked set of papers. She had suspicions already as to what had happened that night, but still... no who and why or even a how. Even if she could re-construct the whole situation, without those key elements her information would prove interesting... but not that useful. “Gah. Writing a thesis was easier.” she grumbled. It also didn't help that the atmosphere in the room just got her down. “Well, I think I have done as much as I could here...” she sighed. She heard a thump out in the hall and frowned. She made her way through the room careful not to disturb anything and looked outside. There was nopony there. As she was about to walk back inside, a creaking sound made her look towards the entrance. When one of the guards walked in she sighed in relief... which turned to horror when the pony slumped forward and fell, unmoving, on the floor. He was kicked out of the way by a pony in a dark cloak, who dumped the other guard on top of him. From where she was she could not tell if the guards were alive or not, but what she could tell was that the cloaked figure had noticed her. “How convenient.” the hooded pony said in a disturbingly familiar voice, walking slowly towards Twilight Sparkle after closing the door behind him. “And here I thought we might have to look for you somewhere else.” His interest seemed piqued by the room she had just walked out of. “And what do we have here?” “None of your business!” Twilight said, shaking her fear away. “Her horn glowed and a magical barrier appeared at the entrance of the room. The magical shield darkened until nopony could look inside and know what was there. “That was not a smart move.” the pony said gravely. “I recognize that spell... and we both know that the only way to get that shield down is to have you remove it willingly... or by killing you.” Twilight sparkle gulped. “T-that's not true, there are other ways.” “True.” The pony said, stopping a few feet from her. “But I don't have the time to break through it when the easiest and most effective way is to kill you... and since I was going to do that anyway...” Twilight took two steps back, noticing for the first time the horn poking at the top of the hood. “Y-you are a unicorn!” “Why, yes. I am.” the unicorn chuckled. “You were always smart, Twilight.” A chill running down her spine, Twilight took a couple of steps back again, the cloaked pony following her. “Who are you? You sound familiar but... nopony I know would willingly hurt others like you did!” The pony seemed to falter for a second, but her hopes were dashed when he resumed walking. “I'm sorry, Twilight.” Twilight Sparkle felt tears forming in her eyes. Why? Who was this pony, this unicorn who sounded familiar? Had some part of her recognized him? Is that why she was crying? Or was it because she was scared? No... she knew this pony. That's why it hurt. She glanced at him, concentrated on his voice... “This has to be done... if there was a different way...” he was saying in a disgustingly soothing tone. Blinking away tears, she gritted her teeth and stopped where she was. The pony obligingly stopped in front of her. When her horn started flaring with magic, her opponent also activated his, illuminating his face. By then, she had realized who it was. By then, the sense of betrayal could reach no further... there were no words to describe what she felt. No words to justify what was happening and who was doing it. There was only one thing she could say before she could unleash her magic to protect not only herself, but her mentor's secret. “Daddy... why?” o.0.o End Chapter 4 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:46:50+00:00

2015-03-29T05:57:55+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 5 By Wanderer D Spike sighed as he left the royal library. No sign of Twilight. “This is what I am reduced to, an assistant without somepony to assist. What was she thinking going out without me? It's not like she has that many friends... well, unless we count imaginary friends that I dreamed up, that is.” he grumbled, earning a curious glance from a couple of students. He shook his head. “Really. That mare. I don't know what she would do without me.” he looked down. “Or what I would do without her!” he shook his head. “Come on, Spike. Stop thinking like that. Twilight is not going anywhere, she just forgot to wake you up and got caught studying something. It has happened before.” He grimaced. Despite everything he was saying he had a bad feeling. As if something was going to happen... and he wasn’t going to like it. “I wonder where she is?” he whispered as he looked out the window, observing the castle around him. It was then that one of the walls exploded and the complete side of the castle he was looking at fell upon itself, leaving several halls and rooms exposed. For a second he thought he saw a cloaked figure peering down at the collapsed wall, but it suddenly vanished. Worried, and feeling like he had eaten a chunk of ice, he rushed down the stairs. That section of the castle was where Princess Celestia's chambers were. o.0.o Luna's mind was reeling. As she concentrated in bringing up the moon, she feared the worst. She had already dispatched a group of medical ponies to the Crypt, as Rainbow Dash had asked. That, the explosion in the castle and the disappearance of Captain Lance all pointed towards an organized attack of some sort. But... why? And who was behind it? And why... why did this feel familiar? As if she had been through this before? Was this all related to her discovery of the sealed room? Luna felt cold. If this was all her fault... The moon rose in the horizon, a pale disk lacking its usual radiance, as it slowly started its trajectory, Luna's magic decorated the sky with most of the usual constellations... it was almost an afterthought... she did not want to be here doing this when her loved ones needed her. “Are you ready to begin the Night Court, your highness?” the night steward, a friendly mare called Merry Ward asked, unaware of the events that had transpired that night. Luna gritted her teeth. She had duties, true but... family came first. “I am sorry, Merry, but we have a family emergency right now... I cannot hold court tonight.” Her steward looked worried. “I see... I will make sure that all minor matters are attended to...” Luna nodded. “Thank you, Merry. I need to go now...” Merry stepped out of the way as Luna galloped out of the court room. She looked around and sighed. “Well, it's not like we have that many visitors anyway.” o.0.o The guardian grinned as nighttime finally arrived. Now he could leave. Now he would be able to bring back the Nightmare. Shifting in place, it started to uncoil slowly but stopped when a faint, ghostly light hovered at the entrance to his temple. Growling he slithered forward until he was glaring at the intruder... an image, sent by magic, of a pony under a cloak. “Greetings, Guardian.” the pony said, kneeling down. The Guardian did not speak, but smiled, rows and rows of sharp, pointy fangs glistening under the moonlight. “We are your servants, the Council of Nightmares.” the pony said. “We are the descendants of those that first served you. We have grown powerful in the shadows, hidden, awaiting your return. We have succeeded on weakening the two Princesses... by the time you arrive, their willpower will be gone and they will be ready to accept the Nightmare once again.” The Guardian laughed, pleased. “Both of them?” he asked. When the pony nodded, he could feel a shiver of anticipation run down from the base of his neck to the tip of his tail. “I will be there sssshortly.” the Guardian said. “We await your glorious return.” the pony said, still kneeling submissively. The vision started dissipating soon after, but the Guardian had already left. o.0.o The female pony stood up, a bit shaken. Facing the Guardian was a challenging experience. To think she was the first to do so in a thousand years! Turning around, she faced the other three members of the Council of Nightmares that were in the room with her. “We shall separate now. The others are doing their jobs and so should we. We will not reconvene until the Guardian arrives to lessen the risk of being recognized. We all know what we have to do. If we do our jobs right and get both princesses...” she shuddered with pleasure. The three nodded and slowly walked out of the room, leaving her alone. She looked up at the moon. Soon... very soon. o.0.o A little bit earlier o.0.o “Daddy... why?” The male unicorn grimaced. “I'm sorry Twilight, I wish there was another way.” His horn's magic suddenly flashed and flames enveloped his daughter. Or would have, if Twilight had been there. Blinking into existence just behind him, her horn arched down, sending a blade made of purple energy towards him. He managed to roll out of the way. “You raised me!” she shouted accusingly. “You said you loved me! I love you! Why?!” Her father slowly moved to the side and she followed him, mimicking his movements. “I did! And I do!” he growled. “But this is bigger than you! Bigger than me! If that... if Celestia hadn't taken you under her wing things would be different!” Twilight fought the tears in her eyes. She couldn't get distracted. “How would it be different?” Her father growled. “When you started studying magic... I saw it as a chance... I knew you were smart, brilliant even, although I never knew the sheer power you possessed. I took the chance... I enrolled you in the Canterlot School of Magic... I knew you would meet Celestia, but... I always hoped it would be casual... I was going to get you to help me!” “Against Celestia?!” Twilight asked, incredulity shining in her eyes. “Why would I do that?!” “Shut up!” her father shouted. His horn flaring was the only warning she had before she had to run out of the way as one of the columns collapsed where she had been. Why was nopony coming to help? “It's all her fault!” He shouted. “You would have been a part of the Council of Nightmares by now! But you had to fall in love with her! Not only did you betray me! You betrayed your lineage!” “My lineage?!” she exclaimed. “Celestia is the kindest and most loving pony I have ever known! And yes, I love my teacher like a second mother. What did you expect? The moment I became her protege you two cut all contact with me!” Her father seemed to deflate. “I... I'm sorry, Twilight.” he said. With his mouth he pulled on a chain until a medallion came out from under the cloak. It was made of silver or platinum, and it had several marks and diagrams etched into it. “This is your heritage. If it were not for Celestia, when you graduated you would have been inducted into the Council of Nightmares.” “Is that where you learned all this battle magic?” Twilight asked, trying to stall for time. Surely somepony would come investigate. “You think it will be enough to defeat me?” Her father dropped the chain and let the medallion hang around his neck. “That... and you're still young. Powerful, but young.” “What does being young have to do with anything?” Twilight asked, trying to take a step back, but realizing to her horror that her feet would not move. “Experience is a powerful tool, Twilight.” Her father said. “You have enough sheer power to defeat me, true, but you don't know how to use it.” a tear fell to the floor. “I'm sorry it has come to this.” She didn't have a chance to dodge the next spell. The shield protecting the hidden room sputtered and died, but the unicorn did not move. He stared, silent, at Twilight's body. Finally, after a few seconds he dropped the medallion next to her, and nuzzled her neck... he shook his head and looked at her, accusingly. “The day you were born... it was the happiest day of our lives!” he gritted his teeth as Twilight did not answer. “I'm so sorry.” he sighed. “Maybe, once the Nightmare has returned...”glanced at the room. “But for that, I need to find out what you were hiding.” He turned around, but a slight sound made him look back, eyes going wide and a barrier spell just beginning to spark into life when everything around him was enveloped in flames. “I won't let you!” Twilight shouted from her prostrate position, magic snaking out of her as the area shook. He dug his hoofs into the floor, trying to keep the shield up as the flames reached Twilight... how could she still be alive?! How could she have enough energy to continue when her own spell was eating at her? And then world exploded. o.0.o When Celestia, Rainbow Dash and the guards arrived, their eyes immediately fell on the cloaked pony that was staring down at where the wall and several stories of the castle had collapsed. “STOP THAT PONY!” Celestia shouted, her horn flaring with magic. Rainbow Dash was already on her way hoofs ready to make her opponent pay. However, her opponent was crafty. The moment that her hoofs would have connected, the pony disappeared. “Twilight!” Celestia shouted, running into the room. She found it empty, just like she had left it, save for the neat stack of notes her student had left behind. Celestia stood in the middle of the room, dumbfounded. She started stepping back, away from the notes. “No... no, no, no...” “Princess?” Rainbow Dash called from outside the room. Her voice was full of fear. Celestia turned around, eyes wide. “Did you see Twilight?” Rainbow Dash shook her head and stepped to the side, picking up something. Carefully she laid the cracked unicorn horn on the floor, singed and burnt. Celestia did not move. Rainbow Dash gulped, fighting tears in her eyes. “This... this isn't her horn is it?” Celestia did not answer. “This isn't... it isn't...” Dash's tone turned accusing. “It's not! It can't be! Twilight wouldn't lose to some random unicorn! She's the Element of Magic! She has almost as much magic as an alicorn, right?! You must know! You're a goddess! You knew her all her life!” “Rainbow Dash.” Luna's voice broke through her cries. “W-what?!” “Please... leave us for a few minutes... wait by the door to the hall... don't allow anypony in.” Luna said calmly. “B-but...” Dash's hoof almost touched the horn. Almost. “I know.” Luna said. “I will cast a spell to find out if it's her horn but... I need to talk to my sister... please.” Dash took a step back. Then two. “O-okay... I'll be... I'll wait outside...” “Guards, you should leave us two. We'll be fine.” When the last of the guards had left, Luna turned to her sister, who was staring at the horn, a lost and pained look in her eyes. Luna didn't dare touch the horn. But as magic enveloped it and it glowed as it spiraled up, Celestia's eyes followed it. “Sister...” Celestia's voice was nothing but a whisper. “Tell me it isn't so...” Luna closed her eyes. “I'm sorry, sister... I can only feel Twilight's magic alone in this horn.” Celestia felt as if someone had stabbed her on the shoulder and then proceeded to drag the dagger down her chest all the way down to her belly. “Leave me.” “Sister...” Luna did not like the tone of voice... the desperation she heard under it. “I. Said. LEAVE ME!” Celestia shouted. An aura of magic flashed around her creating a miniature storm inside the small room. Seeing Twilight's notes about to fly off, Luna's magic caught them and with a last, fearful look in her sister's direction, she teleported out of the room as the doors slammed shut. Alone in the room, Celestia picked up the broken horn with her magic, as well as the two dolls. Her aura flared and the room was enveloped in a rosy energy. Through a crack in the door a small fly made its way in, only to be instantly vaporized by Celestia's magic. The princess lay down on the floor and cried. o.0.o Luna appeared just outside the hall, the guards and Rainbow Dash all turned to face her. “Guards, nopony, absolutely nopony is allowed in there under ANY circumstances. Triple the guard here.” “Princess...” Rainbow Dash hesitantly walked towards her. “was that...” Luna gritted her teeth, closing her eyes. She couldn't look at Rainbow Dash's face. “The magic on the horn... it belonged to Twilight Sparkle.” she forced herself to look up to the horrified face of the pegasus. “I'm sorry... she's...” “Don't say it!” Rainbow Dash shouted stepping back. “She's gone, Rainbow Dash.” “No! Don't say that! Twilight Sparkle can't be dead!” Dash shouted. A gasp made them look to the small purple dragon that had just walked into the hall. “It's not true.” he said running to hold Luna's hoofs. “It's not true, right? Y-you're joking.” Luna couldn't even say anything to the baby dragon. She just shook her head and looked away. Without letting go of her, Spike turned to look over his shoulder towards Rainbow Dash. “Dash... it's not true, right? This is a dream, right? I'm dreaming... just like... like I dreamed about you and... and Rarity and... she's not gone...” Unable to hear any more, the pegasus took of and blasted out of a window, uncaring of the pieces of glass that cut her skin, flying as fast as she could into the night. o.0.o “Will he be okay?” Applejack asked the parapony that had finished up bandaging Captain Lance. “He will live... for now.” the pony said with a sigh. “His wounds were... extensive. It's a miracle he's still alive, much less able to talk to all of you before we arrived.” “I'm worried about Twilight.” Fluttershy said. “I know dear.” Rarity said, nodding worriedly. “If what the Captain said is true, she could be in real danger.” “Well, Rainbow Dash is the fastest flier around.” Applejack said. “And she went straight to the princesses. I'm sure they'll make sure our Twilight is fine.” Fluttershy looked down at the unconscious unicorn an shivered. “Whoever did this was certainly trying to kill him.” one of the medical ponies said. “As it is we'll have a hard time keeping him alive.” “We know you'll do your best.” Rarity said. “We should probably head back...” Applejack sighed, looking at the guards, who nodded in unison. “Come on, everypony, let's find Twilight.” o.0.o Big Macintosh silently considered the stage wagon that had just rolled up to him. Clearly, nopony was pulling it. In fact, had he not seen the stage wagon turn around and move towards him, he would have thought its owner had left it behind. He recognized the name, obviously. Applejack had had a lot of words to say about Trixie, none of them kind. He had wondered, silently, if she had been that bad. She hadn't seemed half bad at all to him. Now, facing fiery words floating in front of him, he was questioning whether to answer truthfully. Nothing good could come out of dealing with the dead. Or so one of their distant aunts was quoted to have said just before she kicked the bucket. HOW CLOSE AM I TO PONYVILLE? The words asked. “That you, Trixie?” YES. HOW DID YOU KNOW? CAN YOU SEE ME? HAVE WE MET? YOU’RE CUTE I THINK I WOULD REMEMBER YOU He coughed. “Your name is on the side of the stage wagon. And I remember you from your visit.” OH “Can I ask what your business is in Ponyville?” the draft pony asked. THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE DOES NOT ANSWER TO ANYPONY “That's fair, I reckon. But then you cannot expect somepony to answer either.” The stage wagon was silent for a few seconds. I NEED TO SPEAK WITH TWILIGHT SPARKLE “Ah.” Big Mac considered again what to do. On the one hoof, he hadn't heard anypony say anything good about Trixie since the incident with the Ursa Minor. On the other hoof, he really didn't like leaving a pony in need without help. And since ghosts were out of his expertise... “I hate to break it to you, Trixie, but Twilight and the others are not around.” WHAT? “Eeyup. They left for Canterlot this morning. The princesses needed her.” WHY WOULD THEY CALL FOR HER? Big Mac blinked. “Twilight Sparkle is Celestia's personal apprentice?” … I WAS UNAWARE OF THAT FACT. He hadn't expected the ellipses. I SHALL GO TO CANTERLOT THEN, CAN YOU POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, HANDSOME? The red-furred stallion felt himself blush. From what he remembered of the one show he had seen, Trixie was not bad looking at all. “I-it's that way.” He stammered through his blush. THANK YOU He felt something cold brush against his muzzle and blushed even harder as the stage wagon turned around and left for Canterlot. Big Mac looked at the receding stage wagon and sighed as he started galloping after it. He just couldn't leave a ghost filly by herself against the unknown. o.0.o Rainbow Dash didn't care where she was flying. Luna's words kept echoing in her head. She tried gaining more speed, but she felt really tired. Gritting her teeth she looked up. “Holy-” she shouted as another pegasus suddenly appeared in front of her. The pegasus whirled to face her, surprise in her eyes. Both immediately broke off their trajectory, barely missing each other. “Hey! Watch where you're going! That was dangerous!” The other pegasus shouted. “Sorry! I... Spitfire?!” The feiry maned pegasus floated closer to her. “Rainbow Dash? I haven't seen you since the Gala!” The Wonderbolt suddenly noticed how haggard the other pegasus looked. “Are you... okay? Being in front of one of her heroes Rainbow Dash did the only thing she could think of. She hugged the surprised pony hard and cried on her shoulder. Spitfire looked terrified for a second, but then returned the hug, letting the blue pegasus cry. After a few minutes, Rainbow Dash stopped crying. “Do you feel better now?” Spitfire asked, kindly, while still holding her. She felt Rainbow Dash nod. “Good, now, where are you staying? Are you by yourself?” Rainbow Dash pulled back from the embrace. “No... I'm staying in Canterlot Castle... my friends are there... Oh... Celestia...” “What?” “Spitfire... I need to talk to them... they'll find out and...” “Say no more.” Spitfire said. “I don't know what happened, but I'm not letting a friend alone when she needs me.” “F-friend?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Sure! We didn't hang out much at the Gala, but I liked you! Now, let's go meet your friends. If whatever happened to you is going to affect them that badly as well, they'll you there.” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Yeah.” she sighed. “Let's go.” Together, the two pegasi flew back to the castle. One of them wondering how she was going to break the news to her friends. o.0.o End Chapter 5 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:50:57+00:00

2015-03-29T05:58:04+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 6 By Wanderer D It was a quiet and subdued group of ponies that sat around a circular table in one of Canterlot's many rooms. Spitfire placed a comforting hoof on Rainbow Dash's shoulder as Luna softly informed all of them that, in the process of investigating a secret and delicate matter for Princess Celestia, Twilight Sparkle had been attacked by an unknown pony and had died at his or her hoofs in the explosion that had wrecked the walls of the castle. Pinkie Pie's hair had deflated and her usually bright pink coat had somehow dulled as she looked miserably at the table. Applejack had closed her eyes tightly and was shaking, her hoofs around her, fighting tears and the bitter words of anger and resentment that she did not want to shout. Rarity had bowed down her head and tears were dropping unheeded onto the table. She made no attempt to compose herself. Fluttershy was sniffling, resting her face on her hoofs as her body shook, unlike Applejack, though, it shook out of the strength of her sobs rather than anger. Her hair covered her face from everypony, but it did nothing to hide how devastated she felt. Rainbow Dash... felt drained. Tired. She had already exploded in anger and had flown out as fast as she could, burning out most of her energy. Had Spitfire not stumbled into her flightpath after practice, she would be all the way to Fillydelphia by now. The Wonderbolt kept her thoughts to herself, but it was clear from the pitying looks she was giving the others that she had been affected by the story too. Luna sighed as she finished talking. She knew Dash felt guilty for missing her chance to capture the elusive cloaked pony, but she also felt guilty herself... she had been the one to suggest bringing Twilight Sparkle to the castle to help. She had been the one to find the damned room in the first place! If only she had been less curious! “What are we going to do about this then?” Applejack asked after a few minutes of silence. Luna blinked. “What do you mean?” “I mean what I just said!” the orange earth pony growled, smashing her hoof on the table. “I'm not just going to walk away and let whoever did that to Twilight go free! And Princess Celestia needs us too!” “We... we can't just sit here.” Fluttershy said, her timid voice gaining strength. “Twilight Sparkle wouldn't want that.” “We need to find out what is happening to Princess Celestia.” Rarity added. “And if we help solve that, we can find out who k- who did that to Twilight.” Rainbow Dash slowly looked up. “We'll find the pony who did this... and kill-” “No, sugarcube.” Applejack interrupted. “As much as I want to do exactly that... it is not the way that any of us should or would act. I'm sure that Twilight wouldn't want that either.” Dash fumed and looked away. “We'll see.” Luna had closed her eyes and nodded. Extending her senses, she could still feel her sister's field coating the filly room. “My sister... is still indisposed.” she said worriedly. “I... I've never seen her like this.” “Now wait an apple buckin' minute.” Applejack said, shooting a glare at Luna. “You never told us what the problem was.” Luna hesitated. These were Twilight Sparkle's closest friends, they were the Elements of Harmony, she owed them her life and her freedom. Although she didn't want anypony else to know about what was really happening... if she could trust anypony... it was them. She looked at Spitfire for a second, but Rainbow Dash caught her look. “I trust her. If Spitfire wants to help us... she can.” the pegasus said, looking over her shoulder at the Wonderbolt, who gave her a shaky smile and a nod, no doubt wondering what she was getting into. Luna sighed. Celestia had always had good things to say about the Wonderbolts... still this was getting out of hoof. “Fine. But what I am about to say does not leave this room. Nopony else will know of this, as much as I owe you five my life and my freedom, my sister's happiness is my priority. Our enemy is crafty, if they were able to defeat Twilight Sparkle... a feat that I assure you is not easy...” The six ponies in the room nodded, and with a long sigh, Luna started her story. o.0.o Trixie looked askance at the pony trotting next to her. YOU REALLY DON'T NEED TO TAG ALONG, BIG MACINTOSH she wrote, her magic forming words with flaming powder. The red-furred stallion nodded. THE GREAT AND POWERFUL TRIXIE DOESN'T NEED HELP FROM ANYPONY A shrug. “Well, I reckon that ponies shouldn't travel alone if they have someone willing to go with them.” Trixie smiled a bit. He had tactfully not pointed out that they were on their way for her to actually ask for help in the first place. She grimaced. Canterlot was just an hour away... and then her journey would be over. She would be able to start her quest for revenge. She sighed, looking at Big Mac silently trudging on besides her for no reason other than to help her. When she had been on her one-mare mission to reach Twilight Sparkle, she had been able to ignore feelings and thoughts that she had been trying to put down for a while now. But the slow and steady rhythm of Big Macintosh's walk gave her plenty of time to think. She had never had true friends. Sure, at Canterlot University she had peers... Twilight Sparkle being one of them, in fact. Although she hadn't known about the purple unicorn's relationship with Celestia, she had always admired her dedication to magic... if nothing else. She had also fancied herself a lot more powerful than Twilight Sparkle, but... well, life had a way of shoving empty boasts down pony throats. Ever since Twilight had shown her up that fateful night, Trixie had had a hard time getting back up to speed. Her confidence was shaken. Although she had known that her boasts were nothing more than bragging, she had never expected to find anypony who would be able to achieve what she could only imagine of doing. It had been humbling, but more importantly... she had lost her mojo that night. She sighed and looked at her traveling companion. He was cute. That's for sure. Maybe, maybe if she hadn't been so blinded by her own light show she might have seen him in the crowd... maybe.... YOU'RE A GOOD PONY, BIG MACINTOSH She wrote morosely. THANK YOU FOR HELPING A USELESS GHOST LIKE ME “Hey now.” Big Mac said, shaking his head. “Don't go saying that, Trixie. You are not useless. I don't think there are that many ponies out there that could manage half of what you have done just today.” YOU'RE TOO KIND The carried on in silence for a while, until Trixie felt something. BIG MAC DON'T ASK WHY JUST JUMP INTO THE WAGON! The flames were dying just as the wagon's doors closed behind him. Quietly he looked out through a crack. A slithering shadow flashed past them, then stopped, doubling back to hover around the wagon for a moment. He gulped when he heard a hissing sound. Then... it was gone. He could see the stars again through the crack. After a few moments, the doors opened and he stepped out. “What was that?” he asked, looking at the seat on the wagon, unknowingly looking straight at Trixie. THE GUARDIAN Anger seeped back into her. HE ATE ME! AND HE RIPPED MY FACE OFF! Big Mac blinked and started to look green. COME ON, HANDSOME! WE HAVE TO CATCH THAT OVERGROWN SNAKE! o.0.o Spike stared at the empty room. A cold breeze made him shudder as he looked around. Had he paid attention earlier he would have noticed the saddle bags and the latest friendship report which Twilight was going to give to Princess Celestia in person. If he had paid attention earlier he might have been able to be with Twilight and... and... “Damn it!” he hollered punching the side of the door with his fist. It stung, but he felt good about that. He wanted it to hurt. He looked up and turned around. There was nopony there. Was that an echo? He waited, but he didn't hear anything else. “Must be my imagination...” he muttered, turning to leave. “I don't have time for this! I'm going to find who killed Twilight and I am going to rip their throats out!” his nostrils let out a whiff of smoke. o.0.o Celestia lay alone in the center of the room. Before her were the remains of Twilight Sparkle's horn and the dolls belonging to her daughter. “In the search for my first child... I got my second daughter killed.” she said, looking tenderly at the horn. “I never told you, Twilight, how much you meant to me... how much of myself, and especially Luna I saw in you. You were such a beautiful filly, in mind and body... so innocent and brave!” She sighed. “And now you are gone... and I have to accept that... I will find the ponies behind this... and they will pay. But that will not bring you back. At least I know death is kind... even if he is a bit odd.” she chuckled. “But how can I go on right now, my faithful student, when you will not be at my side again? When your reports will not come to me and break the monotony of the court? When the actual joy of you being alive and part of my life... is gone?” Celestia lowered her head to her hoofs. “And yet, I must. For if not I, who? I only have this night to mourn you, and then, when the time for the sun to rise comes, I will have no choice but to return to my duty and raise it from its slumber. I cannot show this to anyone; I cannot be open, or honest or fragile... even dear Luna needs to see me to be strong for her... I fear I have become spoiled my student... for within the last two decades not only did I get my dear sister back... I had you.” “And you can have her again...” a voice whispered almost in her ear, making it twitch. “Who are you?!” Celestia asked, she stood and glared around. “Don't you mean... how?” the voice whispered back. Celestia clenched her mouth shut as she looked carefully around again. There was no way anypony could have crossed her field... so who... “Not 'who'” the voice whispered again. “How. How can I get her back? How can I get my daughter back too?” “Show yourself.” Celestia growled. “Turn around... yes... you can see me there, at the edge of your field.” the voice directed as she looked at one of the walls. There seemed to be somepony there... she approached carefully until she stood, staring. “That's not you.” “Yes... it is.” the voice said again. And she saw the pony in front of her mouth the words, just as she had mouthed the words she had said earlier. “You are not me.” Celestia insisted, staring hard at the mirror. “You are drifting from what really matters but if you must know...” Mirror-Celestia replied. “I am your inner voice, I am the power within yourself able to bring Twilight Sparkle back to life.” “That can't be done.” Celestia replied angrily. “If you were me you would know!” “I am... and that's how I know it to be possible.” The Princess shook her head... the voice was seductive... if there was a chance... “There is!” The voice insisted, her thoughts betraying her. “You know it... as well as you know how much you love that filly... it is not right for her life to be cut so short... not when trying to help you! Had it been under other circumstances... perhaps... but we know, don't we... that it was unfair... that it was uncalled for.” the broken horn, not even half the size of Celestia's own floated in front of the mirror now, spinning lazily. “Y-yes...” Celestia admitted. “She was so young...” she felt tears and was about to fight them but... “There is no need to hide your tears from yourself.” her mirror image said, Celestia's voice heavy with kindness. “Who is there to impress? Who is there to see you be a tiny bit sad... fragile? You are alone... not even our dear daughter is here to see help us... our sister has to hold the fort for now until we bring Twilight Sparkle back... she is strong, she can handle it...” “But...” “Twilight Sparkle needs us... she needs us to do what needs to be done... she needs us to use our magic and power to bring her back... for her... we should do it for her...” “But how?” Celestia finally asked. “How can I bring her back?” “Find me.” “What?” “I am within you... I am... a spark... within you... you have never needed me before, because you have not loved so much before.” “Within me?” Celestia closed her eyes and turned her attention into herself. She searched deep. Going deeper than she had ever gone before. Everything was light, like being under direct sunlight. “I can't find you!” “I am here! You know me! Look beyond!” Celestia looked. And she looked. And she searched... until she got to the edge of the light, where the shadows of her absolute subconscious were. She stopped. She should be careful, it was easy to forget she was not- “Princess!” a voice she easily recognized called from within. “Twilight?!” “Princess! I'm scared! I can't see anything! There's... something pulling me away!” “Don't worry, Twilight! I'll...” “Princess...” Twilight's voice seemed to fade into the distance. “TWILIGHT!” Celestia shouted, plunging into the darkness. “Where are you?!” “She's almost gone!” her mirror-voice shouted. “Release your inner power!” And Celestia felt it... a shell of some sort, floating in the darkness. Her horn started to glow as she charged towards it. “Twilight! I'm coming!” Her horn struck the shell. o.0.o “These are Twilight Sparkle's notes on what happened in that room roughly twenty years ago.” Luna said, spreading the pages on the table with her magic. Her tale had deeply affected the others, but to their credit, they had soldiered on despite everything. It gave her some hope that things might still turn out... okay. The other ponies leaned in to look. “Oh...” Fluttershy said. “Does this come with illustrations?” Rainbow Dash asked. “My... Twilight was really thorough...” Rarity said. “I barely understand a fifth of what this says.” Applejack stared at the pages. “I know the words mean something... but I have no idea what '...temporal dilatation of eldritch energies' means and what it has to do with... 'PK variations'?” “Silly, it's just a theory developed to calculate the dispersion of magical energies through time in direct relation to their original intent and purpose. Easy-peachy!” Luna spoke into the silence, looking curiously at the gathered ponies as they stared at Pinkie Pie. What was their deal? “Ahem.” she coudhed into her hoof, drawing their attention. “Pinkie Pie is right. But there's not much to learn from this first page. It just describes the methodology of her approach.” “She wrote fifteen pages based on that?” Applejack chuckled sadly. “That's our Twilight.” “Hm... but it just jumps here... that's weird...” Luna said, then turned the page around. “Oh, silly me. She wrote on both sides.” Fluttershy sniffed miserably. That was their Twilight indeed. They waited in tense silence as Luna read through the papers, but as soon as she finished, they could tell it was not what she had hoped for. “What is it?” Rainbow Dash asked. Luna sighed. “Well, it has a lot of information, but the bottom line is that Twilight found out that on that night there were 5 spells cast... the shield, illusion and disorientation spells were cast to hide the room, all three were completely broken by me and Celestia earlier today. Then... there was the memory spell... Twilight's notes indicate that it was massive... it affected several ponies, not just my sister... she found energy traces for a fifth spell though, although she could not identify it...” “Aaand that leaves us exactly where we were before.” Applejack sighed. “No offense, but Celestia's filly could be anypony! In this room, other than you Princess, there are six ponies that fall into the age category alone... and I know more than thirty others that live in or around Ponyville.” “Could Princess Celestia's daughter be a unicorn?” Spitfire asked. “No.” Luna shook her head. “The magic in the pony would be too much for a unicorn... the filly would obviously be an alicorn.” “Unless that unknown spell turned her into another type of pony?” Rarity ventured. “Perhaps a Unicorn to explain the magic?” “Or a pegasus to keep the wings?” Fluttershy asked. “Or even an earth pony to throw whoever force her into giving the filly away off her track?” Applejack added. Luna looked troubled. “Well... I... there are some spells like that, to be sure, but...” “Look everypony, this is getting us no-where.” Dash snapped. “Sure, it's interesting that there were five spells, and sure we have to find Princess Celestia's filly... but, that can wait. Somepony is taking advantage of this for some reason and not only almost killed Captain Lance, but really killed Twilight! To find the filly we need to stop them first!” Luna sighed. “This is true. As much as I want to find the filly... sorting this out takes precedence.” she groaned. “I haven't been so frustrated in a thousand years!” She stopped. The gathered ponies saw her face go into shocked realization and then horror. “In a thousand years...” she murmured and turned to look at the others, the fear in her eyes making them very nervous. “Lu-luna...” Applejack stammered, her nervousness making her completely skip the usual honorific. “But... a thousand years ago you...” “Oh... my.” Rarity whispered in horror. “You don't mean...” Luna nodded. “A thousand years ago... through several incidents that chipped away at my willpower and fed my fears... I released Nightmare Moon into this world.” “But... that was a thousand years ago!” Dash complained. “I can see you're stressed but no-where as much as...” her eyes went almost comically wide as the whole castle started to shake. “Celestia.” Spitfire whispered, her voice echoing in the now quiet room. o.0.o End Chapter 6 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:52:55+00:00

2015-03-29T05:58:13+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 7 By Wanderer D Luna and the others arrived to the hall where Celestia had been mourning the loss of her daughter and her student. The four guards left to guard the entrance, a pair of pegasi and a pair of earth ponies had not even known what hit them. One moment they were turning to face them, the next they were nothing but scorched skeletons crumbling onto the burning hall. Had Luna not sensed the magic buildup, her shield would have not come up in time to protect the remaining Elements of Harmony and the Wonderbolt from sharing the guards’ fate. From the smoldering hall two figures trotted out calmly, drawing gasps from the group. Celestia herself was imposing. Her coat wasn't a simple white... it seemed to be made out of white flames... depending on her movements traces of yellow or orange seemed to flash around her, making it look like the flames were constantly licking her body. Her wings shone with searing light, her mane was the blue-white of a new star, her horn was wickedly sharp... Her Regalia had changed into a platinum white, with an orange opal in the middle. Also made of platinum, her crown had morphed into a half helm, much like the one that Nightmare Moon had originally worn, increasingly larger spikes ran from the tip of her snout to just before her horn... but even then, although she looked mightier and harsher than before, it was her companion that drew the attention of the ponies accompanying Luna. “T-twilight?” Applejack asked, eyes wide. Their friend stood next to the Princess... changed. Her light purple coat was now darker by a few shades, her purple mane had darkened to almost black, and the lighter light on it had been replaced by a deep red. Her horn extended from a scar on her forehead, twice as long as before, and sharper. Her hoofs were pitch black, her cutie mark remained almost the same... except that it looked... malevolent. The normally straight edges of her mark had been replaced by wavy curves that reminded the ponies of blades, her irises were a swirl of red and lavender. She smiled, tiny fangs making her look even more feral. “That's me alright, Applejack.” “B-but it can't be you...” Rainbow Dash stammered. “You died!” “I got better.” Twilight answered, trotting up to the pegasus and whispering in her ear. “Much, better.” The pegasus shivered as her ear twitched from the feel of her friend's breath on it, as much as the feeling of Twilight's coat against hers. “Twilight Spark.” Celestia said to her, looking down just slightly. “Don't you have something to tell your friends?” “Spark?” Rarity asked. “But...” “Sparkle was okay,” Twilight interrupted. “for a filly... but I am a full grown mare now, as you can see. A better name seemed... appropriate.” Applejack shook her head slowly, tears welling up in her eyes as she stepped up and hugged her friend. “Sugarcube, you can call yourself Twilight Pastel for all I care... It's good to have you back.” She felt Twilight hug her back and she closed her eyes. Her friend was back. Changed, true, but back. It was then that she felt Twilight's tongue on her neck. Her eyes snapped open and she pulled away, staring in shock at her friend. “Twilight!” “What?” the librarian asked. “You know you've always wanted that, Applejack... I'm not afraid to go all the way now.” “Twilight.” Celestia's voice was laden with power. “Yes, Mistress.” Twilight said, her smile disappearing as she faced her friends. Her eyes sparkled with mischief when Applejack wouldn't meet her gaze. “I welcome you all to the new rule of Queen Nightmare Flare. As loyal subjects that you are, you are all welcome to take your rightful places at our side...” “Nightmare Flare?!” Luna growled. “What type of magic did you delve into sister?” her eyes, which had never drifted from the Princess-now-Queen, settled on Twilight. “Was your student really worth destroying all you have built?” A blast of energy slammed Luna against the far wall. Nightmare Flare calmly walked up to her. “Do you even have to ask?” her voice was cold. “I lost a filly once, I'm not losing another one!” “How many times, sister?” Luna asked, her voice barely a ragged whisper despite her shock at how much her sister had loved Twilight Sparkle. “How many times did we remind each other that death had to remain an absolute, despite our love for our friends and subjects? How many times during centuries... millennia even, did we swallow our tears and thought of those alive first, before our selfishness could corrupt us?” Nightmare Flare sniffed in contempt. “You are one to talk, sister. But, I am not corrupt. If I were, would I be offering you your rightful title as Queen of the Night?” Luna was taken aback. “What?” “I don't care for more power, I have all I need, but I do care about balance. Join me. Rule the Night Eternal as I rule the Endless Day. They can exist at the same time. We can be the Goddesses that we truly are and rule and care for our subjects personally without worrying about mindless celestial bodies.” “I...” Luna shook her head. “That is the purpose of our existence! To bring balance to each other, to limit our power to the benefit of those that...” “Please.” Nightmare Flare growled. “I fed you that crap long enough.” her eyes narrowed. “I see that I was mistaken... it is not you that I need. I need my real sister. The real Queen of the Night.” she took a menacing step towards Luna, who struggled to get up. “Y-you don't mean...” the black alicorn gasped. “Yes.” Nightmare Flare grinned. Her horn alight once more. “I need you, my sister... to be my equal! I need Nightmare Moon!” Nightmare Flare's eyes shone with an inner light as her horn's glow increased. Luna gasped as she felt familiar trails of energy course through her body. “B-but... that's impossible! The Elements of Harmony...” “Did nothing more than contain your true nature, as I foolishly expected them to, sister.” the former Celestia answered. “I see now the error of my ways, and that you were the wiser of the both of us.” “No!” Luna struggled, vaguely aware of the remaining Elements raising their voices and attempting to get past Twilight. “You did the right thing! You've been blinded by grief, sister! Don't do this!” She gasped as the energy tried to force its way through her towards her center. She closed her eyes and braced herself, her soul fighting the enchantment every inch as it made its way inevitably to that... core that she knew shouldn't be there anymore. She couldn't pay attention to the physical world as this battle continued. Her world became bathed in soft moonlight. An alicorn made of flames was diving down towards the edge of her subconscious and she charged it, batting it away. The flame-mare turned around, charging towards her, horn trailing energy behind it. They clashed, sending waves of energy flashing around them. Luna struggled with all her considerable might, but her sister's avatar slowly pushed her back into the dark subconscious... and once there... she shuddered. Inch by inch she was pushed back. For every flare of energy she mustered, her sister would imbue more power into her attack... and Luna was considerably out of shape for a battle like this. She had not recuperated completely from the Elements freeing her of Nightmare Moon. She had already crossed the threshold into the subconscious, pushed back farther still as the avatar pressed her back and further back in. She could feel the area where the dark 'core' had been so long ago, and to her horror found that it was not completely gone... diminished, yes, but not gone. “Don't give up!” a blue orb of light shouted with Rainbow Dash's voice. “You can win, Luna!” the blue orb settled over her right wing. “That's right! Don't let the flaming-baddie-Mcmeanniepants win!” Pinkie-Orb said, showering her in pink light. “Aren't you alicorns supposed to represent all of us? Then you're part Earth Pony too! No self-respecting Earth Pony will be pushed back by a unicorn!” An orange light, strong and vibrant said to her right, with a whispered “No offense, Rarity.” follow-up. “None taken dear.” A white light orb said to her left. “We unicorns do have more stylish ways of dealing with ruffians.” the white orb hovered around the avatar for a second before returning to Luna's side. “But she does have a point, Luna. You do represent us all! Even more so than your sister at this point!” “Um...” a yellow orb of light, at times as big as the others, at times smaller floated up to her left wing. “We are all here for you... if... if you want, that is, Luna.” “W-what happened to 'Princess'?” Luna half joked, almost buckling under the pressure. “What?!” Rainbow-orb bopped up and down. “After all we went through when we met we should have been speaking on first-name-basis since Everfree Forest!” “Although it wouldn't have been proper to do so in front of others...” Rarity-orb said. “So what?” Applejack-orb asked. “If we're her friends we can talk to her however we want!” “You... think of me as a friend?” Luna asked, touched and honestly flattered. “Of course we do, sugarcube.” Applejack-orb said. “Why do you think we're here right now?” “But weren't you outside?” “Um... I guess you could say our thoughts have always been with you? … maybe? I-if you like, that is... never mind...” “I'm more confused as to why we can talk this much in the middle of the fight!” Rarity-orb said. “It's not normal!” “Yes... that is strange.” Luna agreed. Despite the fact that she was still struggling to hold her sister's avatar back, there had been no sudden influx of power to push her back, in fact the avatar seemed to be staring at something. “That's because talking is a free action!” Pinkie-Orb giggled. Luna blinked, and for a moment the orbs around her seemed to do the same. “No... it's something else...” “It's me.” another voice said. Luna's eyes widened comically at the purple orb of light that floated between her and the avatar. “Twilight Sparkle?!” o.0.o The five ponies from Ponyville looked in horror as the twisted Princess Celestia battled Princess Luna. Both alicorns were covered in auras of energy that pressed against each other. Nightmare Flare had a fierce smile as her eyes blazed with energy, her form towering over the cringing Luna, who had closed her eyes and and was frowning in deep concentration. “This is not good.” Applejack muttered. “We have to stop them!” Rarity said. “But how?!” Spitfire asked. “We've done it before!” Rainbow Dash said, turning her eyes towards Twilight and drawing a startled gasp from Spitfire. “We stopped Nightmare Moon once, we can do it again!” “You stopped Nightmare Moon?!” the Wonderbolt looked incredulously at the other ponies in the room. “It was supposed to be a secret!” Applejack growled. “But we don't have much of a choice now.” she looked back towards the others. Rarity and Pinkie Pie nodded resolutely. Fluttershy also nodded, although a bit hesitantly. Applejack's eyes slowly turned towards the last Element. “Will you help us, Twilight?” The unicorn looked thoughtfully from one pony to the next. “No.” “What?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flying to stand nose to nose with Twilight Spark. “What do you mean 'no'? You know perfectly well that-” “That I would still be dead if she hadn't awakened?” Twilight Spark's eyes were stone-cold. The pegasus, suddenly feeling very unsure wanted to look away from her, but she was held fast in place by that stare. “You want me to betray my teacher and mentor?” “I...” Rainbow Dash faltered. Suddenly she found herself shoved out of the way. She released a breath she didn't know she had been holding and looked up to see Fluttershy of all ponies returning a Stare at Twilight Spark. “Don't you DARE use the Stare on your friends! What are you thinking! You know this is wrong Twilight Sparkle! You and I talked once about the power of the Stare!” Twilight Spark was first surprised, then confused. “We did?” Fluttershy blinked as she looked deep into the unicorn's eyes. “We did. Don't you remember?” Twilight Spark stepped back. “I... I...” she looked really confused and for a second... scared. But then anger returned in full. “So what if we talked about it?! I don't care! I will not betray my Queen!” Her horn fired up and a wave of energy threw all ponies flying. “You will not stop Nightmare Moon from coming back! “We'll have to stop her too!” Applejack said, jumping to her hoofs quickly. “But... we won't have all six Elements of Harmony...” Rarity said, as her horn created a shield that blocked the skeleton Twilight had levitated and thrown their way. “We'll have to try! Maybe we can cleanse Twilight first! It's bound to be easier than cleansing Celestia without the Element of Magic!” the Earth Pony retorted, a golden choker decorated with an apple made out of ruby appearing around her neck. Similar chokers, each matching the cutie marks of the other ponies appeared as they all stood and faced Twilight Spark. Auras of their respective colors formed around them, their backlash dispersing every spell Twilight threw at them. The panicking unicorn starting to throw bigger objects at them to no avail. Their auras suddenly extended and enveloped the unicorn, who gasped in pain as the multicolored light destroyed her defenses. “We're doing it!” Fluttershy cheered as the light formed a familiar rainbow wall around the transformed unicorn. Suddenly a hoof hit her in the face, sending her sprawling and breaking her concentration. Before the others could react, a back kick almost dropped Rarity right then and there, Pinkie Pie was barely able to dodge a follow up. Their assailant then tackled Rainbow Dash to the floor. Their attack shattered and Twilight Spark wasted no time in casting a spell that had Applejack, Rarity and Pinkie Pie on their bellies, as if a huge weight had suddenly dropped on them. Fluttershy looked up from her prone position, head reeling to stare at their attacker. “S-Spitfire!” Rainbow Dash growled, trying unsuccessfully to raise her head more than enough to turn it towards the other pegasus. “What the hay are you doing!” The pegasus smiled. “I'm protecting my Queen, of course.” from within her wings she drew out a small silver chain with an amulet on it. “It is the sacred duty of the Council of Nightmares to bring both sisters to their full power.” “But... it doesn't make sense!” Rainbow Dash said, the hurt and betrayal in her voice obvious to all around. “Don't worry Dash.” Spitfire said leaning close to the angry pegasus' ear. “You'll understand soon enough.” Twilight Spark, horn glowing and enlarging her spell to cover Fluttershy, approached Spitfire. “You serve Queen Nightmare Flare then?” “And Queen Nightmare Moon.” the red-maned pegasus nodded. “With all my being.” Twilight Spark smiled. “Good. Then...” “At last!” Nightmare Flare's voice was victorious. The five ponies on the floor turned to look in horror as Luna was surrounded by a dark blue energy. The transformed Queen stepped back as her sister, seemingly unconscious, floated up to hover in front of her. Slowly the energy formed a familiar shape. Fluttershy closed her eyes and whimpered. Rarity and Pinkie Pie shared worried glances. “Oh no...” Applejack groaned, barely even able to see what was happening past Twilight's hooves. Rainbow Dash didn't say anything, bitter tears welling in her eyes. Nightmare Moon slowly stood up as Nightmare Flare stepped back to allow her some space. The dark alicorn opened her eyes and turned them towards the Elements of Harmony. o.0.o After an awkward discussion about what had happened to her at the Guardian's maws, Trixie had allowed Big Macintosh to pull her wagon. Although she could have carried on, it was starting to tax her magic, and she had noticed that she had started to lose opacity. “You rest,” the strong pony had said in a kind but firm tone. “I'm used to pulling, and you'll need your strength once we reach Canterlot.” Trixie had nodded with a grateful and shy smile, but upon remembering that he could not see her had sighed and used her flash powder to write: THANK YOU. I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP, BIG MACINTOSH. The stallion blushed, a pleased smile adorning his face as he simply nodded. The comfortable silence and steadfast companionship had calmed Trixie a bit and she had finally asked herself the question that she had avoided since she had been exposed as a liar by Twilight Sparkle and her friends. She had blamed the whole thing on her. Even the fact that the Ursa Minor had attacked the town, when it had really been the two colts fans she had egged on about her greatness. And really, what had she done the last few years with her life? She had gone from city to city, town to town antagonizing the locals if they questioned her. Her repertoire was impressive enough, but she had decided to... embellish it with added bravado and the stories became more extravagant as time went past. The fact that she could defend herself from and defeat multiple opponents by doing things 'better' than them gave credibility to her claims to more gullible ponies. But if she was truly honest with herself, she had not really done anything better than the other ponies. She had just taken advantage of their exploits which usually left them a bit winded, as would often happen when excitable ponies tried to make a show of their skills. Had she flown better than that blue pegasus with the ridiculous rainbow hair? No. She had just used her illusion skills to use the rainbow she had created with her skills against her. Perhaps she could claim that she had done better than the farmer mare with rope-tricks, but again, that would depend on what was being judged. Had she attempted to pull the same trick physically, well, she would have been as effective at that as the Earth Pony would have been at trying her hoof at magic. And what of the musician in Fillydelphia? Or that gunslinger in Appleloosa? She sighed. She had done so much to escape from the ghosts of her past. She had ran away from home and dropped out of school to forge her own way; find herself. She had wanted to prove to her father that she was perfectly capable of achieving much in her life, even surpass him, without the comforts of a life where everything was given to her. And in the end she had failed miserably, she had been pathetic enough to ask her father for help not expecting anything but scorn... and the bastard had actually bought her a new stage wagon. There had been a letter too, but it remained unopened. “Way to leave the ghosts of the past behind, Great and Powerful Trixie.” she muttered. She looked down at Big Mac, faithfully helping her despite her reputation in Ponyville. She wished she could walk next to him and talk without the impersonal and draining spells to create words of fire. She wished she could just forget about the whole thing and cuddle with him and tell him all of her secrets, good and bad... because she knew he wouldn't hate her or think less of her. Being a ghost sucked. Being a ghost looking back on her life and finding that it was less than adequate sucked a- she felt something. She tried to clear her mind. Underneath her the wagon creaked and the wheels crushed twigs, pebbles scraped under the weight of the wagon. Big Macintosh's steady pace echoed in the empty night. What had she felt? Her attention turned towards Canterlot. There... no. It wasn't Canterlot exactly... it was under it. BIG MACINTOSH... PLEASE TURN RIGHT HERE TOWARDS THE PATH. Big Mac looked at the small path that Trixie had pointed out. It seemed old. And it was clearly not the way to go to get to Canterlot, in fact, from what he could see under the moonlight, it went straight into the cliff under the castle. Without a word he started down the old path. Trixie probably knew something he didn't. Trixie smiled. Truly smiled and if the world could have seen her, she wouldn't have cared. Despite all her failings, her attitude problems, her current situation... Big Macintosh's company and -dare she say it?- friendship had made her realize what she had been missing all this time. It hadn't been staring at her in the face all this time, but it had popped up to pull at her hat and she had ignored it time and again. But she had found it. And she would never let go. o.0.o End Chapter 7 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-12T02:18:32+00:00

2015-03-29T05:58:22+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 8 By Wanderer D “Twilight... you're... helping me? How? Why?” Luna asked, her eyes wide. “Why wouldn't she?” Rainbow-orb asked. “After all you're-” “Secret!” Pinkie-orb shouted suddenly. “Secret! Remember! No telling! You pinkie-swore!” “But...” Rainbow-orb tried again, only to have Applejack-orb float in front of it. “No way sugarcube. That's not for us to tell.” “Fine.” Rainbow-orb sighed dejectedly. It even dulled a bit. “As much as I would like to know what you orbs are talking about,” Luna growled. “It still doesn't explain how she's here! In the outside world she's completely on the side of Nightmare Flare!” “Nightmare who?” Applejack-orb asked. Luna blinked. “Don't you know? Nightmare Flare. My corrupted sister!” “See! Told you we were always the last to find out stuff in the whole subconscious!” Rainbow-orb floated accusingly in front of Rarity-orb. “Well.” the white orb said after a moment. “Fine, you were right and I was wrong.” “Wait, what?” Luna shook her head. “How can you be here and not know? And what do you mean you are always the last to find out what's happening in my subconscious?” “Um... we... have been here since we healed you...” Flutter-orb offered. “We are parts of the souls of the ponies you know as Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Fluttershy and Twilight Sparkle.” the purple orb explained, still floating in front of Nightmare Flare's avatar. “We are the wishes of those ponies that you would be healed... we represent their purest feelings and we have been here since the Elements of Harmony defeated Nightmare Moon because they wanted us to be with you.” “With me? Why? They didn't know me back then. They barely know me now.” Luna sighed. “We know... it takes some time for all the information of your daily activities to reach us... but it does, eventually.” Twilight-orb said. “But, for my part... Twilight... she...” “We all saw who you were when we destroyed the shell that kept you trapped.” Applejack-orb interrupted. “Deep within each pony that night, was the honest wish that you would know true friendship and love from those around you, that you would be happy to be back with your sister and part of this world again.” Luna nodded, tears forming in her eyes, although Applejack-orb’s interruption seemed odd to her. She glanced at Twilight-orb, arching an eyebrow. The purple orb hovered silently, it seemed to be hesitating. Speaking slowly, as if choosing the words carefully it finally said: “I can tell you this... I am absolutely sure, beyond doubt, that Twilight Sparkle has been waiting for you to get in contact with her ever since she met you.” Luna sighed. “I'll never get the chance now...” she sighed “..unless... I fight and win.” she looked resolutely at the orbs hovering around her. “It’s the only way I’ll be able to talk to Twilight...” she glanced with a small smile at the other orbs “And also thank the rest of the Elements of Harmony for their help.” Nightmare Flare’s avatar resumed its push into Luna’s subconscious, but unlike its initial attack, it seemed to be carefully trying to push Twilight-orb out of the way without hurting it. Twilight-orb hovered in front of the avatar for a moment longer. “Do you trust me, Luna?” Luna looked at the orb deep in thought, remembering nights when she had stood apparently alone, wondering what to do and whether the world even needed her now... only for a tiny voice in her mind soothing her, telling her that it would be okay, urging her to talk to her sister when she thought things were too complicated. It had been Twilight-orb... or at least some of it had been there. She was sure of it. “Yes. I do.” Luna said. “Then...” Twilight-orb said, moving out of the avatar's way. “Let her win.” Luna felt tears well up again as she stood defiantly in front of the avatar, the other orbs hovering uncertainly behind her. “It will be alright.” Twilight's voice said. Closing her eyes shut, Luna stepped aside. o.0.o “Sister.” Nightmare Flare greeted the re-awakened Nightmare Moon. Her voice made the ponies cringe. It was harsh, and strong... aggressive. Completely unlike the calm and loving voice they had come to relate to Princess Celestia. It had a slight echo to it, as if there were two voices talking at the same time. “Thank you for bringing me back, sister.” the dark mare replied, not taking her eyes off the five subdued ponies. “We should see to our court.” the former Princess Celestia said. “We need to make everypony aware of the new changes.” “Yes... but first I want to take care of these ponies.” Nightmare Moon said, stepping up to the struggling group. Twilight and Spitfire lowered their heads at her. “I want to get rid of them now.” Nightmare Moon declared, her horn lighting up. Nightmare Flare stepped up next to her and sighed. “Very well sister, it is your revenge after all.” “Please, my Queen...” Twilight said. “Can I keep her?” she caressed Applejack's chin with her hoof, earning a glare from the Earth Pony. “And I would like Spitfire to keep Rainbow Dash... we have an... experiment... to perform.” The pegasus and the unicorn looked at the Queens expectantly. “Come now, sister, what harm could come from letting them keep two?” Nightmare Flare asked. “The Elements of Harmony are no more. They cannot act against us, and you still can exact your revenge on the others.” Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth, glaring down at the three remaining ponies. “Fine.” Her horn started glowing. “I will make you suffer for what you did to me.” The five ponies screamed in terror as dark energy surrounded Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. “Girls! I just want to say... it was an honor knowing you!” Rarity gasped, then turned a teary eyed look towards Twilight who was watching with a manic smile. “Even you Twilight... before you became this.” If the unicorn reacted she never got to see it. Black lightning crisscrossed their writhing bodies and they cried out as pain seemed to overwhelm them. They struggled to run when Twilight released her spell, but Nightmare Moon's power was too much for them. With a sudden crack, all three were gone. Only little mounds of ash remained. “Rarity! Pinkie Pie!” Applejack shouted. “Fluttershy! No!” Rainbow Dash cried, smashing her hooves on the floor. All strength seemed to leave their bodies. They slumped there, just staring at the ash. Nightmare Flare gave Nightmare Moon a hard look but said nothing. “You can take them away now.” Nightmare Moon said. Twilight Spark nodded, looking down at the pair. She smirked. “Yeah, these two are not going anywhere on their own.” Her horn stopped glowing as she canceled her spell. The moment she felt the spell weaken Applejack jumped straight at Nightmare Moon. “You! Luna, how could you?!” She was suddenly grabbed from the air and flung against the wall. She landed with a thud on the stone floor. “Sorry! Sorry!” Twilight Spark said with an impish smile. “I didn't anticipate that.” Nightmare Flare sniffed. “Just take them away, Twilight. Spitfire.” After all four ponies were gone the sun goddess turned to glare at Nightmare Moon. “What did you really do with them?” Nightmare Moon seemed surprised for a second, but then she laughed. “You are very perceptive sister. I exiled them to my Moon Prison. I simply wanted to see their friends suffer when they thought they had died already.” Nightmare Flare whinnied. “You are devious sister. Come now, our subjects await.” o.0.o The silence of the night was broken by the crackling and scratching sounds of wooden wheels on hard rock as the blue wagon was pulled along the road that snaked around the cliffs under Canterlot Castle. Trixie shuddered. Whatever was calling her here was getting closer. She didn't know what her destination was... she had never been anywhere near the base of the mountain before. Ponies usually avoided the cliffs and just climbed the slope leading to Canterlot Castle. Under the moonlight she could see the rocks older than Canterlot itself jaggedly adorning the face of the mountains. If she looked up and strained her neck, she could make out lights coming from the castle far above, but down here... only the silvery moonlight chased the shadows away. Big Macintosh slowed down as they reached a cave. Another, smaller pass took off towards the castle above, but that was not what drew their attention. The cave's entrance had been blocked by large metallic doors... and Trixie could feel that whatever was calling her was behind them. WE NEED TO GO INSIDE she wrote. I CANNOT OPEN THE DOORS WITH MAGIC Big Mac nodded. “Don't worry, Trixie.” the stallion said, shaking loose from the harness. “I’ll take care of it.” With a screeching sound, the doors opened and Trixie's magic pushed the wagon into the cave. As soon as she was inside she jumped to the floor of the cave. It was huge. Torches lit once they were both inside, a nifty little spell she knew several variations of to use for her shows. The floor had a room wide circle of runes that contained smaller circles, each with their own runes inscribed on them. Trixie had seen symbols like those before, but she had never bothered to study the ancient languages. It was a shame, she now realized, as despite her usual lack of interest in the academical, she really wanted to know what it said. The chamber was vast, there were six columns all around, also decorated with runes. Entrances to smaller chambers could be seen behind each column. “Isn't this amazing, Big Macintosh?” she said excitedly running from one side of the room to the other. When he didn't answer she stopped and looked at him. He was just looking in her direction with a stoic expression on his face. “Oh...” Trixie sighed. “You can't hear me... I forgot... it might be for the best, I wouldn't want to bore you with my whining, and I value your company so much! If we had met when I could still speak to you I would...” she sighed again. Her horn started glowing and magic dust floated out of her wagon. The words started forming in the air. “Trixie... I can see you.” Big Macintosh said. “I... can hear you too.” Trixie stared at the stallion. The dust, forgotten, sprinkled onto the floor unheeded. “Really?” she asked, almost choking when she realized that the red stallion had heard everything she had just said. “Really.” Big Mac smiled at her. At her! He could see her! Tears falling freely, Trixie jumped forward arms open to hug him. Smiling, Big Macintosh also made a motion to embrace her... only for both of them to gasp as Trixie sailed right through him. Trixie's eyes twitched. “Oh...” Big Mac's eyes slowly widened at the tirade of insults and swearwords that followed. “...with a bucketful of nails!” Trixie finished. She stood there breathing hard for a few seconds before glancing at the flabbergasted stallion. She blushed and lowered her head. “I-I'm sorry, Big Macintosh. I just... I thought...” “It's okay.” the red-furred pony said after a moment. “We all get angry.” Trixie nodded gratefully at him and both smiled warmly at each other for a couple of minutes. When Trixie realized she had been staring, she immediately looked away, flushing once more. “Ah... yes, The Great and Powerful Trixie is really thankful for your kind help.” Big Mac chuckled. “My pleasure, Trixie.” They started looking at the other smaller caves. Each was also intricately engraved, but unlike the entrance cave, they had some sort of shrines made out of stone at the far end. “Trixie...” Big Mac whispered. “I think there's somepony there.” he said, motioning with his head at one of the smaller caves. Intrigued, she followed Big Mac to the cave he pointed and carefully looked inside. A unicorn with a blue coat, slightly darker than Trixie's stood gazing quietly at one of the stone shrines. Neither moved, but the unicorn tensed and turned around. His cutie mark was a waning crescent moon over a larger waxing crescent, his irises were an almost golden hue. His pose was aggressive and Trixie was surprised and immediately touched to see Big Mac step up next to her protectively. “Who are you two?!” The unicorn demanded. “Leave now.” “Now wait a minute!” Trixie said, stepping into the room and walking until she was snout to snout with the older unicorn. She pushed him back with her head, glaring. “You do not tell The Great and Powerful Trixie what to do! Who do you think you are?” The unicorn narrowed his eyes and pushed back, his horn glowing threateningly. “Wanna bet?” Trixie's own horn lit up. “You don't know who you are messing with!” “Um...” Big Macintosh's cough made them look his way. “What is it Big Mac? I'm about to teach this... miscreant... what he gets for threatening us.” “Well... I just wanted to point out that you are able to touch him.” the stallion said. “You... I...” Trixie stepped back. Then poked the surprised unicorn on the chest. “Hey! I can touch you!” “You can touch me?!” the unicorn asked, dropping to his haunches, eyes wide. “But how?” “Oh, Big Mac! I can touch ponies again!” she shouted with glee, sailing through him as she attempted to tackle him. “Huh?” “Ah...” the unknown unicorn sighed. “That explains it. You're dead aren't you?” “Well... you don't need to put it that way.” Trixie mumbled. “But, yes, I am a ghost.” she looked up, understanding dawning on her. “So that means that you...” The unicorn nodded. “Just earlier today.” he looked at a corner of the cavern and they both could see a bundle of dark cloth over something. “Eww...” Trixie stepped back, then looked at the unicorn “...sorry.” The unicorn shook his head. “It's okay.” he sighed. “It's... not how I ever pictured I would pass on, you know? I figured by now I would be with my wife but... I can't leave. Not yet.” “Why?” Trixie asked. He looked at her, then at Big Macintosh. “I think I recognize you. You sell apples at the farmer's market in Canterlot. You live near Ponyville?” Big Mac nodded. “I have sold you apples from time to time. I never learned your name.” “Call me Midnight.” the unicorn smiled sadly. “I'm sorry I threatened you, but I thought you were agents of the Guardian.” “Never!” Trixie shouted. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will rip his scaly hide from his bones!” The unicorn blinked. “You've met the guardian? I guess that explains why you're here.” “So... why are you here?” Big Mac asked, walking to stand next to Trixie. The unicorn looked uncomfortable for a moment then sighed in resignation “Well, I need help anyway.” he stepped out of the way and motioned for them to follow him up to the shrine. Both ponies gasped. “Is that...” Big Macintosh started to say. The unicorn nodded. “Yes. This has to remain a secret...” “But-” Trixie started to say, still staring. “No! Right now there's nothing we can do.” Midnight insisted. Big Mac looked at the direction of the unicorns body. “I could... help take care of that for you.” he offered. The unicorn lowered his head. “That... corrupted thing is more dangerous than you think. Leave it alone.” A little disturbed Trixie looked from the body to the unicorn. “Corrupted? I think you have a lot to explain, Midnight.” The unicorn nodded silently, looking down at the shrine. “Fine... it all began roughly ten years ago...” o.0.o Applejack was lying on the floor in the dark, staring silently at what she could see of the rug under her. How long had she been here? Hours at least... Her mind was blank. Every time she tried to think of what to do, the image of her three friends being reduced to ashes would replay in her mind and she would despair again. The door opened and Twilight Sparkle... no... Spark... walked in. Applejack didn't even bother to look up at her. “Aw, what's wrong with my apple pie?” Twilight asked, walking up to her. “Feeling down?” “Why do you do this, Twilight? I thought we were friends!” Applejack asked, without even looking up. “Oh, Applejack. Of course we are friends.” “Then why didn't you help us turn Princess Celestia back to normal?” the farmer pony asked, lifting her head to look at the purple unicorn. “You have to understand, Applejack. Princess Celestia has been like my mother since I met her.” Twilight said, jumping on to her bed. “My dad became really distant when I moved here and my mom passed away shortly after that...” Twilight was silent. “I didn't know that.” Applejack said. “But for the same reason, shouldn't we bring her back to normal? And you too for that matter?” “Me?” Twilight blinked. “Twilight!” Applejack finally stood up and held her friend by the shoulders. “You weren't always an evil vampire goth fillyfooler!” “An evil...” Twilight blinked and stepped up to the mirror. “Oh. Well, I guess I could see why you would call me a goth...” “And the fangs...” “Oh, I can't suck anything with them.” Twilight said. “I think they just look cute.” she smiled, fangs showing just slightly as she approached the earth pony. Applejack gulped as Twilight spark nuzzled her. “Unless you want me to bite?” the unicorn whispered. “No! No! No!” Applejack growled, pushing the amused unicorn away. “What is wrong with you? Our friends just died! They were killed by Nightmare Moon! She's evil! You've always known that! Why can't you tell the difference now?” “Oh, Applejack.” Twilight chuckled. “Nightmare Moon is not evil. She's just ruthless. Like all rulers should be. Besides, if Nightmare Flare is my mom, doesn't that make Nightmare Moon my aunt?” “So a twisted little family is worth the lives of Pinkie Pie, Rarity and Fluttershy?” the farmer countered. “I see you couldn't care less.” “You seem to be handling it pretty well yourself.” Twilight dryly pointed out. Applejack looked down. “I'm hurting, Twilight. I'm hurting more than you can imagine... earlier, when we thought we had lost you... Fluttershy just couldn't stop crying, Pinkie Pie wouldn't even smile... and Rarity... she just stared at the table... we were all heartbroken.” “Oh. Well, this is depressing.” Twilight sighed. Her horn started glowing. “H-hey!” Applejack shouted as she was levitated off the floor and then pressed against the wall where magical chains wrapped around each of her hooves holding her aloft once the unicorn had stopped using her magic. “Twilight! What the hell do you think you are doing! This is not funny!” Twilight Spark had a small smile as she approached, batting her eyelashes at Applejack. “Aww, let me make you feel better, Applejack.” she said. “N-no! I'm not into fillies!” the farmer shouted. “And even if I were, I would never like a crazy unicorn that does not care at all for her friends! The real Twilight would!” she looked deep into her friend’s eyes. “If you’re there, Twilight, fight! Come back to us!” The unicorn gasped and stepped back. Her horn started glowing and soon a purple aura formed around her, levitating her as she threw her head back and groaned loudly, her hooves going to her head as if she were in pain. Applejack watched in shock as Twilight twitched in mid air, then the aura blasted off and the unicorn collapsed on the floor, breathing heavily. “T-twilight?” “Oooh...” a whimpering voice came from the unicorn. “A-applejack? What happened? I... feel so... strange...” she stumbled as she tried to get up. Hope flared inside Applejack. “It's okay sugarcube! Just be strong! We'll get out of this mess.” “Mess?” Twilight looked up, confused. She looked around the room, then noticed Applejack tied to the wall. “Applejack! Who put you there?!” “Don't worry about that, Twi!” Applejack was almost crying with happiness. “Just get me down, we need to get Rainbow Dash back and stop Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Flare?” “Who?” Twilight asked as she made her way up to the farmer and stood unsteadily on her hind legs, leaning heavily against the wall, so that her face was close to Applejack's. “Get me down, I'll tell you all about it...” Applejack's words were almost a whisper as she stared into Twilight's eyes. “Applejack...” the unicorn said softly, leaning forward until their faces were almost touching. “Y-yes?” the farmer asked just as softly, cheeks blushing, she unintentionally leaned forward just a bit, so that their noses finally touched. Twilight stared at her for a moment before she had to stifle a laugh. She put her hoof on her mouth, but she snorted and fell back laughing. The farmer looked down at the unicorn rolling on the floor with laughter with confusion. “Twilight?” “I...” the revived unicorn snorted. “I'm sorry, I'm sorry, that was hilarious!” she laughed for a few more seconds, each of which made the farmer more and more annoyed. “It-it was amazing! Your face... you should have seen your face!” “Twilight!” Applejack snapped. “Just get me out of here!” The unicorn stopped for a second, then looked at her seriously before her cheeks puffed up with barely contained laughter. “Oh, Applejack! You... you really bought it! Priceless!” Comprehension finally dawned on the farmer pony. “Why you!” she started struggling against the chains. “When I get my hooves on you...” “Oh, don't worry, you will” Twilight Spark smirked. “I expect to have all of you on me at some point in the near future.” The apple farmer growled. “Now... about getting my hooves on somepony...” the unicorn said, still chuckling. “What do you say to getting started?” Applejack gulped again. Twilight Spark took a step towards her... Someone knocked on the door. The unicorn sighed. “Really? Don't ponies have better things to do than bother me right now?” Her horn glowed and the door opened, revealing two pegasi silhouettes. “Twilight, Nightmare Flare and Nightmare Moon are going to speak to their subjects.” a familiar voice said. Applejack stared, completely baffled at the pair of ponies. “And they request your presence there.” Spitfire added. “They can't start without their daughter, right?” “I suppose.” Twilight sighed. “I was hoping to get some studying done, you know?” The pegasus with the familiar voice walked into the room and stared at Applejack before turning to elbow Twilight Spark on the shoulder. “Yeah, right. What type of studying were you planning on doing?” “Oh, you know. Basic anatomy, pleasure/pain thresholds, Pavponian Conditioning.” the unicorn spared a glance at the earth pony. “Oh... do you think I broke her? But I haven't even started!” she said jokingly, eliciting a snort and a laugh from the pegasi. Applejack realized that her mouth was hanging open and closed it with a snap. But her eyes watered as she forced herself to speak. “Why... what...” she shook her head and looked pleadingly at the pegasus. “What’s up, Applejack? Dragon caught your tongue?” Rainbow Dash asked, her familiar cocky smile unwavering. o.0.o End Chapter 8 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-14T20:41:52+00:00

2015-10-23T20:48:56+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 9 By Wanderer D The familiar sound of the royal call woke the ponies that were not already up and about. Roused by the echo of the trumpets, the various citizens of Canterlot gathered under the Royal Balcony where Princess Celestia usually addressed them. Spike, red-eyed from crying, made his way to the crowd so he could see what was happening. Maybe they had found the bastard that had killed Twilight... he tried to ignore the comments and speculations of the ponies around him as he waited for the Princess to come out. When a weird-looking Celestia stepped into the balcony a hush fell on the whole gathering. Ponies stared in awe at the majesty and power embodied in her. She looked down at them with cold eyes, and Spike couldn't help but have a bad feeling about this. "My loyal subjects." the Princess spoke into the quiet air, her voice reaching the whole assembly without problem. "Yesterday was a trying day for me and my sister, but as the Goddesses we are, we emerged victorious. I stand before you, changed to reflect who I truly am." Mutters erupted in the crowd below. "SILENCE!" Her order was immediately followed. The ponies below cringed in fear as a sudden heat-wave hit them all - a physical manifestation of the goddess’ fury. Some cowered while other simply stared in awe. "You shall all address me by my proper title now: Queen Nightmare Flare!" her wings opened and Spike could fully appreciate the power she exuded as just about everypony bowed down in deference. The power... it was not her usual warm magic... it was corrupt and felt somewhat familiar to him. "But I shall not rule alone." Nightmare Flare declared. She stepped lightly to the side as a very familiar figure stepped up next to her. Spike would never forget her from the first time he saw her. The blue mane, swaying in the wind deep as the night and glittering with stars; the dark coat, black as her heart; the purple regalia... "I present to you my true sister... Nightmare Moon!" Nightmare Flare announced. Immediately several things happened. The crowd screamed and the guards were forced to contain the confused ponies from stampeding away. One of the Guard Pegasi drew a sword and charged towards Nightmare Moon, while another pegasus, this one in Wonderbolt uniform, also burst out of the crowd and charged the balcony. Their flight was short lived however, as out of nowhere another Wonderbolt tackled the first, throwing him to the hard floor in front of the crowd, who gasped in horror. The guard was tackled by a flash of rainbow and landed painfully next to the Wonderbolt, a filly pegasus rising to stand over him. "Rainbow Dash?" Spike whispered in horror as the rainbow-maned pegasus shook her head at the guard. "Nah-ah!" the weather pony taunted. "Who do you think you are, attacking our Queens?" "It's that monster!" the guard spat. "Nightmare Moon! She did something to Princess Celestia!" "Spitfire?!" the gray furred and white maned Wonderbolt groaned, wincing as he got up, he looked back at his left wing. It hung useless on his side. "Oof!" He crumbled to the side as she kicked him from above, landing heavily on the floor gasping for breath. Spitfire on the other hoof, landed daintily in front of him. From the crowds Spike couldn't believe what was happening. "I got to stop this!" He took a couple of steps forward only to be stopped by a hoof. He followed the leg up to see another familiar pony, who was looking hard at the events transpiring in the courtyard. "You dare attack your Queen?" Nightmare Flare's voice was cold. It drew the attention of everyone back to the two Nightmares. "It seems a demonstration is in order." Spike's heart skipped when a third pony walked in between the two self-declared Queens. He watched in trepidation as Twilight Sparkle looked down at the two pegasi. She looked a bit different, but there was no mistaking her. Even some of the noble ponies around him gasped and whispered her name. "My student and heir." Nightmare Flare said coldly. "Give these two..." she spat out the word "... rebels... a proper reward." "Yes my Queen." Twilight said with a very slight bow which had the nobles muttering at how inappropriate it was. They shut up immediately though as Rainbow Dash and Spitfire quickly flew out of the way and Twilight's horn shone with a dark energy, her smile widening. With a laugh echoed by thunder, a lightning bolt struck the two downed pegasi. For a split-second everyone could see their skeletons. The two thrashed around as electricity circled their bodies for what seemed minutes but in reality was no more than a couple of seconds. They landed in a heap, smoke coming out of them, but apparently still alive. Another lightning bolt. And another. And another. Spike couldn't watch. He turned around and buried his tear-covered face on the leg of the pony that had stopped him. He heard two more. Then silence. After a few seconds Nightmare Flare spoke again. "Let this be a warning. Whoever dares attempt to attack either me or my sister will suffer a worse fate than these two." The whole crowd was quiet. "A new reign has begun. That of the Queen Sisters." Nightmare Moon declared after a moment. "Night and Day will no longer be." Both of the alicorn horns glowed... slowly the sun started moving up its normal cycle, slowly, but still faster than normal. The gathered ponies stared in awe at the blatant display of power. Soon the sun had reached its midway point just above the castle. There was a murmur as the sun just stopped... and before the horrified looks of everypony, the moon slowly rose, its course taking it towards the sun until it finally covered it, creating an eclipse. "Rejoice!" Nightmare Flare called out. "The Age of the Eternal Eclipse has begun!" o.0.o “Hey, come on Big Mac!” Spike whispered angrily. The little dragon had reluctantly followed the draft pony after he had stopped him from charging into the open and confronting Twilight Sparkle. Since then, Big Mac had been quiet despite Spike's constant badgering. “Where are we going? I need to get to Twilight!” he shuddered. “Did you see what she did?! Something is wrong with her!” "Eeyup." the draft pony said. "But that don’t mean we should just rush in." The dragon growled. "And what about Rainbow Dash? She was acting weird too! Since when does she take orders or defend Nightmare Moon? And don't forget that Applejack was with them too! What happened to her? Do you think she’s okay?" The red pony stopped cold and looked down at the small dragon. Spike gulped, but Big Macintosh just sighed. "We can't trust any of them." "What?!" the dragon could not believe his ears. "But why!?" "I would like to know that too!" another voice said from above. The pair jumped when a strong looking pegasus landed in front of them. His green eyes drilled into the pair, his wings opened to block their path. "Hey!" Spike said suddenly. "I know you! You're Soarin'! Rainbow Dash has told me about you!" The Wonderbolt nodded, his grim expression not leaving his face. "I need to know why Spitfire did that to Blizzard." he growled. "And why he had to die!" Big Mac sighed and looked around. "Did anypony follow you?" The pegasus shook his head. The draft pony nodded and indicated that they should come with him. o.0.o Nightmare Flare, Nightmare Moon, Twilight Spark, Spitfire and Rainbow Dash walked away from the balcony, slowly making their way towards the court. "Now that that has been dealt with, we will need to ensure we get loyal servants." Nightmare Flare said. "Hey! There's no-one more loyal than me!" Rainbow Dash said. "And I'm your servant!" Nightmare Flare glowered at the pegasus. "That might be true, but you would do well to learn when and how to talk to your Queen." "I have been thinking about that, sister." Nightmare Moon said. "You have Rainbow Dash, Twilight and Spitfire. I would like to recruit a couple of assistants for myself." Nightmare Flare stopped, followed by the whole procession. "Who do you have in mind?" "The Assassins Guild has always had utmost respect for me. For centuries they have prayed to the Moon for guidance and to the Night for protection. I say it is time I pay them a visit and exact payment for services rendered." Nightmare Flare laughed. "Somepony in particular?" "Yes... a pony I have blessed from my distant prison on many an occasion, one of the best... if not the best." The dark alicorn smiled. "Silent Jade." It took the other ponies a second to realize that Nightmare Flare's jaw was actually open as she stared at her sister. Realizing her state, the flame alicorn closed her mouth. "Absolutely not." "Why not?" Twilight asked. "Because, dear Twilight, Silent Jade once slipped into my sister's room, stole one of her jewels, and left a note detailing how many ways she had found to get into the room and how she could have killed my sister." Nightmare Moon said. The white alicorn growled. "So it’s a she... I'd always wondered. In any case, she called it her 'civic duty' to let me know in writing how pathetic my security was back then." Nightmare Flare growled. "Even if she couldn’t have killed me, it was... disturbing." "But it is safer now, isn't it?" Nightmare Moon countered. Her sister grudgingly nodded. "How do you know she'll accept?" The dark alicorn smiled. "As I said... she owes me a lot of favors. I still have to visit the guild to inform the Guild Master that I am taking her under my service indefinitely." "Go ahead." Nightmare Flare did not sound happy. "At least I'll know where the little weasel is now and that she won't be trying anything..." she glared at her sister with some trepidation. "She won't be trying anything. Right?" "Not without Royal Orders, sister." "Fine. Go." o.0.o Applejack had her own room in the castle. There was a bowl with fresh fruit, including apples from Sweet Apple Acres, bananas, strange little brown things the servant had identified as Kiwis, and oranges. The bed was the four times the size of her own, with white linen and fluffy pillows. Her hat lay on it, discarded. The three windows offered an amazing view of most of Canterlot (it was a corner suite). There was an adjacent room with a marble bath and other amenities. The stone floor was mostly covered by a circular carpet with the sun embroidered into it. The walls of the room had little nooks for scented candles, and a small lamp stood on top of the bedside table. While she had always dreamed of being able to afford a suite in an expensive hotel, she held no excitement for her being here. None at all. One of the windows faced the Plaza of the Sun, where Nightmare Flare had talked to her subjects. Although she hadn't been able to hear anything, Applejack had stared forlornly at the two Alicorns as they addressed the crowd. She had witnessed part of the attack. And she had seen what Twilight... sweet, bookish, nerdy, fretful, eager-to-help Twilight... had done. Her friend was gone. Completely gone. Hay, even Rainbow Dash had somehow succumbed to this... madness. What was happening to everypony? How long before the whole castle was corrupt? How long before she... how long before she turned? She closed her eyes. Would she be just as ruthless? It was wrong... so wrong. What had happened? It was not normal for Rainbow Dash to defend either Nightmare... or to stand by and allow something like what had happened to take place. She groaned. What would happen to everyone in Ponyville once word came out? What would Big Macintosh think of her sister's friends helping such monsters?! Would they believe she was on their side? What would Apple Bloom do? Her blood went cold. What would Sweetie Belle do without her sister? Applejack might be able to go back but... Rarity... and Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy... She gritted her teeth. How in the name of all apples was she going to explain what had happened to Rarity to Sweetie Belle? How could she face her? And Scootaloo, that filly's hopes would be destroyed if she ever found out her heroine, Rainbow Dash, was a Nightmare Moon follower! As she sank deeper into despair, she heard laughs outside her door. "I really don't know what they were thinking." Twilight's voice reached her. "Attacking the Queens?" she could imagine the unicorn shaking her head sagely. "Utter folly." "But did you see us?!" Rainbow Dash's voice asked. "Spitfire was like, blam! And I was like whoosh, kick!" "It was very impressive, Dash." Twilight admitted. "I would love to continue chatting, but this is my stop, and you know we have a lot to do later today." "Yeah... hey, before you go, do you know anything about that pony Nightmare Moon mentioned?" Rainbow Dash asked. Applejack growled at how easily the pegasus would talk about their enemy. "Silent Jade?" Twilight asked. "No... I don't know anything about her, but if she's as good as the Queen makes her sound..." "Well, it will be interesting having her around, that's for sure." Spitfire said. "Anyway, are you sure you don't want any help with Applejack? I might still-" "No." Twilight's voice was firm. "She's to remain untouched by anypony but me." "If you say so..." Spitfire sounded doubtful. And she should, Applejack decided. There was no way that she was going to fall for Twilight's tricks again. She heard the ponies say their goodbyes and then the door started opening. The moment it was open enough, the earth pony charged through... or would have, had Twilight Spark not levitated her of the ground the moment she saw her. "Trying to escape, my apple pie?" the unicorn asked with a smile. "Don't call me that! And put me down!" "Well, somepony's grumpy." Twilight said, depositing her on the floor after she had closed the door with magic. "I just saw you kill two innocent ponies!" Applejack shouted. "Easy! You'll disturb the neighbors!" Twilight hissed, but then looked serious. "They attacked the Queen. That's punishable by death." "And you had execute them yourself?" Applejack countered walking away to look out of the window. "How could you, Twilight?" "I'm sorry." The earth pony snorted. "Sure you are." There was a rustling sound behind her and a sniff. Applejack gritted her teeth. She was not falling for it. Not again. "I'm sorry, Applejack." The cowpony remained silent, looking out and listening to Twilight as she sniffed pitiably behind her, wanting, but not daring to turn. Twilight Spark had once deceived her. Fool her once... "I had to!" Twilight insisted, her hoof touching Applejack's shoulder. "What do you want me to do?!" "Let me go!" Applejack shouted. She turned around and was startled to see tears streaming down Twilight Spark's face, but she was still angry. "Stop following those... murderers! How can you think I will believe you suddenly developed a conscience? I saw you! You could have stopped after the first lightning bolt! But you did it six times! SIX TIMES!" Twilight had withdrawn into a small ball as she stared at Applejack. She looked so harmless the apple farmer almost forgot her anger. "Twilight! There is no excuse for what you did! Snap back to reality!" "But... I love Nightmare Flare!" Twilight shouted. "She brought me back! She practically raised me before then! She's my family!" "Your real family is not them! Your real family was Rarity and Fluttershy! Your real family included Pinkie Pie and Princess Celestia! Not Nightmare Flare!" Applejack closed her eyes as she threatened to cry, not wanting to show any weakness to the purple unicorn. "You let them die! And you did something to Rainbow Dash and now she's crazy like you! I HATE YOU! You're heartless!" She heard galloping and the door smashed closed before she opened her eyes. Twilight was gone. She stared at the door. "What the hay just happened?" Applejack stared slack-jawed at the door. Had Twilight Spark just ran out because of what she had said? Had she really hurt the unicorn’s feelings that bad? The door slowly opened and Twilight Spark peeked in with a smile. "Am I forgiven?" "No! Are you bipolar or something?!" Twilight frowned. "Well... I am bi..." "Bipolar?" Applejack squeaked as Twilight made her way into the room again, closing the door behind her and swaying sensually as she walked towards her. Twilight smirked. o.0.o Spitfire traced with her hoof gently on Rainbow Dash's back. The blue coated pegasus was lying on her stomach, apparently distracted. "Are you okay, Dash?" Spitfire asked as she lay next to the other pegasus, who was busy playing with something in her hooves. "I don't know." Rainbow Dash sighed. "I'm... just thinking." "About what?" "My friends." "Oh." "I've always been loyal, you know?" the blue pegasus sighed, glancing down at the Council of Nightmares amulet in her hooves. She kept turning it around and around. "For as long as I have memory, I've had this, and I've known my duty... but I never knew it was going to be so hard!" Spitfire looked away quickly, and Rainbow Dash's eyes followed her reaction, a frown crossing her face. Letting the amulet fall to hang from its chain, Dash stood up and walked towards the door. "Where are you going?" Spitfire asked. "I just need some air... to think. And remember." the rainbow-maned pegasus said. "Oh, are you sure I can't help?" Spitfire dropped her hoof as she watched her open the door, Rainbow Dash looked back at her over her shoulder. "Spitfire... don't you regret what happened to Blizzard?" The Wonderbolt was silent for a few seconds. "No... he betrayed our Queens." she said finally. Rainbow Dash looked away. "I see. I'll be back in a little bit." The door closed behind her, leaving Spitfire to stare at it guiltily, her hoof going unconsciously to hold her own amulet. o.0.o Rainbow Dash walked silently through the halls of Canterlot Castle. Servants and guards all gave her a wide berth, averting their eyes and trying their best to not draw her attention. She wasn't used to this. Or was she? The pegasus shook her head. She had to be, right? The Council prepared everypony in it for this kind of reaction. It was normal that it would happen once their Queens stepped up and the Guardian ruled from the shadows. She stopped, confused. But wasn't her loyalty to the Nightmares and her friends? Dash groaned. She was developing a headache. Maybe she should go out to fly... maybe do a few practice loops like she had been doing ever since she was a filly. The Wonderbolts wouldn't just choose a simple... but... how had she found the time to practice when she was being taught in secret by the Council? She started walking again. Slowly. "No!" she stopped outside Applejack's room when she heard the earth pony's shout. "Oh, come on, apple pie!" Twilight's voice came out. "You know you'll like it! It's just a feather!" "I don't care! You are not touching me with that! Especially there!" There was a crash and the sound of galloping behind the door. "Hey! Stop that! Look what you've done to my beautiful straps!" "Twilight! Listen to me, girl! You are not a fillyfooler!" "How would you know?" "I-I just know! It's... it's that evil thing that happened to you! You are not yourself!" Twilight's voice turned slightly deeper. "Is this more like my old self?" "N-no! I said stay away!" Blushing Rainbow Dash stared straight ahead and turned slowly around. "Yeah... I should take flight..." she walked away not noticing the minute piece of metal that had fallen to the floor. o.0.o Nightmare Moon looked down at the unicorn sitting petulantly before her. "... and that's how it is. Do you understand?" The unicorn nodded. "Will you join my cause then... Silent Jade?" The unicorn in front of her started and stared at the alicorn. She hesitated. "I do owe you..." she looked behind her at something hidden in the shadows. "Trust me." the dark alicorn said. "Like you did so many times in the past when you prayed to the moon and the stars for inspiration and help in your endeavors." "I did not know back then I was praying to you." the unicorn replied glancing at the alicorn with suspicion. The alicorn smiled. "Did I ever fail you, though?" A bitter smile in return. "No." "Then trust me again." Nightmare Moon said. The unicorn sighed shaking her mane. "Fine. But I need to get some things first..." The dark alicorn nodded. "Just make sure you are not seen." The assassin barked a laugh. o.0.o End Chapter 9 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-16T22:57:35+00:00

2015-10-23T21:00:02+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 10 By Wanderer D “I see you brought friends.” Midnight said when Big Macintosh walked into the main cavern, followed by Spike and Soarin'. “Can they be trusted?” The draft pony nodded. Spike stared. “M-Midnight! Sir! What are you doing here?!” Midnight walked up to both of them and gave them a hard look, ignoring the small dragon for the moment and the bewildered look from Big Mac. “Yes... these two seem clean... what about her?” The three blinked. “Her?” Soarin' asked, blinking in confusion. They followed Midnight's eyes to the entrance of the cave, where a mint green unicorn with a viridian mane and a white streak on it meeped at the sudden attention. “Lyra?!” Big Mac and Spike shouted, looking surprised. The unicorn turned around to run, but Soarin' was already landing before her. “Sorry, but you are not going anywhere.” “But... but I...” Lyra stammered, tearing up a bit. “I'm sorry! I was just curious! I saw what happened today and... when I saw Big Mac and Spike, I wanted to ask them what was going on!” “Bring her in.” Midnight said. “She seems to be clean too. And Big Mac seems to know her.” “Whatever that means.” Soarin' muttered, then turned to the unicorn. “Well, you heard him.” She meekly went into the cavern with Soarin' while Big Mac took a look outside to ensure they were really alone, then closed the doors. “Well, she's not the only one who wants to know what’s happening.” The pegasus said gruffly. “I want an explanation for what happened out there.” “Did something happen?” a voice asked. The three recent arrivals turned to see another unicorn emerging from another room. “Trixie?!” Lyra and Spike shouted, looking surprised. “Do you guys do that a lot?” Midnight asked, eyebrow arched. The unicorn mare spared them a glance, but trotted up to Big Macintosh, hovering really close to him in an almost intimate manner, which had both the dragon and the musician trading confused glances. “The Great and Powerful Trixie would like to know how you fared, Big Macintosh.” Trixie said, reverting slightly to her stage persona when she recognized the small dragon. The draft pony blushed slightly. “I'm fine... but... something horrible has happened.” he looked up at Midnight. “Both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna have been turned into Nightmares... Twilight Sparkle was with them... as well as Spitfire of the Wonderbolts and Rainbow Dash.” The navy blue unicorn narrowed his eyes. “Then things are worse than I thought. I had hoped the Guardian would not be able to corrupt either sister... whatever happened to Princess Celestia must have taxed her willpower greatly.” “I don't know about the Princess... or even Rainbow Dash, but I want to know.” Soarin' said. “The Spitfire I know wouldn't have done what she did to Blizzard.” Midnight sighed. “Well then. Tell me exactly what happened.” o.0.o Rainbow Dash flew around Canterlot castle doing loops and twists in the air, barrel rolls, spins and everything short of the Sonic Rainboom. Each turn, each pull of gravity made her think again and again on what had happened that day. While performing and Immelpony turn she recalled leaving with Twilight to help Princess Celestia. Pulling up hard, she let herself go into a Tail Slide... the tour of Canterlot Castle... arguing with Rarity about ghosts... and that brought her too to Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. She gritted her teeth at the pang of guilt over the loss of her friends. Why? Why didn't they give up and serve the Nightmare Goddesses as they should have? She hated having to pretend to fight... She pulled a Cobra maneuver her body shaking as she forced herself up so suddenly. Was that what happened? Was she pretending? When she had thought Twilight Sparkle was dead... she had wanted to kill those responsible, but... the cloak... hadn't it been a member of the Council of Nightmares that did it? She scissored through the clouds. She should have been calmer, it was all for the Council... right? Growling she dove into an inside loop, aiming for a standing eight, her eyes caught some sparkling around her and she dropped out of the loop, for a brief second her medallion floated up to her eyes. It was chipped on many places, the luster almost gone. Something else caught her attention. Raising from the castle, a chariot pulled by a couple guard pegasi had taken off. Curious, she forgot about her medallion and flew down to take a closer look. “Rainbow Dash.” Nightmare Moon said, once she had approached enough to see her. She was riding the chariot with another pony who was dressed in black. “What brings you here?” Easily keeping up with the pegasi, the rainbow-maned pegasus felt a bit weird about talking to her Queen. “I... I just needed time to think.” The Queen remained quiet for a few seconds of flight, observing the pegasus, who didn't pull away as she didn't want to offend her. “Join me here.” Nightmare Moon said, making space for the pegasus to land on the chariot. “Uh... I'd love to your majesty, but are you sure its a good idea? It could throw off the balance of the whole thing.” Nightmare Moon's horn lit up and an ephemeral aura surrounded the chariot. “There, if you land now it won't have any repercussions.” she glanced at the unicorn besides her. Rainbow Dash hesitated for a second, then flew in and landed as gently as she could. The chariot did not shake, even when Nightmare Moon let it go, although the aura surrounding them remained. The cyan pegasus looked at the aura curiously. “Nopony can hear us talk while that spell is in effect.” Nightmare Moon explained. Curiosity about the aura sated, Rainbow Dash looked at the other pony, a unicorn, who was looking away at the clouds and the land below. The black clothes she was wearing was made of a strange material that hung tight to her body, it had several pockets within easy reach of her hooves; two strange contraptions were tight around her front legs. A deep purple cloak covered most of her body, but she could make out that she had a white coat under all that black. Her mane was amazing though, it was a deep green and fell around her shoulders. She realized that she was looking at the legendary Silent Jade. The Queen had been observing the pegasus and noticed the medallion. “That's an interesting accessory.” she said softly. “Can you show it to me?” Rainbow Dash almost jumped. She had forgotten to hide her medallion! But... wasn't her Queen deserving of her loyalty? She struggled with the conflicting thoughts until, gritting her teeth, she slowly picked it up with a shaking hoof and showed it to the dark alicorn. “Interesting.” Nightmare Moon said, looking at it. “Very interesting.” Rainbow Dash looked at the medallion as a small crack appeared on it. “W-what's wrong with it? What's wrong with me?” Nightmare Moon smiled. “Nothing is wrong with you, Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus shook her head, trying to clear it. “Something's wrong!” she said in a whisper. “I can feel it! I...” “It's not you.” Another crack appeared. Dash looked at her Council medallion with tears in her eyes. “Then why...” “Remember.” the alicorn said. “How did you feel when Twilight died? Or Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie?” A pang. Like a knife being jabbed into her heart. “How did you feel when you saw Twilight Spark and Nightmare Flare?” A shiver ran down Rainbow Dash's back. She was sweating and breathing hard. “What was it like... when Spitfire betrayed you?” Nightmare Moon asked, ignoring the gasping pegasus. Her eyes narrowed. “How did you feel when Applejack realized... that you betrayed her?” Her world froze. She looked down as if she were moving in slow motion. The medallion around her neck crumbled into pieces as if crushed by an unseen force. In a flash she relieved her life... there had been no Council of Nightmares in it until Spitfire had put the medallion around her neck... she had betrayed all she stood for. All her friends stood for. She had been personally responsible for a guard and a Wonderbolt dying unnecessarily. She felt a large wing settle gently around her and she was carefully pulled towards Nightmare Moon. She feebly tried to pull away, but the alicorn was stronger. She finally gave in to the embrace and cried and cried on Nightmare Moon's shoulder. It was several minutes before the pegasus felt like herself again. She slowly pulled out of the embrace and stared at the alicorn in confusion. “But how... why?” The alicorn stared straight ahead. “It seems that somepony sought to control you with that medallion... it made you loyal to something to the point of betraying your true self.” Nightmare Moon's smile was cold. “However, the one responsible probably does not understand who you are at all... powerful as the magic of the medallion may have been, it was no match for the Element of Loyalty.” she chuckled. “They couldn't have chosen more poorly. You would have broken out of it without my help in a couple of hours more at the most.” “But... why?” the pegasus asked again. “Doesn't this benefit you?” The Queen looked up at the eclipse. “That travesty?” she shook her head. Rainbow Dash stared, completely baffled. Finally... “You... you're not Nightmare Moon... not the one we fought...” “No, I am not.” The alicorn confirmed. Anger and tears welled into Rainbow Dash. “Then why did you kill my friends?!” Nightmare Moon laughed. But it wasn't an evil laugh or a gloating laugh. It was real mirth. “Rainbow Dash... haven't you figured it out? They're alive!” The pegasus was struck silent. “They cannot be here, of course.” Nightmare Moon continued. “Nightmare Flare knows they live. But they are safe.” Once again Rainbow Dash cried while the Queen and the Assassin watched. “Rainbow Dash...” the alicorn said after a moment. The pegasus looked up. “I need to know. Do I have your loyalty? Will you swear it to me?” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Then I have something very hard to ask of you. But I promise... it will be worth it, in the end.” o.0.o “Hey! Scootaloo!” the little pegasus turned towards the voice and waved at Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom as the two fillies ran up to her. “What do you think happened?!” Apple Bloom asked. “I've never seen the sun do that!” “Did the pegasi do it?” Sweetie Belle asked. “No... everyone is completely going nuts over it!” Scootaloo said. They watched as a gray streak flew across the sky. “What was that?” Apple Bloom wondered. “Oh... it's just Ditzy... she's usually pretty good at delivering the mail before noon and now... well.” Scootaloo looked up. “It's... something, but it's definitely in the 'noon' location. It's got her all strung up about delivery times.” The three looked at the sky for a few moments. It was Sweetie Belle that noticed the chariot. “Hey!” she said pointing up with a hoof. “It's Princess Celestia's chariot! Maybe she'll tell us what's happening!” “Or it could be Applejack and the others!” Apple Bloom said excitedly. “It seems it's going straight to Ponyville! Let's go!” o.0.o By the time they arrived, word had already spread that the chariot was coming. Nervous ponies all around had gathered, waiting for it to land. The Mayor was trying to keep calm while several pegasus had passed the word that it was one of the royal sisters, as relayed by Rainbow Dash, who had flown ahead to let her pegasi friends know and to tell them to spread the word and that per the wishes of the royal sister no pony should be in the air until she left. Now the ponies watched in apprehension as the chariot did one more loop and descended. “There's Rainbow Dash!” Scootaloo said excitedly, watching her idol fly down next to the chariot. “She's so cool she gets to fly with the princesses!” she gushed, turning to her friends, who were looking at the chariot in horror. She heard the gasps and turned around confused. It was not Princess Celestia walking out of the chariot. Suddenly the Eclipse made much more sense. She got a very sick feeling in her stomach as she watched the Nightmare step in front of the ponies, flanked on either side by Rainbow Dash and a strange-looking unicorn. Her mind flashed to that night when Nightmare Moon had first appeared, hiding under the curtains, trembling at the evil laugh as the alicorn sent Celestia's guards flying in all directions. The Mayor found herself staring up at the evil alicorn, mouth agape. Nightmare Moon looked down impassively. Rainbow Dash hesitated for a second before clearing her throat. “All bow in the presence of Queen Nightmare Moon!” she announced. The ponies of Ponyville turned to look at her in surprise, fear and resentment. But when the alicorn opened her wings majestically, they all bowed their heads. All but the three Cutie Mark Crusaders, who stared in shock at what was happening. “Rainbow Dash?” Scootaloo whispered. “Citizens of Ponyville.” Nightmare Moon spoke up, making everyone cringe. “You are now ruled by myself and my sister, Nightmare Flare. Your lives will not be affected... much. But as you can tell by now, the Eclipse is not going away. This is your new life, make the most of it.” The ponies were confused. Who was Nightmare Flare? While Nightmare Moon had been talking to the crowd, the two pegasi pulling her chariot had gotten loose and had drawn knives. Rainbow Dash never knew what exactly made her jump to the side and tackle the guard as he flew past her. It might have been the Mayor's eyes widening, or maybe the flutter of wings, but whatever it was, in an incredible display of skill, she had jumped back, dodging a knife strike, as the pegasus tried to skewer her. “You'll pay for the death of Swift Mantle!” the guard roared. Landing on his back, hard, she pushed him down on to the floor, but she didn't have enough momentum to make it count, and the guard was much stronger than her. He pushed her off and struck, again missing her by mere inches as she dove to the side. “Who?!” Rainbow Dash asked, dodging again. “My friend! The guard you and Twilight executed!” The ponies in the crowd shouted and reared back, horrified at what was happening, but unable or unwilling to move. More than a few gasped as they heard the resentful words of the guard. Flying up fast, with the guard in tow, Rainbow Dash turned left, stealing a glance down. She gasped. Several ponies had flown up behind the guard to follow her, anger in their eyes, and way below Silent Jade was already fighting several earth ponies. Nightmare Moon had erected a shield around her as unicorns threw objects of all sizes at her. It seemed there was no way out other than doing something she might regret. She pulled up faster until she had enough of a distance and then, with a graceful curve, she shot down towards them. Below her, the Cutie Mark Crusaders watched in horrified fascination as Rainbow Dash took off. There were angry mutters from the crowd and then several pegasi shot up after her. “Go away!” somepony shouted and an apple flew from the crowd only to splatter on a shield in front of Nightmare Moon. “We won't follow you or Flare!” somepony else shouted. “Go back to where you came from, monster!” Besides Nightmare Moon, Silent Jade had intercepted the guard that had attacked the Queen, while the other one attacked the alicorn. The guard was strong, but the unicorn was fast. She ducked under a swing then seemed to disappear. Sweetie Belle watched in horror as the guard collapsed with a groan, then stopped moving altogether as the assassin's hoof fell on the back of his head. “No... nonono...” Several earth ponies charged at the assassin, who looked at them in dismay then shot a quick dirty look at Nightmare Moon as she dove forward. The alicorn for her part seemed impassive as she watched the whole thing from within the protection of her forcefield. She moved to the side as somepony bucked at her, using the momentum of her turn to plant both front hooves on her attacker's ribs. There was a crack and a cry, the brown stallion falling to the floor in pain. She immediately kicked back catching a mare in the chin, dropping her immediately. “What are we going to do?” Apple Bloom asked, scared as the crowd became more restless. “I don't know!” a teary eyed Scootaloo answered, her eyes looking up at the aerial battle. On the one hand she was in awe of her idol taking on so many pegasi. She knew Dash could defeat them... but she was working for the enemy. She bit her lower lip, not knowing who she should be supporting. “They have to stop!” Sweetie Belle whispered staring at the assassin and the villagers attacking her. “She'll kill them!” When it seemed that everything was about to burst and the ponies would all attack, a huge explosion reverberated. The force of the air pressed the ponies on the ground down, the wind whipping their manes wildly. A rainbow colored blast wave expanded above them and as everypony stared upwards, they could see all of the pegasi that had flown after Rainbow Dash falling towards the ground, unconscious. The Sonic Rainboom had the effect of making the already excitable ponies panic. The gathering turned into a stampede and the three friends were caught in it. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle screamed and hugged each other, closing their eyes as everypony around them ignored them in favor of running away. Something smacked against them, and they went rolling. They could hear all the noise around them as they kept tumbling without any control. They kept screaming knowing that they would be trampled to death. Eventually all quieted down and they realized that something was covering them. The three looked up in shock. “W-what...” Scootaloo pushed herself free and rolled on her back to stare at the green maned unicorn that had somehow managed to pick them up and roll with them all the way to the side. Her black clothes were covered in hoofmarks and she wasn't moving much. “Why did she do that?” Apple Bloom asked, also pulling her self from under the unconscious unicorn. Sweetie Belle stood up shakily and shook the unicorn with her hoof. “Jade! Wake up! It's not funny!” she had tears in her eyes. Scootaloo pulled her back. “What the hay are you doing! She's a bad guy!” “Shut up!” the filly shouted back, pushing her friend away. “You don't know what you're saying!” “She will be okay.” The three Cutie Mark Crusaders flinched and slowly turned around. Nightmare Moon stood behind them, horn alight with mystical energies. Around them, the pegasi that had charged after Rainbow Dash slowly floated to the ground, unconcious. The only remaining floating pony was the Mayor, who Nightmare Moon had somehow captured as everypony else ran, and could only stare in horror and amazement at what the two ponies under Nightmare Moon’s orders had been able to achieve by themselves. “Scootaloo! Sweetie Belle! Apple Bloom!” a rainbow suddenly smashed into them, and they found themselves hugged tightly by Rainbow Dash. “Are you okay?! Did anything happen to you?” “We're fine!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Can't breathe!” “Let go! I need to check on Jade!” Sweetie Belle said, pulling free of the pegasus. Scootaloo didn't say anything, but she wouldn't meet Rainbow Dash's eyes. She shook herself free and didn't look up. The rainbow-maned pegasus sighed and looked away. Nightmare Moon's horn sparkled with energy and a white aura surrounded the unconcious unicorn. “Ooh...” Silent Jade moaned. She shook her head carefully and opened her azure eyes. Suddenly she shot up to her feet, looking around in a panic until she saw the three fillies. She sighed in relief. Nightmare Moon growled. She levitated the trembling mayor towards them and dropped her on the floor. “Mayor. Be thankful that this... display took place when only I was around. My sister would have everypony involved in the attack made an example of.” The Mayor cringed, not daring to look up at the imposing alicorn. “You need to stand up to your position as leader of Ponyville... and make sure this never happens again.” “Y-yes...” the gray pony stuttered. “Take everypony to the hospital. Nopony is dead... this time.” Nightmare Moon looked down at Rainbow Dash and Silent Jade. “We are heading back now.” The two ponies nodded and followed the Queen as she made her way to the chariot. “Wait!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Rainbow Dash! What happened to the others?” The pegasus hesitated, looking back. “Applejack is fine, Apple Bloom. I hope she'll be able to come home soon.” “What about the others?” Scootaloo suddenly asked in a cold voice. “Why have we only seen you, Rainbow Dash? Applejack might be fine, but what about Fluttershy? Or Pinkie Pie?” her eyes narrowed. “Where are Rarity and Twilight? And why are you working for Nightmare Moon?” the last question had a hint of hurt and betrayal. Rainbow Dash looked away so they wouldn’t see the hurt in her own eyes. “Sorry girls. That's all I can say for now. You should head home.” they started walking again. “Wait!” Sweetie Belle said, running up to the assassin. “Why are you doing this, Jade?” The unicorn looked down at her, but shook her head, trotting to catch up with Nightmare Moon and Dash. Once the three were together, next to the chariot, the alicorn's horn flashed... and they were gone. o.0.o Applejack was breathing heavily, a sheen of sweat covered her whole body. After what had happened... the pillows and mattress were never going to be the same. “F-fine.” Twilight Spark panted. Applejack looked at her but didn't budge. “I... will admit I am impressed.” Twilight said between pants. “I have never seen... an earth pony... do anything like that.” Applejack's eyes narrowed. “I... will stop my advances for now.” Twilight said, sinking to the floor. She glared at Applejack's mattress fortress. “How you did it is beyond me. But it kept me away.” she sighed. “I'm not getting out of here until you're gone, Twilight.” The unicorn drooped a bit. “Why don't you care about me, Applejack?” The earth pony within the pillow and mattress fortress was silent. Twilight Spark groaned and stood up on shaky legs. Without a word she made for the door. “I do care, Twilight.” Applejack's voice emanated from within the pillows. “You're one of my best friends... but what you are doing is wrong. The way you are trying to do things is wrong. I don't know what happened to you... but you have to know that there's something very strange about you now. You are not the same Twilight I knew. And with everything that has happened... our friends, the pegasi in the balcony... Nightmare Moon, Nightmare Flare... Twilight... I can't understand how you can be like this. You never were! And suddenly you want to have a relationship with me?” “I... I was a bookworm!” Twilight said looking at the fortress. “I was too shy to say it before!” “No Twilight. There's more to it.” Applejack sighed audibly. “Please... go and think about it. You can't be all gone. Please.” Twilight took a deep breath and slowly walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. Applejack watched as a spell made the door glow for a bit. She waited but Twilight did not barge back in. The Earth Pony collapsed on the mattress, completely exhausted. She closed her eyes and fell asleep. o.0.o End Chapter 10 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-19T16:23:24+00:00

2015-10-23T21:11:31+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 11 By Wanderer D The torches around the cavern crackled as Midnight paced back and forth. The others watched him in restless silence. “This is the result of a plan created by the Guardian more than a thousand years ago.” Midnight began as all the guests in the cavern sat in a circle facing each other. “The Guardian is an entity old as the world.” He stopped for a moment, surprised as a shimmering light appeared in the middle of the circle. A creature, reptilian and long like a snake, with four red eyes, forearms and three rows of teeth on its open maw appeared on it. He turned to stare at Trixie, who's horn was glowing as she projected the image. Big Mac, Soarin', Lyra and Spike recoiled in horror from the image. “Ah.” he said, nodding to her. “I had forgotten you met it.” Trixie's smile was sad as she nodded while the others stared. Big Mac shuffled a bit closer to her and whispered something to her ear. The showmare's smile lost a bit of her sadness. Midnight cleared his throat. “Its nature is tied to that of our Princesses, although they are not truly aware that he exists. Legend has it that there were once more Princesses around... true, Luna and Celestia were the greatest, but there were more alicorns than we ever knew, each protecting and affecting Equestria with their power in a different way. Their influence is still felt through terms we still use, like the North Wind, or Spring.” As he described, the scene changed to include a caricature of the princesses, like the drawings you would find in a foal's book. Under them, several other alicorns flew around different colors, from green to rusty red flew around. “One by one they fell into a madness that empowered them, but made them hate each other. And one by one, they had to be destroyed, until the two sisters were left alone.” The alicorns in the projection darkened and burned, fading into ashes until only the ones representing Celestia and Luna remained. “The Guardian did not have much luck with them. It seemed that all the trials and fighting had made them stronger. There was no plague, no torment he could devise that would bring them down.” Images of towns burning, terrified animals stampeding out of the forests and battles with the background silhouette of a manically laughing Gaurdian flashed in front of the gathered ponies. “That... was a bit much with the Guardian laughing like that.” Midnight commented. “Hey, I’m a showmare and I’m improvising the whole story!” Trixie growled. “Be appropriately amazed and thankful that the skills of The Great and Powerful Trixie are making your otherwise inane storytelling resemble something remotely interesting!” Midnight coughed. “The Guardian decided to sleep. He would wake up when the Princesses were weak and he could turn them into his unwitting meals for eternity. He called on his most trusted servant, to whom he gave a set of medallions. Each bore his mark, and all had a special power... once worn, they would make themselves part of the victim's life, rearranging their past to convert them into followers of the Guardian. They would form a 'Council of Nightmares', who would go on to exploit the weaknesses of the Princesses and awaken the Guardian.” A black unicorn (looking suspiciously like Midnight) approached the Guardian and was given a box. It walked around meeting other ponies and giving them little medallions. The Guardian faded into the background until only its eyes remained visible. And slowly, they closed. “A thousand years ago, one of the council members discovered an advantage that had never occurred to them to exploit: the sisters' love for their ponies. Knowing that Luna felt a little left out because most ponies back then would not spend time looking at her nightscape, they found their way into the court, spreading rumors about how ponies wanted the nights to be shorter, or to disappear completely.” The scene played into a familiar set of drawings. The story they all knew played before their eyes. Luna looking down after her hard work at preparing the night, only to find the ponies sleeping. "His agents struck her where she was the most vulnerable: her heart. Had the Guardian attacked her body or her mind, Luna would have remained strong." The little cloaked ponies appeared around Luna whispering presumably bad things to her, until she became angry. “And that's how Nightmare Moon came to be.” Spike said in awe. “Princess Celestia fought her and tried to reason with her, but couldn't. In the end she was forced to exile her to the Moon, where she remained for a thousand years.” “That is correct. It is well known that she escaped with the aid of the stars roughly a year ago, as the legend foretold, but how Luna freed herself from Nightmare Moon remains a mystery.” Midnight said as Trixie's exposition faded away. “It was Twilight and the others.” Spike said, drawing gasps from the group. “We were told not to share the story but...” the dragon sighed. “Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy are the Elements of Harmony. They fought Nightmare Moon in the old castle in the Everfree Forest and used the Elements to break her free.” “That explains much.” Midnight was the first to react. He sighed and looked at the others. “It is likely that both Spitfire and Rainbow Dash are being influenced by the Council medallions.” “But how do you know so much about them, Mr. Midnight?” Lyra asked. “And how do you and Spike know each other?” Trixie asked. “What? You don't know?” Spike spoke up before Midnight could say anything. “Midnight is Twilight Sparkle's dad!” o.0.o “Shadowbolts?” Spitfire asked Rainbow Dash as the latter nodded tiredly. “Yeah... I went with Nightmare Moon and Silent Jade to Ponyville, and we worked pretty well together.” the cyan pegasus smiled hesitantly at Spitfire who was looking slightly hurt. “Hey, it's not like we won't be together, right? I'll still be coming back here... it's just that she needs her own squadron and she had made the offer to me a year ago. When she asked again I couldn't refuse, right?” “Can't she just get some ponies from the guard to do it?” “They can't be trusted.” Rainbow Dash said slumping on to the bed. Spitfire's eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Well, when I went with Nightmare Moon I was just flying with her, you know?” Spitfire nodded, her eyes urging her to continue. “But, when we arrived in Ponyville, they attacked me and Nightmare Moon. I had to take care of the guard and...” she hesitated. “And?” “... and Silent Jade took care of the one that attacked Nightmare Moon.” Rainbow Dash hastily added. “Anyway! This is the second time that the guards have attacked. We can't trust them...” she looked worriedly at Spitfire. “Don't trust them. They might hurt you.” she said softly. Spitfire nodded and flopped on the bed, next to Dash. “I haven't seen nor heard anything from the other Wonderbolts... but I doubt they're happy.” Rainbow Dash nodded tiredly. “Rainbow?” “Hmm-hm?” “Do you think I should have felt different about Blizzard dying?” Rainbow Dash could barely keep her eyes open and yawned. “I... dunno... tired. You felt... an' all...” another yawn. “... but duty... hard to...” her head slumped down and a loud snore shook her frame. Spitfire smiled at the pegasus next to her and carefully got out of bed, covering the rainbow-maned mare with the bedsheets. She stifled a yawn of her own. It had been a really long day. She stretched and walked out the door, closing it carefully behind her. She headed to her own room. o.0.o The room was very dark. Suddenly, she heard a switch and a light hit her in the face. Sweetie Belle blinked several times. “Hey!” “So...” Scootaloo walked around her. “You know one of Nightmare Moon's minions.” “Min-what?” Apple Bloom asked. “Huh... I heard my mom call Rainbow Dash that.” Scootaloo confessed, scratching the wooden floor with her hoof. It still hurt to think of her idol. “Oh.” “Anyway.” Scootaloo was suddenly in Sweetie Belle's face. “You know this Jade pony! Confess!” “Uh...” Sweetie Belle looked slightly embarrassed. “Yes. I do. Can I go now? I'm hungry.” “No!” Scootaloo resumed walking around her. “You have to tell us! Ponies want to know! The questions are endless! Why you know her? Is she family? Is she a long lost friend from the past? Did you defeat her in mortal combat for the fate of Equestria in a secret location? Is she a demon? Ponies are asking, Sweetie Belle, and I am going to get an answer!” “Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom patted her friends' shoulder. “What?” “Uh, I hate to break it to you but so far we and the Mayor are the only ones in Ponyville that know that Sweetie Belle knows Jade and I don't think the Mayor really wants to know how she knows her.” she shuffled nervously. “I think the Mayor is afraid to ask.” Sweetie Belle for her part looked nervous and sad. “I... I can't tell you two right now...” she looked up, eyes begging. “Just... please believe me that she's a good pony.” “Then why was she with Nightmare Moon?” Scootaloo asked. “Maybe... maybe we just don't know enough?” Sweetie Belle said. “That's true!” Apple Bloom said. “Rainbow Dash is with Nightmare Moon too, and we all know she's a good pony. Remember what Twilight Sparkle told us once? That if we want to know something, we need to do research!” The three smiled, although Sweetie Belle's was a bit unsure and seemed slightly forced. “Well, you know what this means!” the pegasus said excitedly. “Cutie Mark Crusader Nigthmare Moon Investigators! Yay!” “But...” Sweetie Belle bit back her words. She also wanted to know what was happening. “Where do we start?” “There's only one place to find our answers.” Scootaloo said with a serious look. “Canterlot.” o.0.o Nightmare Flare stood at the top of the observatory, watching the horizon. She heard the flutter of wings and the sound of displaced air and turned to face her sister, as she landed next to her. “How was Ponyville, sister?” Nightmare Flare asked. Nightmare Moon snorted, walking up to stand next to her. “As expected. They didn't like it one bit that there has been a change in power. They even attacked. Rainbow Dash can be trusted... and Jade's skills and loyalty were never in doubt.” “Whatever happens,” Nightmare Flare smirked. “we will not be pawns.” “I have asked Rainbow Dash to become the captain of the Shadowbolts once again.” Nightmare Moon said after a moment. “She agreed. She'll begin looking for good fliers soon. Sister, I cannot trust the guards.” “They believe it was you that corrupted me. Their dedication and loyalty is to be commended, but treason cannot be forgiven.” The Sun Goddess said. “Choose wisely, sister.” “I will.” Nightmare Moon said. “Do you have a plan?” Nightmare Flare nodded and looked at her sister from the corner of her eye. “There are many questions to be answered yet. But I want to start my own search as soon as possible.” “I understand, sister.” Nightmare Moon nodded. “We will find your daughter.” “Did you feel her in Ponyville?” “No.” Nightmare Moon sighed. “All of the unicorns attacking me were mediocre in magic. The pegasi chasing after Rainbow Dash showed none of the natural grace needed... and the earth ponies had no magic at all, hidden or otherwise.” Nightmare Flare remained impassive. “So my daughter is not in Ponyville. Very well. I will conduct my own search here in Canterlot.” she turned around and started trotting away. Nightmare Moon did not answer. She just looked up at the Eclipse for a long time. o.0.o “Wait.” Trixie said looking at Midnight. “You are Twilight Sparkle's father?! Then...” she looked towards one of the side caverns. “Yes.” Midnight sighed. “That's me inside.” “But that doesn't make sense.” Lyra said. “You're right here. How can you be there?” “Well...” “Oh, just show them!” Trixie said, pushing the older unicorn so hard he stumbled and fell on top of Lyra. “Eep!” the mint-green unicorn closed her eyes, expecting Twilight's father to crush her under his weight. When nothing happened she opened her eyes again. She slowly turned around to see him standing up while glaring at Trixie. “Wow!” Spike said. “How did you do that?! You went right through her!” Soarin' was at a loss for words. “W-what happened?” Lyra asked, stepping back. “He went through you.” Trixie said. “Literally.” Lyra blinked. “But how?” “Was that a trick, Trixie?” Spike asked eagerly, his earlier grumpiness towards the mare gone in between the impressive magical presentation and the latest 'trick'. “Can you show me how to do it?” “All you have to do is kick the bucket.” Midnight growled. “Really? Hmm.” the little dragon looked around. “Are there any buckets around?” Midnight facehoofed while Trixie suppressed a smile. “Y-you mean you're...” Lyra stammered, paling. “Yes.” the elder unicorn nodded. “But...” Soarin' finally spoke up looking from him to Trixie. “How did she...” his words died as he stared. Trixie had somehow lifted up from the ground and hovered towards him. She wasn’t using magic, since her horn did not glow. Smiling, the showmare approached him until they were face to face. She slowly became translucent and pushed her ethereal hoof through his head. “Boo!” o.0.o “And that is why you will never, ever do that again.” Midnight said sternly to a sheepish Trixie while Big Macintosh finished tying Lyra's legs, picked her up and put her down next to an equally gagged, tied, wide-eyed and whimpering Soarin' and Spike. While Applejack was well-known for her lasso skills, her brother was no slouch. Somepony had to have taught her, after all. The three struggled to get loose, but Big Mac's knots were too good for that. “Eeyup.” the draft pony sighed. “I hope nopony out there heard the screams, cries for help and the pounding on the door.” Midnight sighed. “Well, very few ponies ever come down here. We might have gotten lucky.” “I did not know you could do that, Trixie.” Big Machintosh commented. “Oh, while you were gone earlier today I started experimenting.” Trixie said. “Would have been useful to know I could float.” “It was a risk.” Midnight pointed out. “You didn't know what could have happened to you by doing all of that.” “The Great and Powerful Trixie fears nothing.” “That may be.” the male unicorn grumbled. “But I'd rather not loose allies to careless experimenting.” “Okay, but you still have some explaining to do.” Trixie said, giving him a hard look. “You told me and Big Mac that you had gotten a Council of Nightmares Medallion years ago and had been enchanted by it into servitude for the last ten years until you got into a fight and died.” her eyes narrowed. “You never mentioned you were Twilight's father... why didn't you? Especially with-” she cut herself short, staring at him slack-jawed. “Trixie?” Big Mac looked at her with a frown. “You... you killed Twilight!” Trixie shouted, an accusing and shaking hoof pointing at the elder unicorn. This elicited a series of muffled screams from the bound ponies and dragon. Midnight looked away in shame. He closed his eyes. “That is the danger of the medallions... they twist your reality and the longer you live in that lie, the more it becomes truth to you.” He slumped down on the floor. “We found out that Celestia was in a very emotional position, although not why. While Spitfire scouted around, I was to go into the hall and investigate... see if we could find anything to exploit to break her will and let the Nightmare out.” he chuckled. “Imagine my surprise when out of no-where I see Twilight Sparkle. She obviously knew what was happening, and I needed to know. I was bound by the medallion’s magic to kill whoever saw me during a mission for the Guardian and so I had to... I had to kill her.” Big Mac stood next to Trixie who looked completely appalled, silently supportive. She noticed how close he was and smiled shakily in appreciation. The stallion just nodded. On the floor Spike was giving Midnight a glare that would have set the ghost on fire had it been possible. “The medallion's history in my mind played very different from the truth.” Midnight sighed. “Years ago, I was so proud of Twilight for not only impressing everyone with her power, but also by getting accepted and then selected by Princess Celestia herself to be her personal student.” his eyes clouded over as he remembered with a faint smile. “I had never been so proud of anything! I mean, sure, there were plenty of moments when I was proud of my little filly as she grew, but... right then, it was all her. She studied so hard and practiced for hours and hours. And she was finally there! But... it drew attention. The wrong sort of attention.” The gathered ponies exchanged glances. Even the three tied 'guests' had stopped struggling as they listened. “One night... a pony in a black cloak knocked on the door to our house.” Midnight's voice turned strained. “My wife, Star Dancer was asleep... so I went to answer it. When I did... it was a unicorn... her magic threw me back before I could react. I felt the cold metal of the medallion against my chest... I couldn't move... I heard Star Dancer shout my name...” he stopped. The cavern was completely silent. Midnight drew a shuddering breath. “I... told Twilight that Star had had an accident...” he gritted his teeth. “T-the medallion made me resent that Twilight turned to Celestia in the sudden absence of her mother... Twilight already greatly admired the Princess but after that... i-in any case, I tried to get her to come back home, but she wouldn't... the plan to use her to get to Celestia as a member of the Council never came to be.” “What happened?” Trixie asked softly, her eyes concentrating on the stone floor. Midnight sighed. “Last night... I fought her and she fought back, despite having been working for hours on whatever she had been doing, despite the emotional shock... I hated it, but deep inside I was very, very proud of her. She didn't have any experience in combat magic but... she was so resourceful!” Spike was looking at him with an unreadable expression. The little dragon remembered the wall of the castle exploding. Hearing Princess Luna tell Rainbow Dash that Twilight... his Twilight was gone. “At the very end, her magic was so strong the medallion cracked. It didn't break its control over me... I don't know if even destroying the thing completely would have done that... but it allowed me a split second to try and teleport the both of us out of there. Needless to say, when I arrived here, I was already dead.” the elder unicorn looked sadly at the other room. “And the teleportation did not work as I expected. There was no Twilight with me.” he looked down in defeat. “I had failed her again.” Big Mac had been untying the others as they seemed to have calm down. Spike stood up, his little fist shaking and tears streaming down his face. He glared at the ghost of the elder unicorn. Midnight would not meet his gaze. “We should show them what's in the other room.” Big Mac suggested. Midnight hesitated, then nodded. The silent group followed the navy-blue unicorn into the other chamber. Lyra was the first to notice the body. She screeched. “Is that...?!” “What's left of me.” Midnight said. “Yes.” Spike went up to the cloaked remains and gave them a resentful kick. He turned to glare at Midnight. “I know you were not in control... but I hate you.” The unicorn simply nodded. The group continued around the shrine until they all stood staring. “W-what?” Soarin' asked in wonder. “I don't know.” Midnight confessed looking at it with no small measure of wonder himself. “But whenever I look at it... I feel hope.” Spike gulped, his eyes bright, reflecting the light that came from... it. o.0.o Lyra, Big Macintosh, Soarin' and Spike stood at the entrance to the cave, looking back towards Trixie and Midnight. “We'll start gathering information, then.” Soarin' said. “Remember not to engage any members of the Council...” Midnight warned. “Although I doubt they'll be too interested in trying to capture anyone. Right now, they think they won.” Lyra nodded nervously. “I'll see if I can get in contact with Applejack and the others.” “And I'll try to find out how much Twilight has really changed.” Spike said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie commands you to be careful, Big Mac.” the blue unicorn said. “And to come back soon.” The draft pony smiled. “Eeyup.” With a last nod, the group walked away after Soarin' and Big Mac closed the doors. They walked in silence for a while, following the road towards Canterlot when Spike just couldn't handle it anymore. “Okay, so, what is going on between you and Trixie?” o.0.o End Chapter 11 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-21T04:02:57+00:00

2015-03-29T05:58:55+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 12 By Wanderer D “Spike!” The little dragon froze. He hadn't expected to find Twilight Sparkle in her room of all places. Wait. Okay, that had been a silly assumption. “Uh... hi, Twilight!” he said, forcing a smile and pretending to be cheerful. He took a good look at her and did a double take. He hadn't had a chance to appreciate the changes in her when he was in the courtyard, but now he could really see her up close. She looked so different. Her coat was darker, her horn longer, she had a scar, her hair was almost black except for the red streak on it, her eyes had changed a bit... but her voice was the same. And she had fangs. Cool. He suddenly remembered the sense of loss he had experienced the day before when he had thought her gone forever. Sure, she had changed... who wouldn't, after being killed and resurrected? Spike found himself hugging the unicorn. “I thought you were gone Twilight!” he wailed, dragon tears dripping to the floor. “I heard what happened, and...” “I'm okay, Spike.” Twilight said softly. “I wouldn't leave my little brother alone, would I?” Spike pulled back to look at her. “You have a brother?” Twilight Spark shook her head and poked his head with her hoof. “You, dimwit.” “Oh... oh!” Spike smiled. “Good. Now that you get it, you have to help me with Applejack.” The dragon blinked. “What?” “Applejack.” Twilight sighed. “I know you've noticed it too!” “Uh...” “We were meant for each other, she and I!” Twilight Spark declared. Then she deflated. “But she won't return my love!” she turned to the dragon. “What should I do, Spike?!” The purple dragon stood gazing into space, a huge blush on his face. “Spike?” no response. “SPIKE!” “Huh?! Wha- sorry! Did you just say...” “Yes. Me and Applejack!” she grinned at him. “Were you thinking dirty thoughts?” If possible, the blush increased, and he looked down embarrassed. The little dragon surreptitiously checked if he had gotten a nosebleed from the mental images. He had heard that could happen. “Well, whatever you had in mind, young dragon... is probably going to happen. And more.” Okay. Nosebleed. o.0.o Lyra and Bic Macintosh sat on a cafe overlooking the castle, wondering what their next move should be, unaware that their current setting and the nervousness apparent in Lyra had drawn some attention. “I... have no idea how to do this, Big Mac.” Lyra whispered nervously. “Sure, I can get into the Castle, but I don't know what type of information, if any, I could get!” She squeaked when the waiter placed a cup of tea in front of her. She grinned sheepishly when said pony looked at her confused. “Sorry, sorry.” For his part, Big Mac snorted. “Keep it simple, you can learn a lot by just listening.” The draft pony shrugged. Lyra stared at him as she slowly stirred her tea. “You make it sound so easy.” she trailed off, thinking of all the mystery and spy books she had read as a young filly. She struggled for details. She had read them so long ago, way before she got her cutie mark and started playing the lyre. She sighed. She missed playing music and she missed Bon-Bon. She had just come over to visit family and 24 hours later she was part of the rebel alliance against Nightmare Moon, Nightmare Flare, a giant snake called the Guardian for some reason, a crazy resurrected Twilight Sparkle, a Council of Evil and for all she knew, everypony in the Castle. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. Okay, so what did she remember from the books? Spies needed to dress well to be able to go into many places... well that wasn't a problem, since she was a minor noble, she was able to go where she needed to go. What else? Spies were always conscious of their surroundings. She started looking around suspiciously while Big Mac watched, amused. When she noticed a group of guards walking their way she panicked. “Shit! Guards!” she whispered. She looked around guiltily and wildly trying to figure out what to do. Okay, okay, what did spies in the books? Oh no... they were getting closer! Yes! She remembered now! Stretching across the table she grabbed Big Mac. “Quick! Kiss me!” She closed her eyes and pulled herself up to the stallion, kissing him for all she was worth, hoping against hope that the guards would think them a normal couple having tea. She heard Big Mac's muffled attempts to say something but he hadn't seen the guards! She couldn't let him talk! How to stop him?! Wait... Hmm... apples. The stallion's eyes went even wider when he felt the tongue. He was so surprised that he even stopped struggling as his brain shut down. He didn't even notice the guards marching calmly next to the cafe, ignoring them and the rest of the ponies in there completely as they carried on with their patrol. Once they were gone, Lyra finally pushed him back. And started sputtering. Big Mac just slowly slid down to a sitting position, eyes wide open, jaw hanging. “Gah!” Lyra coughed. “Gross.” she looked through watery eyes at Big Mac. “No offense, Big Mac but I'm not into stallions.” The draft pony didn't say anything but his eyes did look at something behind Lyra. With a feeling of dread, the musician slowly turned around. She gasped in horror when she saw who was behind her. The area around Bon-Bon seemed to shimmer with angry energy as the pony looked at her fillyfriend with unbridled anger. “Lyraaaa...” the earth pony growled. “Bon-Bon! I...” “Nothing!” the earth pony interrupted. “You and I are through! To think that I came all the way here to surprise you because I missed you and I find you...” throwing her hoofs in the air, Lyra's filly turned around and marched out of the cafe. “Wait! Bon-Bon!” the unicorn shouted, jumping up and running after her. Big Mac shook his head and settled down to finish his drink. He sure was glad Trixie hadn't seen that. He stopped. Or had she? o.0.o “I'm going out.” Midnight looked up from the runes in the room that he was studying. “Are you sure? I just found this amazing magic equation...” “The Great and Powerful Trixie is sure.” the unicorn said, glaring at him. “I spent all of last night and every time Big Mac went out studying runes with you. And, although I have learned a little bit, the Great and Powerful Trixie has... other things to attend to.” “But...” Midnight motioned with his hoof towards the shrine. “It's still going to be here when I come back.” Trixie said. “Besides, none of the runes actually have anything to do with it!” “So far!” Midnight said indignantly. “But! Look at all the runes in the room! They're all over the place!” “And we have eternity to go through them.” the mare said venomously. “But we don't for things we have to do now.” with that said, she turned around and trotted through the metal doors, leaving Midnight by himself. o.0.o “Rainbow Dash.” The pegasus rolled in bed with a muffled “leave me alone!” “Rainbow Dash.” “Wuh?” Rose-colored eyes opened slowly. Her eyes focused bit by bit until she could clearly make out the face of Nightmare Moon. The alicorn watched as the pegasus suddenly became a blur and followed it with her eyes as Rainbow Dash crashed into the bathtub in the bathroom. The showerhead activated and the pegasus was drenched in seconds. Nightmare Moon carefully walked to look inside the bathroom as the pegasus gasped. “Don't do that!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed as she tried to find a way to turn off the shower. Barely restraining a smile, Nightmare Moon casually flipped a lever and the water stopped. “Well, Rainbow Dash.” the alicorn said. “It's good to see you are so excited to start your job as a Shadowbolt.” Sitting in the tub, the cyan pegasus just glared at her as her wings and mane dripped water. “When you are ready, get into your uniform. We are going to visit some friends.” The pegasus' eyes widened. “Do you mean...?” Nightmare Moon just smiled and walked out of the room. o.0.o The house was not in the richest part of town, but it was still a step above middle class. It was big enough for sections of it to be called 'wings' and for it to have guest rooms (emphasis on the plural) and a front yard, and a back yard with tasteful decorations. Trixie stood in front of the white gates, looking at a place she had not seen in... what, ten years? Fifteen? She shook her head and looked back towards the castle. She probably had better things to do... she could get into the castle itself and nopony would know... she started to turn but stopped, looking back at the gates with a pained expression. Sighing she trotted through them and into the house. “Mooom!” Trixie stood, paralyzed as a little emerald-green unicorn filly with a lavender mane shouted. She hadn't gotten her cutie mark yet, and couldn't be more than eight years old. “W-what...” the showmare stammered. The little unicorn trotted through her and yelled again. “Mooom! Lunch is ready!” “I'll be right there, dear!” a familiar voice emanated from upstairs. But, there was something strange about how it sounded. It was... strained, somehow, as if the pony answering was having a hard time talking. Trixie frowned, noticing that the little filly had also caught the weird tone of voice. A door opened and shut upstairs, and a tired-looking, puffy-eyed unicorn wearing a saddle bag slowly made her way down the stairs. “Mom...” the little filly galloped up to the rusty red unicorn and nuzzled her. “Is everything okay?” Trixie approached slowly, as her mother shook her head sadly, her salt-and-pepper mane swaying. The door to the house opened and another unicorn walked in. His coat was white and he had a green mane, with hints of gray in it, his cutie mark was a golden cross with a scalpel across it. “Daisy Sprout.” the unicorn stallion's smile was shaky. “Let your mother come down the stairs.” “Dear... I'm sorry, I know you had a lot of appointments today...” the elder mare started to say, but the male unicorn shook his head. “Don't... your note seemed very urgent.” The mare nodded, her eyes going hesitantly to Daisy Sprout, who looked at her and her eyes widened. “No! Uh-uh! No way I'm going away for this!” Trixie smiled. She remembered that look and she had acted the exact same way whenever her parents wanted her out of the room so they could talk about 'adult' stuff. The old mare sagged as her eyes watered. She sat down on the stairs and held her daughter close, crying. “W-what is it dear?” her dad asked, slowly making his way up to her. Without speaking, her horn glowed a little and the saddle bag opened. A piece of fabric covered in stars slowly slid out with the aid of magic, until it was draped on the stairs. It was in a very bad state. Pieces were missing, edges torn as if something had bitten through it. It had dark splashes of red on it. “What... what is it?” Daisy Sprout asked when the sudden silence hit like a thunderbolt. “Mom? Dad? What is it?” The male unicorn had sunk to his knees, staring at the torn cloth in horror. Trixie took a couple of steps towards it, completely baffled. “My... cape...” o.0.o It took Rainbow Dash about ten seconds to get ready. She walked out of the room, primed and eager to get things going. “So, what's the mission, your majesty?” Nightmare Moon watched servants skitter past them, and guards flinch. “I will tell you momentarily.” she said, as they walked towards the courtyard. “Hey, and where's Jade? Is she coming with us?” Nightmare Moon shook her head. “No. She has her own mission to attend to.” “Oh.” Rainbow Dash looked away. It took them a couple of minutes more to get to the courtyard. Nightmare Moon looked around, nodded and with a flare of her horn both she and Rainbow Dash disappeared. o.0.o “No...” the little filly said. “No!” Trixie tore her eyes from the cape to see her parents trying to hold the little filly as she struggled. “Trixie is not gone! She'll come back and show me all her magic tricks!” the tiny unicorn was crying. “She's not gone! She's not gone!” she finally freed herself and ran up the stairs, leaving the two parents and the invisible ghost of her sister behind. The two unicorns didn't seem to have the energy to follow her. Trixie's father just stared at the torn cape. “How...” “They don't know.” he mother answered. “They think it might have been an Ursa... an earth pony she had bought a map from got worried when there was no news of her and organized an expedition... they found...” she couldn't finish. “Trixie's saddle bag had some of our letters... they sent the cape.” Trixie's father gently took the cape with his hoofs. “Oh... my Trixie.” he pulled it to him, his head lowering into the folds of the cape. “My brave little Trixie...” His body shook as his wife held him also crying, while to the side Trixie herself was getting teary eyed. She walked up to them. “I- I'm here daddy...” she whispered hoarsely. “I'm here... please... don't cry...” “It's my fault...” the stallion said. “I... should have... I should have stopped her. She was too young..” his voice was so full of guilt it dug at Trixie's heart like a knife. “You couldn't have...” her mother whispered, rocking them both softly. “You know how she was... how stubborn and proud.” “I should have been a better father.” he whispered. He looked at his wife. “Cinnamon... I should have told her I loved her before she left. I should have told her I loved her every letter I wrote, every exchange we had during the years...” his eyes held so much guilt. “Why didn't I? Why...” Trixie was crying now. She tried to touch her parents, but her hooves went through them. The joke that she had played on Soarin' didn't seem so funny anymore. “I'm sure, wherever she is... she knows you love her.” her Cinnamon said. “I'm sure she knows we all love her... “ “I do!” Trixie cried. “I do mom! I'm so sorry dad! I'm sorry I never told you!” she closed her eyes. “I'm sorry I ran away! I'm sorry I was such a... such a brat all these years! I'm sorry I never gave you the chance you wanted!” The pair of unicorns seemed to have calmed down a little bit. Cinnamon was slowly rocking Trixies father. “What about Daisy Sprout?” he whispered. “Let her be for now...” Cinnamon answered. “Let her calm down, and then we'll talk to her.” Her husband nodded, but Trixie was already all the way up the stairs. o.0.o The courtroom was made of gray stone and was completely devoid of life. Silence permeated every inch of the room as if nopony had ever set hoof there at all. A dark cloud suddenly materialized in the center and slowly coalesced into two winged figures. The smaller stumbled and barely caught herself. “Wow. What a ride.” Rainbow Dash said. Nightmare Moon smirked. “Teleporting is always uncomfortable the first time. You'll get used to it.” The pegasus shrugged. She'd rather not. “So... where are we?” “My palace for the last thousand years.” Nightmare Moon intoned. “I built it with my magic as I stared at Equestria, just outside my reach.” “Oh.” “But we are here for a reason.” the black alicorn continued. “Your friends, Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie have been my guests in the rooms bellow the surface. They have been asleep ever since I was turned into Nightmare Moon... to protect them from going mad in here. I... we need their help, I have specific missions for them, but we need their trust... and that is why you are here.” Rainbow Dash suddenly looked nervous. “I guess there's no helping it, huh?” Nightmare Moon shook her head and the pegasus sighed. “Okay then. Let's get this show on the run.” o.0.o Trixie walked past her parents' room and several others until she stood directly across from her old room. In the room across from hers, a little flower-decorated wooden sign said “Daisy's Room” the showmare's own room had a sign with little stars declaring it “Trixie's Room”. She felt ashamed. She had a little sister, and she never heard about it. It probably had been mentioned in one of those letters her parents had sent her that she never opened. And now, her little sister needed her and she couldn't be there for her. Hay, she didn't even know what Daisy Sprout liked, what her favorite food was, if she loved any stories in particular, or what games she liked to play. In short, she now stood in front of the door of somepony she should have gotten to know a long time ago, that somehow had really cared for her despite her failings as a sister. As she was about to step through her sister's door, she realized that while she could hear her crying... it was not coming from Daisy's room. It was coming from her own. o.0.o Fluttershy woke up when she felt somepony shaking her shoulder. “Fluttershy... come on dear, wake up.” Her eyelids fluttered cutely as she slowly rose. “W-what happened?” “...” “Rarity?” “Sorry dear... I... thought I had to be dreaming at first... but my mind would not conjure up such a dreadful place like this.” she motioned at the gray walls. “Whoever designed this clearly has no idea of how Gothic themes are supposed to work, why, there is absolutely no light to contrast the shadows!” “Pinkie Pie!” Fluttershy saw the pink earth pony groaning in the corner of the room. She flew up to her friend and helped her up. “Oooh...” the party pony shook her head. “We're alive!” she started bouncing. “Yay! The big meanie Mclousy Black Snooty failed!” “I don't like that moniker.” Rarity's eyes followed an arc over her head as she followed the trajectory of Pinkie Pie as she jumped from fright by the sudden appearance of Nightmare Moon. She caught the alicorn's eyes and held them for a moment before shuffling self-consciously. She went to join Fluttershy who was trembling in the corner. “Calm down, Fluttershy dear, let's see what this...” Nightmare Moon gave a warning cough. “...Dark Alicorn wants.” “I want you to join my cause.” “No way! Nope!” Pinkie Pie said. “You couldn't convince me with all the chocolate in the world, mixed with all the sugar in the world, mixed with all the vanilla in the world, mixed with...” “I get the idea.” Nightmare Moon growled. “Which is why I will let somepony else talk you you.” “And who might that be?” Rarity asked with a defiant smirk. “A conjured up pony? Or perhaps a...” “Nah, nothing that fancy...” Fluttershy gasped and Pinkie Pie stopped bouncing. The three ponies stared as Nightmare Moon lifted her wing, revealing a nervous Rainbow Dash in a uniform they had not seen for a year and hoped to never see again. “Dashie?” Pinkie Pie squeaked. o.0.o The room was mostly how she had left it. The small desk, her few story books, even her bed was made, with the stars and moons-themed sheets on top. However, something was different. In every possible surface of the walls or areas where her old belongings were not taking space, were pictures of her during her shows. Posters, news articles, even a map with little star-shaped pins placed on cities she had visited. She walked towards the map. It was up to date! There was a little pin in the last city she had visited, where she got the map and... The sniffing made Trixie turn to the little filly curled up on her bed, holding a little plush doll that looked remarkably like her. She silently sat down next to the filly, her body not even pressing down on the bed. Somehow her sister had kept track of her, all through the years of not knowing her. She had been a dedicated fan, in secret and never even acknowledged by Trixie... but she had really admired her sister. Trixie felt like crying more. She looked around the room until her eyes settled on a small box which had some glitter dust and magic glue. She had spent so many hours as a young filly decorating things, making them 'sparkle'. She chuckled. She looked up at the poster right next to the bed. It had been from one of her shows before Ponyville. An idea formed in her mind. o.0.o Lyra had finally cornered Bon-Bon in an alley. The cream-colored mare glared at her 'ex-fillyfriend' “How could you, Lyra?! I thought that you weren't into colts!” “I'm not! I promise!” Lyra said desperately. “Right.” Bon-Bon huffed. “I saw you look around before you kissed Big Macintosh! You even looked my way and ignored me! What am I? Just a background pony? I can't believe you didn't see me!” Lyra flinched with each word. “And don't tell me you aren't into colts! I got a good look at you two going at it! Tongue and everything!” “No! I had no choice! Besides, Big Macintosh is taken!” That stopped Bon-Bon. “He is?” her gossip sense started tingling, but then her anger returned. “If he is its even worse! That means you were both cheating!” “But... Bon-Bon! I had no choice! If the guards had caught us...” Bon-Bon's eyes narrowed. “What is this about the guards? What type of trouble have you been getting into?” Lyra looked around wildly. They seemed to be alone. “I... got dragged into a rebel alliance to defeat Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Flare...” Bon-Bon's eyes widened. She hadn't seen what had happened at the courtyard, but it had been the whispered talk of the city. She looked scared. “Lyra... why... you could be killed!” she whispered. “I know! That's why I was so nervous! I remembered all those novels I used to read as a filly about spies and complicated plots and then, when I saw the guards I remembered this one scene where...” She stopped as Bon-Bon dragged her in for a very passionate kiss. She felt herself melt against the earth pony, all worries, all fears dissipating as the familiar embrace of her lover held her. Suddenly, Bon-Bon let go and Lyra slumped to the floor with an “oof!” The earth pony looked out the alley to make sure the guards had passed them by and were not returning. “Well... it seems to work.” Lyra shook her head then looked up at Bon-Bon. “Does this mean I'm forgiven?” “No.” Cyan eyes glared at her then softened. “But... give me some time... this is a pretty big shock.” “Oh.” “Were you eating apples?” o.0.o Daisy Sprout looked down at the little doll in her hooves and sniffed. Her big sister was gone. She had wanted so much to meet her! She had even asked her parents many times to take her to one of the shows, but they wouldn't. She wrote and wrote to Trixie, sending her letters and notes along her parent's mail, but for the longest time there was no reply, until one day her mom and dad had read her a letter from Trixie, telling her to study hard and to be a good filly. She was very busy with her trips so she couldn't write much, but she loved her regardless. That had been three years ago. She was old enough now to recognize the writing in the letter as that of her mother, but, back then, it had meant so much to her that she had started following her sister's career, finding articles praising her, and pictures and even interviews. She had framed them and put them in her sister's room, hoping that one day Trixie would return and make everyone happy. But now she was gone... Daisy Sprout sighed. Who was she kidding? Trixie probably didn't even know she existed. A reflection caught her attention and she looked up in wonder as glitter-dust floated out of Trixie's desk. She was slightly afraid, but the dust spiraled through the air and she had to turn to look at it. The glitter-dust seemed to gather in front of the poster she had bought with her savings. She gasped as small words formed of glitter-dust attached themselves to it. The handwriting was very different from her parents. “Mom! Dad!” she shouted. Both unicorns ran into the room at the urgency in their daughter's voice. They stared as the glitter-dust kept writing. The three unicorns were teary eyed as they read the upper left corner of the poster. Dear Daisy Sprout, I love you little sister, be good, be strong, and make me proud. I will always watch over you. And then, on the lower right corner... Mom, Dad... I love you both and I know you love me. I'm sorry for being so selfish. -The Great and Powerful Trixie As the three unicorns cried together and held each other, they never knew that right behind them a fourth cried alone. o.0.o End Chapter 12 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-24T16:35:21+00:00

2015-03-29T05:59:06+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 13 By Wanderer D The Eclipse cast stark shadows and light. A red hue gave the sky an eerie quality that made everypony nervous. Although most ponies could see just fine in the gloomy ambience, the authorities in Canterlot had decided to light the torches in an attempt to cheer up the citizens. The sound of trumpets in the Canterlot Plaza drew the attention of all ponies around. A tan earth pony with an open scroll as a cutie mark stepped forth between the trumpeteers. “Hear ye! Hear ye! Her majesty, Queen Nightmare Flare has declared that all mares of ages twenty to twenty two in the city are to assemble at the castle. Compliance is mandatory. Failure to attend will result in immediate action by the guards, followed by arrest and imprisonment. Posters will be put up for your perusal. If you have family members that fall in this category have them go to the castle gates for further instructions. As of now, all mares that belong in the age group please gather 'round here. You will be taken to the castle.” The pony stepped back and turned around, leaving bewildered ponies in his wake. After a few seconds the crowd became abuzz with concern. “What do you think that was about?” Bon-Bon asked Lyra as they watched one of the guards put up a poster. Lyra shook her head. “I don't know... why would the Prin-... I mean, Queen, do that... and only for mares? And for every mare in Canterlot in our age range? That... doesn't make any sense at all! There's at least a couple of thousand mares here who fall in that group!” “Ladies.” a voice next to them made them jump. The guard looked impassive as he indicated they should move to the center of the plaza along with the other mares that were being herded by the guards. Trading nervous glances, the two acquiesced and trotted to join the other mares. “Maybe I'll be able to find out something useful.” Lyra whispered to herself. Bon-Bon bit her lower lip and looked at her worriedly. But kept quiet. o.0.o “Dashie... how could you?” Pinkie Pie asked. Rainbow Dash scratched the floor with her hoof, not looking up. Her thoughts were in turmoil, how could she convince them that Nightmare Moon was not the enemy? “Some Element of Loyalty you are.” Rarity sniffed, looking at her angrily. “First sign of trouble you join 'the winning team' is that it?” “No!” Rainbow Dash looked up angry, offended and hurt. She locked stares with Rarity. “That's not how it is!” “But... well, you are dressed as a Shadowbolt...” Fluttershy said. “I mean... last time you almost joined them...” Rainbow Dash sighed and looked up at Nightmare Moon for help. The Mare in the Moon simply raised her eyebrow as if saying 'you're kidding, right?' “Look, Nightmare Moon is not the bad guy here.” Rainbow Dash started. “Well, I very much doubt that, dear.” Rarity interrupted ignoring the alicorn's look. “The fact is that we all know her to be evil and to want an eternal night just so that ponies can look at her stars and love her.” “Oh! Oh! And there's also the evil laugh, dragon eyes, gloomy aura andburning, hate-filled glare she's giving me right now!” Pinkie Pie added. Rainbow Dash looked up at the black alicorn, who looked back at her. There was something in those eyes, true but... it was not hatred. The pegasus sighed. “Look, listen to me... things are pretty bad down there...” “D-down there?” Fluttershy asked. “Where are we? I mean... if you want to tell me, that is okay...” Rainbow Dash's smile was shaky. “Um... in the Moon?” “What?!” Pinkie Pie shouted. “We're in the Moon?! That is sooooo awesome! I want to go out!” “I would not recommend it.” Nightmare Moon said. “There's no air out there. And the temperature changes are extreme. You would die almost immediately. Although it would still be extremely painful.” That stopped Pinkie Pie's momentum for a bit. “Rainbow Dash.” Rarity looked at the pegasus sternly. “You better cough up an explanation, dear, or you will be in a lot of trouble.” “Fine!” the pegasus sighed. “Look, the fact that you three are alive and relatively free, and that I am not a murdering psychopath is thanks to her! She saved you, and she saved me!” “What do you mean?” Rarity asked a bit more softly when she saw her friend tremble. “Spitfire... she gave me this medallion... it made everything twisted in my mind.” she looked down. “I... I killed a guard because of it.” The three friends recoiled from her as if she were a poisonous snake. “Now,” Nightmare Moon said. “That is not fair, Rainbow Dash. You had no control over that, and even when you brought the guard down, you did not know that Twilight was going to execute them under Nightmare Flare's orders.” “But...” Rainbow Dash's eyes watered. “I... but... I could have stopped it and...” The three friends watched amazed as Nightmare Moon wrapped the sobbing pegasus with a wing. “You regretted it immediately. Even with the medallion's influence. And that triggered your Element to set you free.” the alicorn said soothingly. Rainbow Dash didn't look up, but nodded weakly until she felt another wing drape across her shoulders and the hoofs of her three friends as they hugged her. “It's okay Dashie.” Pinkie Pie whispered. “I'm sorry you had to go through that alone, darling.” Rarity said, tears in her eyes. “We're here for you.” Fluttershy added. Slowly Nightmare Moon stepped back, leaving the friends together. Her objective was complete. The four elements would stand by her side. That left only the Element of Honesty... and Twilight Spark. She turned around to give Rainbow Dash and her friends some privacy to talk, but she had taken only two steps when the cyan pegasus' voice floated up to her. “Please... stay with us, Luna.” Nightmare Moon didn't look back, although she could feel the eyes of all four mares on her. She remained still for a few seconds longer before turning to face them. “I'm Nightmare Moon.” she said with a cynical smile. “I am a dictator, a powerful being that will go to any lengths to achieve her goal. Don't call me Luna.” But she stayed as the friends talked and comforted each other. They didn't notice when the alicorn looked up towards Equestria in surprise. A small smile appearing on her face. “You're welcome, Scootaloo.” she whispered. o.0.o “Are you sure this is a good idea, Scootaloo?” Apple Bloom asked for what felt the seventeenth time. “Yes.” the pegasus replied. “It just looks so weird.” Sweetie Belle said, looking up at the red and black sky. “It makes me think that the whole world is like the Everfree forest.” The three friends walked in silence. They had left Ponyville three hours ago. Without their sisters, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had had nopony to stop them from gathering their crusader cloaks, some apples and leaving. Scootaloo had found out her mother had been one of the many pegasi chasing after Rainbow Dash, and thus was unconscious in the hospital. The doctor had assured her that her mother was otherwise fine, as were all the pegasi that had the misfortune of encountering a Sonic Rainboom head on. Scootaloo had found herself in the unusual position of thanking Nightmare Moon of catching her mother and saving her from her idol. She looked up at the moon. “Thank you for catching my mom and all the pegasi this morning, Nightmare Moon.” she grudgingly acknowledged the the dark deity. “You're welcome, Scootaloo.” She had the weirdest feeling that the moon had replied to her somehow, but kept it to herself. It probably wouldn't do for the others to know she had prayed to Nightmare Moon of all ponies... and the fact that she was pretty sure she got an answer. She glanced at Sweetie Belle, who despite trudging along loyally, had a look of worry in her face, her eyebrows locked in a small frown. For the most part of the trip she had been quiet, lost in her thoughts. And it made Scootaloo wonder... just how the hay did Sweetie Belle know Nightmare Moon's minion? She had to stop interrogating her friend... not that she enjoyed it, Sweetie Belle had seemed to be really suffering through the questions. The unicorn had clearly wanted to tell them, but couldn't. And that just made it worse. Apple Bloom was clearly worried about her sister and her brother. When she had gone home to gather her things, only Granny Smith and Caramel Apple had been around. She had found out that Big Macintosh had left the night before and had yet to return. It must be difficult to not know. At least she knew her mom was okay, and that she would wake up soon... but Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom didn't know where their families were. She suddenly felt very guilty about interrogating her friend. The little unicorn must be worried sick about her sister too. She sighed. Why were things getting so complicated? “Hey! I can see the castle!” said unicorn suddenly piped in. Scootaloo snapped out of her thoughts and looked up towards the mountainside. Yes, there it was in all its glory, waterfalls and all. Canterlot Castle. The pegasus smiled, dark thoughts forgotten. “Well done crusaders! We're almost there!” o.0.o Applejack's ear twitched. There was a sound... but... There it was again. A door? Opening? Her eyes slowly opened and she stared in complete confusion at the mattress and pillows piled around her. “What...?” memories then started to flood in. Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Flare. Rainbow Dash... Twilight Spark. She tried to stand up, but her body seemed so heavy! She was probably still tired, even if it was the afternoon if the light from the window was any indication. She heard a gasp. “W-what happened here?!” a voice she didn't recognize asked. She pushed a pillow aside and stared at the maid that had walked into the room. The unicorn stared back at her. “Don't ask, sugarcube.” Applejack finally said. “You really don't want to know.” “Oh.” the unicorn seemed to think about it. “Lady Applejack...” The earth pony snorted. “Don't 'Lady' me, please.” she shook her head. “Trust me, there's nothing ‘Lady’-like about me. I'm like you, a hard worker earning an honest living.” she finally felt strong enough to stand up and did so, albeit a bit shakily. The unicorn smiled. “Miss Apple, Lady Twilight has requested your presence for a late lunch with her and some friends.” Applejack noticed that the smile slipped when she had said the purple unicorn's name. It was understandable. Then something hit her. “Lunch?” she blinked. “But... isn't it late afternoon?” The unicorn grimaced and shook her head. Applejack made her way to the window and looked out. Then she remembered. The gloom came from the eclipse that Nightmare Moon had caused. She sighed. “How long was I asleep?” The unicorn looked thoughtful. “I believe you last saw Lady Spark around six hours ago.” “Oh.” no wonder she still felt tired, but now that she was up, she was not falling asleep anytime soon. That's how she worked. She sometimes envied Rainbow Dash for her ability to take naps anytime. Her thoughts about the pegasus soon turned dark as she remembered their conversation outside the door and her betrayal. “Lady... I mean, Miss Apple?” the unicorn prodded. She looked down sheepishly. “I... would appreciate it if you would join Lady Twilight... she... was very graphic about what would happen to me if you were late... I didn't understand half the words but it sounded...” she blushed. “Intense.” Applejack stared at her. “Oh, you poor girl.” she sighed. “Fine! I'll join her. But I need a shower first.” The maid smiled. “Thank you...” “No need, sugarcube.” Applejack said, stretching her legs. They felt sore. “I know what it is like to be on the other end of her... creativity.” she shuddered. “I've kept her in line so far, I reckon I can do it again.” she sounded more sure of herself than she actually was. The unicorn nodded and used her magic to set up the bath for the earth pony. Once it was ready, she excused herself and went off to presumably talk to Twilight Spark. Fortunately she was not disturbed by anypony while she relaxed in the bath. Although her muscles began to relax, her mind was working full-time. She had sealed her fate by promising to go have dinner with Twilight... but maybe, just maybe, the fact that the purple unicorn was willing to let her relax and was being less aggressive was a good sign. Maybe Twilight had stopped to think about what she had told her. Maybe she had regained her senses... Applejack sighed. Too many 'maybes'. But Twilight was her friend and... Rainbow Dash was too. And the only way to figure out what happened to them and bring them back to normal would be to be with them and find out. She eventually (and regretfully) got out of the hot bath and dried herself with the towels that had survived Twilight's blitzkrieg from earlier that day. When she was ready, she opened the door and looked outside. A guard pony stood impassively waiting for her. He nodded when he saw her. “This way... Miss Apple.” Apparently the unicorn had passed the word. Good. It seemed most ponies here knew that she was not a part of Twilight Spark’s entourage, despite the unicorns insistence on being with her. She followed the guard in silence as they made the way down to the place where she would meet with Twilight. She took advantage to gauge how everypony was taking the whole Nightmare Moon/Flare thing. Fear. That's what she saw in the ponies eyes around her. Fear. Confusion. They walked like they were stepping on eggshells, but the castle's staff performed their jobs regardless. The guards more tense if even possible. But then again, she had had a chance to meet some of them in a less formal situation, like yesterday. Had it really only been a day and a half? She shuddered. It felt like a lifetime. The whole situation was overwhelming, to say the least. Ponies would look at her worriedly, possibly wondering if she, like Twilight and Dash, was an agent of Nightmare Moon or Flare. Some would even risk small encouraging smiles if they somehow recognized her. But overall, the long walk did nothing to appease her. When they arrived to their destination, she looked uncomfortably at the double doors. She could hear several voices behind behind them, even laughs. Twilight Spark's unmistakable chuckles prominent among them. “We're here.” The guard said unnecessarily. Applejack nodded and gulped. When she took a step forward the guard touched her shoulder, making her look at him. “Good luck.” he let her go. The earth pony nodded and walked into the room. o.0.o The first thing that caught her attention was the table. It was full of food and she was noisily reminded by her stomach that she hadn't eaten a bite since the day before. “Hey! It's Applejack!” The apple farmer blinked. “Spike?! Weren't you in Ponyville?” “Nah, Twilight packed me into her saddle bags and forgot I was there. It has happened before.” Applejack shook her head and looked at the other ponies in the room. Twilight Spark was giving her a very... intense... look. The farmer blushed when the unicorn licked her lips and quickly looked at the other ponies. When she saw Rainbow Dash dressed in a Shadowbolt uniform she felt her heart break. “A Shadowbolt, Dash?” she whispered. Rainbow Dash looked at her and something crossed her eyes. For a fleeting moment she seemed... pained. But the look was gone in less than a second, and the pegasus nodded. There was no smile, no boasting or gloating. It was surreal. This... could not be her friend. “Nightmare Moon asked her to be the Shadowbolt captain and she agreed.” Spitfire said, drawing the farmer's attention to her. The Wonderbolt smiled at the rainbow-maned pegasus and touched her hoof. “We're all proud of her.” “I bet.” Applejack's reply was dry. Her eyes were drawn to the last pony in the room, who was studiously not looking at her. Applejack took a step back. Those eyes. That green mane... the uniform with the dagger 'cutie mark' on the flank... “J-Jade?” All conversation died at the table as the two mares stared at each other. Jade's azure eyes looked down an away quickly, then returned to look straight at Applejack. With a slight inclination of the head she nodded. “You two know each other?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Yes.” the earth pony confirmed. “Jade saved my life about four years ago. She was on her way somewhere for an important mission, but she heard me calling for help when I was trapped in a collapsed bridge... but, what in the name of all apples are you doing here?” Applejack asked, her tone desperate. “Did they capture you?” Jade looked down. She sighed and her hoofs came up, doing slow motions accompanied by clops and taps as she used the table and the floor to communicate. The others were unsure of what to do, since none of them knew any hoof-language. They just traded awkward looks. “What do you mean you joined Nightmare Moon?!” Applejack growled walking up to the deadly assassin. “You can't!” Tap-tap, clop -tap, hoof to the chest, clap, swift motion across the neck. “I know you are an assassin.” Applejack said, frowning. Tap, clop, hoof-movements, clop clop tap, head shake and shrug. “I expect you to say no! Even if you're an assassin, this is Nightmare Moon we're talking about! She's a ruthless, merciless killer that will betray you at the first chance!” “Hey! You take that back!” Rainbow Dash cried, standing up. “Nightmare Moon is nothing like that!” “You would say that, traitor.” Applejack snapped. “What did you call me?!” Rainbow Dash growled suddenly in Applejack's face. “I called you a traitor! That's what ponies like you who betray their friends and everyone that trusts them are called!” Applejack shouted. “I don't know what your problem is, Rainbow Dash, but if you think I can remain friends with murderers and betrayers you have another thing coming!” The pegasus was about to punch Applejack when she felt Silent Jade touch her shoulder. Looking back at the assassin, she gritted her teeth as the green-maned unicorn shook her head. “What? Backing down already?” the farmer taunted, bitterness clear in every syllable. “Figures that a good-for-nothing lazy coward like you would be the one to join the pony that killed her best friends!” The hurt in Rainbow Dash's eyes was almost enough to make her regret her words. But all it took was a look at the uniform the pegasus was wearing for her contempt and hatred to boil again. She watched as Rainbow Dash turned away from her and walked out of the room, slamming the door behind her. “Dash!” Spitfire quickly galloped past her, also leaving the room. “Oh, dear.” Twilight Spark sighed. “And she didn't even finish her sandwich. Grab a plate, Applejack! Tell us how your day went. Tea?” “Who did Nightmare Moon kill?” Spike asked, ignoring Twilight and looking at Applejack. Looking at the baby dragon, the earth pony felt a huge weight on her shoulders as she took a deep breath and told him. o.0.o There were probably around five hundred ponies in the room. All mares. While this might have been paradise for somepony with Lyra's disposition, it actually felt like hell. She was trapped. Not only that, but her grand plan of getting information would not work at all! They had all been gathered in a large, two leveled room. Above her was an empty balcony, and several columns decorated the room. Although there were at least three doors in the room, all of them were blocked by guards. They had all had to sign documents with their information on them and told that once they were done here, they wouldn't be called for again. There had been a slight disturbance earlier when a couple of pegasi had been unceremoniously thrown into the room. They had argued with the guards and attempted to get out to no avail. Pegasi guards stood at attention on the balcony, and whenever a pegasus would fly up, they would quickly encourage them down. All the mares were nervous. Discussions and arguments sprung out constantly. “Lyra! Lyra!” a voice called making her cringe. She looked towards the approaching unicorn with dread. “Glitter Horn.” she forced a smile. The other unicorn carefully made her way to Lyra, doing her best to avoid touching any other pony. “Can you believe it? We have to share a room with this rabble.” she sniffed. “Nobles should not mix with...” she glared in contempt at the ponies around her. “... commoners.” Lyra lowered her head. Besides her she could feel Bon-Bon seething in anger. “I don't think this is the time to complain about that, Glitter Horn.” “I suppose you are right.” the unicorn sighed. “Nothing to be done.” she leaned forward. “Did you see what Twilight Sparkle did this morning?” Lyra nodded nervously, looking at Bon-Bon. Glitter Horn arched an eyebrow at the earth pony but decided to ignore her. “I never thought she had it in her.” Glitter Horn frowned. “I had heard of course of those ridiculous claims that she had defeated an Ursa Minor with her magic...” “It's true...” Bon-Bon interrupted. “What?” “I um... we were there.” Lyra admitted. “Oh.” Glitter Horn blinked. “Well, regardless of that, I never thought she would punish a pony so... thoroughly.” she leaned in. “I heard that they are looking for more rebels.” Lyra and Bon-Bon exchanged glances. The musician was already paranoid, but Bon-Bon looked downright terrified. The unicorn gave her lover a hesitant smile. “You see those two pegasi over there, with the guards?” Glitter Horn continued, ignorant of the exchange. The couple looked. The pretentious unicorn was talking about the pegasi pair from earlier. She hadn't noticed that they had an escort. “They're both Wonderbolts.” Glitter Horn said. “Since the other one attacked Nightmare Moon, they have been under suspicion and are all under house arrest.” “Isn't that a bit much?” Lyra whispered, thinking of Soarin' “Just because one of them did that doesn't mean that all of them are like that!” “Oh, no dear.” Glitter Horn shook her head. “They have it easy. If you suspect someone of being a rebel and you don't inform the guard, you can be thrown into the dungeons, along with family and friends.” Each word made Bon-Bon cringe. “If you consort with rebels it stands to reason your closest acquaintances might too. I have heard of entire families being thrown into the dungeon... tortured... even killed.” The earth pony gasped. Lyra shook her head. “I don't believe it! It's too much! Are you sure you're not exaggerating?” Glitter Horn shook her head. “I heard it from my daddy who heard it from a friend of a friend of Minty Top, who is dating Sharp Trot, who is in the guard.” Lyra blinked. “Oh.” “Ooh... is that Sparkling Crown? I must talk to her. Ta.” The overwhelmed musician watched the pretentious unicorn walk away, calling at her friend. She had developed a cold sweat through the whole conversation and couldn't stop scratching the floor nervously. “Deep breaths. Deep breaths.” she intoned to herself. “Everything will be fine. Nopony knows.” when her heart had stopped beating four times as fast as normal, she finally turned around. “T-that was pretty crazy, don't you think... Bon-Bon?” she looked around, but her fillyfriend was not there. “Bon-Bon?” She looked around worriedly. Where had she gone? “Mares of Canterlot!” a voice from the balcony called, drawing all the attention there, where the herald had stepped up. “I am honored to announce Queen Nightmare Flare!” Everypony in the room bowed as the dark queen entered the balcony followed by several guards. “My faithful subjects.” the Queen said, looking down at the mares below her. “Thank you for coming here today. I will not take too much more of your time. Although you don't know the reason you are here today, know that you are providing an important duty. Now, let us begin.” Her horn started slowly building up energy. With each pulse of magic that made it glow brighter, each unicorn felt their own horn react, each pegasus felt their wings tingle and each earth pony felt their hearts beat harder. After a few seconds the glow diminished and Nightmare Flare shook her head. “You are free to go.” There was an audible relieved sigh from the gathered group as the doors started to open, but Lyra noticed that a guard had walked up to the Queen and whispered something to her ear. “Stop!” The doors immediately closed and the gathered ponies looked up at the Queen in confusion. “Something has been brought to my attention.” Nightmare Flare said, her voice gaining an angry tone. “A pony here has been conspiring against the unquestionable rule of myself and my sister.” she said as she approached the edge of the balcony and glared down at the ponies. “A traitor. A rebel.” she spat. Lyra felt two hooves hold her roughly by the shoulders. She looked at the guards on both sides of her in horror. In the periphery of her vision she caught a glance of Glitter Horn melodramatically fainting. “Apparently today's demonstration was not clear enough.” Nightmare Flare said as her eyes bore into Lyra's. “However I am not without mercy. If you confess, the names of your fellow rebels I will grant you a pardon, and have you in house arrest until they are detained. This is your one chance, Lyra.” Lyra's world was crumbling around her. Why? How? Who could have known? The only other pony that knew was... her eyes scanned the crowd until they settled on Bon-Bon, who was flanked by two guards. The earth pony wouldn't meet her gaze. The musician unicorn felt her heart crumbling. Tears fell unheeded to the floor as she stared at her lover. “Well, Lyra?” Nightmare Flare prodded. “Your answer?” She felt cold, she felt like this was happening to somepony else. Her head slowly turned towards the dark monarch. She couldn't see the Princess Celestia that she knew in there. The Princess that her friends and fellow 'rebels' were trying to bring back. “Your majesty, I will never betray the rightful rulers of this land.” she finally spoke up, making Nightmare Flare smile and Bon-Bon look up hopefully. “Therefore I will keep quiet so that both, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna can be reinstated.” Bon-Bon paled and tried to walk to her, opening her mouth to say something, but the guards stopped her. “Not only that!” Lyra shouted amongst the gasps and murmurs from the crowd. “I can tell you right now, Nightmare Flare, that you will never stop our Rebel Alliance! No matter how much power you have...” she looked towards Bon-Bon, their eyes meeting, all the hurt and fear in her eyes making the earth pony cringe and look down in guilt. “Or how many traitors and betrayers you surround yourself with.” Bon-Bon tore herself free of the guards and hugged Lyra. “Lyra! Please! Tell them! Please!” “Why?” Lyra whispered. “Are you part of the council?” “What council? No...” Bon-Bon whispered back, but then stopped and looked at Lyra in the eyes. “I can't risk my family, Lyra... my sister, my mom and dad... they would have been all captured with me if I hadn't reported you! What about our friends in Ponyville? Do you want them tortured and killed? But you still have a chance! Don't waste your life? What about your dream of performing for the Pr... Queens?” If anything the answer made it hurt worse. Bon-Bon was not being controlled. A laugh made their way to them. “Your family? Your friends?” Nightmare Flare chuckled. “You have been listening to gossip, little pony. I am not a monster. If someone is found to be a rebel their family would naturally be asked some questions. But unless they were guilty, they would not be thrown into a dungeon. Much less killed.” Bon-Bon's heart almost stopped. All color drained from her face, her hoofs fell to the side, no longer having the strength to keep them up as she realized just what she'd done in the spur of the moment. Lyra closed her eyes as the guards removed the limp earth pony. “Very well, Lyra.” Nightmare Flare spoke again. “You leave me no choice. I will crush your Rebel Alliance. But you will not live to see it.” she reared her head up. “You shall be executed tomorrow at dawn.” Two guards took hold of Lyra, who did not struggle. With a smirk of satisfaction, Nightmare Flare turned around, but stopped when the unicorn's voice floated up in the completely silent room. “How?” The Nightmare frowned. “How are you going to be executed?” “No.” Lyra looked up an unusual smile on her face. “How will you tell the time? You see, there's been a moon stuck in front of the sun at noon-time since... dawn today.” Nightmare Flare roared as her horn shone with magic. There was a crack as the air was displaced and Lyra was sent flying to crash against the wall. “Heal her.” she ordered the guards that had rushed up to the battered and unconscious unicorn. “It wouldn't do for her not to be at her best for her last day on Equestria.” In the corner of the room, watching everything in horror from behind a guard, Bon-Bon sank to her knees, her eyes never straying from Lyra’s form as she was picked up and carried out. “What have I done...” o.0.o End Chapter 13 o.0.o I would like to thank my pre-reader, Stephen Cawking, for all his help and prompt responses! There definitely has been an improvement in quality since you started helping my friend, thank you again! Comments, questions, concerns, or if you found a mistake that should be corrected, feel free to leave a comment. I do read them and answer pretty often!

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-27T02:13:16+00:00

2015-03-29T05:59:16+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 14 By Wanderer D The Griffon burst through the clouds in a frantic dive, trying to lose her pursuer. But it was not to be. Her nemesis emerged less than a second afterward and was catching up quickly. Not to be out done, she banked to the right, then proceeded to gain altitude an angle, aiming for yet another cloud. But this time, she was not going to try to avoid her pursuer. Gilda landed on the cloud after dropping out of her enemy's sight and prepared to pounce. When she felt her opponent was close, she threw herself at the pegasus, claws extending, roar leaving her beak... She took a swipe, but the pony dodged, sending a hoof straight into her stomach. “Oof!” she tried to roll with the punch, but the pegasus was relentless. She pounced, the mare jumped over her and kicked her with her hind legs as she sailed past under her. She snapped her beak, as dangerous a weapon as her claws, but the pony's hoof met her chin, snapping it closed. She hadn't even recuperated from that when the pony twisted in the air and kicked her side, sending her sprawling onto the cloud which held her aloft by a sheer miracle. She spit a bit of blood and glared at the pony as she landed a few feet away from her. Gilda locked eyes with her. Golden eyes met amber-yellow for a second. Then the mare's left eye started looking up and back while the other stayed firmly in place. Unable to hold the stare any longer, Gilda relented. “Fine. Give me the stupid letter.” The gray pegasus with bubbles for cutie mark smiled and gave her an envelope. She nodded and turned to leave. “Wait!” Gilda said suddenly, still holding the letter in one claw, the other clutching her ribs. “What... how did you learn to fight like that?” The gray pegasus looked at her (maybe) over her shoulder. “Muffin-Fu.” o.0.o Nightmare Flare stood in front of the room looking at the preserved objects that had caused her so much grief. It had remained intact through the explosion that had destroyed the wall and killed Twilight, and through her transformation and the revival of her student. “Sister.” Nightmare Moon nodded towards the Queen as she approached. “She is not here.” Nightmare Flare said, still looking into the empty room. “I gathered all the mares of the appropriate age and tested them with my magic. If any one of them had been an alicorn in hiding that spell would have revealed them.” Nightmare Moon was silent as she also gazed into the room that had started it all. “Perhaps the secret is still in this room.” Nightmare Flare glanced at her sister. “Perhaps.” “Have you asked Twilight to take a look at it again? She was close to a breakthrough before she was attacked.” “I have called for her, yes.” Nightmare Flare said, her eyes still on her sister. “And that is another part of this mystery that needs to be solved. Who attacked her? And why?” Nightmare Moon was silent as she returned her sister's gaze. “Whoever it was took advantage of your... emotional state, sister.” Nightmare Flare turned away. “I know.” she looked at the destroyed wall. “Did I tell you we caught a rebel during one of my scans?” “I had heard, yes.” “She will be executed.” Nightmare Flare said. “Along with any other rebels we catch. But I have sent for her family to be rounded up too.” Nightmare Moon remained studiously calm. “According to her, there definitely are other rebels, and they are organized. There is a chance that they were the ones that attacked Twilight Sparkle in the first place.” the white alicorn said. “Are you going to interrogate her?” Nightmare Moon asked. “Of course. That is why I sent for her family to be brought before us.” Flare answered. “Normally I would have entrusted the interrogation to Twilight... but I must ask you to do it for me, sister. Twilight needs to unravel the spells in the room and help me find my filly.” “If they are indeed responsible for all that has happened, these rebels have a lot to answer for, my sister.” Nightmare Moon said, her tone vicious. Flare smiled at the inflection in her sister's voice. “I trust that you will extract all information from her.” Nightmare Moon was already walking towards the dungeons. “If they are responsible for hurting you so much, sister... this rebel will regret ever being born.” Nightmare Flare smirked. “Just don't kill her. I changed her execution to tonight, so don't roughen her up to much... and don't tell her.” Nightmare Moon just nodded. o.0.o “Spike?” The little dragon stared at the table, gems and rocks forgotten as his mind processed what he had been told. He... couldn't believe it. Even with Midnight's warnings, even with what he had seen in the court yard... there was no way his friends could be gone. It was impossible, wasn't it? Applejack had tears in her eyes and suddenly he felt himself in a hug, as the farmer held him, crying. He turned to Twilight, who held his gaze. “Twilight?” “They attacked the Queens, Spike.” the purple unicorn said. “That is high treason.” The little dragon didn't know what to say. He could feel inside of him as if his entire self was crumbling into little pieces. “But why?!” the little dragon wailed. “N-no more parties with Pinkie Pie... and no more taking care of little animals with Fluttershy...” tears streamed down the little dragon’s face. “I'm afraid so.” Twilight Spark nodded. “And... Twilight, I never got my chance to tell Rarity how I felt!” he wailed. “I will never be able to tell her that I love her! Or how inspiring she is! Or how she was always a vision of beauty in an otherwise gloomy world! I mean, sure, the world is more gloomy now, with the eclipse and all, but... but... and that flank! I'll never see that flank again!” he broke down crying. Twilight blinked. “Really? You had a crush on Rarity?” “Oh, come on Twilight! The only pony that didn’t seem to know it was Rarity!” Applejack looked at the dragon with pity. Jade hit her chest with a hoof as something had stuck in her throat. “But... how did Rainbow Dash... and Applejack...” he finally choked out. “Rainbow Dash... saw the error of her ways.” Twilight said. “Spitfire convinced her that it wasn't worth it to try and debunk our beloved Queens... and Applejack... well, the thought probably hasn't crossed her mind, but the only reason she's alive is because I love her.” Spike saw the farmer tense. “Its better to die on your hoofs than live on your knees at the mercy and whim of a twisted pony like you and your Queens!” Applejack shouted, pushing spike back. “Oh, AJ, you say the sweetest things.” Twilight giggled as the fuming earth pony approached her, murder in her eyes. “And you're so silly! It's a well established fact that it is better to live on your hooves than die on your knees, which is what would have happened to you.”* “Twilight Sparkle!” “Spark.” “Shut up! I don't care! Your name doesn't matter! Did you even think about what I said to you earlier? About who you were and what you are now?” “I did! And I like who I am now.” the unicorn smirked as the earth pony moved so close their snouts were almost touching. “If you did, then you clearly didn't do it enough! I give up on you, Spark. The real Twilight is dea-mff!” Spike stared as Twilight's forelegs encircled the surprised Applejack's neck, pulling her closer as she kissed her, tongue and all. It was too much. The confusion and shock and hurt from earlier, combined with this sudden turn of events overwhelmed the baby dragon. He fainted with a whimper. The earth pony for her part seemed to be frozen, she struggled faintly, pushing back at the unicorn, but apparently without sufficient strength. Twilight's right hoof slowly traced a line from Applejack's neck, down her spine to her flank, where she slowly rubbed the farm girl’s cutie mark. The door opened. “Lady Twilight!” a guard coughed. “Her highness, Queen Flare, needs your presence immediately.” Twilight slowly pulled back from Applejack and stepped back. The farmer, who seemed to have been leaning forward, slowly melted onto the floor, where she stared in a daze at the unicorn. “The Queen has the worst timing possible.” the unicorn pouted. She then perked up. “Oh well, don't worry, AJ, we'll continue later!” she leaned down and playfully kissed the earth pony's forehead before turning around and walking out of the room. “Coming, Spike?” The dragon groaned as he looked up. “Uh... s-sure, Twilight...” he stumbled out of the door, not really paying attention to where he was going. Applejack for her part didn't seem to register the fact that the unicorn and the dragon were gone. She sat on the floor, completely spaced out. A cool hoof on her shoulder snapped her out of it. She started sputtering and shaking her head. Through teary eyes she looked up at the masked face of Silent Jade. The azure eyes betrayed the smile hidden under the mask. “N-not a word!” Applejack said, still unable to push herself up. “And don't you laugh!” she added when the assassin turned around and brought a hoof to her mouth. Her body shook with mirth. The door swung open once again and both Applejack and Jade looked up in surprise. “Jade.” Nightmare Moon said. “I need your help in the dungeon. My sister caught a prisoner that might know how all of this got started.” she looked around. “Where is Rainbow Dash?” “That traitor is gone.” Applejack said as she stood up slowly, trying to put the recent experience to the back of her mind. “And if I'm lucky I'm never laying eyes on that pegasus again.” Nightmare Moon observed the earth pony carefully for a few seconds. “Be careful what you wish for.” she turned to look at Jade. “She's coming with us, we might be able to get something positive out of all of this.” Jade nodded and looked at Applejack, who looked back at her then at Nightmare Moon. “Fine. It's not like I have much of a choice.” o.0.o Trixie hovered dejectedly back to the cavern. She sighed when she noticed Big Macintosh was not around. She walked into the back cave, where she found Midnight gazing at 'it'. “Found anything interesting?” Twilight's father jumped. “T-trixie!” he said weakly. “I'm sorry, I didn't hear you... hover in.” The mare sighed and sat down. “It's okay.” Midnight nodded, looking back at 'it'. “I have... I have a theory. With your help, we might be able to find out what it does and harness its power.” Trixie tried to look excited, but the emotional toll from her encounter with her family still hung over her. “Hurray.” “Guys!” Soarin' shouted, running into the cave. “I just heard from Misty! Lyra was captured! She's going to be executed! And I haven't heard from Spike in several hours!” “Great.” Trixie muttered. “We've just started and we're already dropping like flies. At least there won't be a shortage of ghosts.” Midnight remained impassive. “We have to figure out this soon then.” he said, looking at 'it'. “I have to go back for now, they're keeping a very close eye on us Wonderbolts.” Soarin' said. “I'll try and come back a little later.” “Go, we don't want to lose anypony else.” the male unicorn said. The Wonderbolt nodded and hurried out. “I should go and find Big Macintosh!” Trixie said, jumping to her feet. “No!” Midnight looked at her with steely eyes. “Don't you dare. If something had happened to him Soarin' would have heard about it and I need you here. If my theory is correct we'll be able to strike the Guardian a decisive blow.” Trixie's eyes went to the door and back to the unicorn. Finally she sighed. “Fine.” o.0.o Big Macintosh stood amongst the crowd in front of the castle. He had heard about Lyra, but for all he could think about, there was nothing he could really do about it right now. Wild plans flew through his head. Could he disrupt the execution without getting both of them killed? Maybe he could sneak inside the castle tonight... “Her Majesty, Queen Nightmare Flare wishes to announce that tomorrow's execution of the traitorous rebel, Lyra, will take place in three hours at the Canterlot Plaza instead of tomorrow at dawn! Attendance is mandatory!” “...” Big Macintosh cursed in such a vile way that had he actually done it aloud, he would have probably made several of the surrounding nobles faint and earned himself a very sharp scolding from Granny Smith. He noticed the crowd moving and followed suit to let a chariot with darkened windows pulled by several guards slowly make its way through. Whispers spread throughout as everypony tried to figure out who was inside it. When the castle gates opened and Nightmare Moon herself stood awaiting the carriage the crowd gasped. But Big Macintosh was not paying attention to the goddess. His eyes were on the miserable-looking mare wearing a stetson hat... who looked around the crowd and then stared at him. 'Please sis, whatever you do don't...' “Big Mac!” o.0.o Applejack looked at her brother guiltily. “I am sorry Big Mac... I truly am.” she looked down as they walked side-by-side with a deadly assassin and Nightmare Moon herself, followed by a small group of scared ponies. A colt, an elder male and a mare. A family. There was something familiar about them, but neither of the Apples could put a hoof on what it was. Big Mac sighed. He looked at his sister. She seemed really contrite about getting him dragged into the whole thing. But once she had shouted his name and Nightmare Moon had noted him... if he had ran away it would have been very conspicuous. At least his little sister seemed to be okay, and she did not look like a cultist. “It's okay.” he said finally. “No!” she said. “It isn't! They have a strange way of... changing ponies! They made Rainbow Dash into a murderer! And Twilight...” Applejack shut up, looking up at Nightmare Moon who seemed to roll her eyes. The farmer blinked. No. She must have imagined it. They all proceeded down to the dungeons where they could hear a melody being played. “Oh no...” the elder mare from the group behind them whispered. “It can't be... not my Lyra!” “Lyra?!” Applejack looked in horror at the unicorn family. That's why they looked familiar. She turned desperately towards Nightmare Moon. “You can't be serious! Lyra wouldn't do anything like that!” “Oh. I am.” Nightmare Moon said. “I received a report of her exact indiscretions against us Queens. Her involvement with the Rebel Alliance was reported by her lover, Bon-Bon herself. And then she proceeded to make a fool out of my sister in front of witnesses.” “What?” Lyra's mother spoke up again. The guards stared at her and the Nightmare shot her an icy glare. “I'm sorry my Queen...” she said sheepishly. “I... there must be a mistake. Bon-Bon is just Lyra's friend... they are not involved in any way other than that...” Big Mac and Applejack traded looks, Jade shook her head and Nightmare Moon arched an eyebrow. “It seems your daughter also concealed some secrets from you.” the dark alicorn said finally. “That's good.” “W-what do you mean? If she lied to us...” Lyra's father spoke up. “That means that it is highly improbable that you three are even aware of the Rebel Alliance beyond what we have talked about now.” Nightmare Moon interrupted. “That also means that there is less of a reason for you to be here... or stay here.” A guard pony stood silent vigil next to the entrance to the dungeons. Nightmare Moon looked at the guards. “I do not believe it is necessary for them to follow us in during the interrogation.” she said motioning at Lyra's family. “Wait with them here. They will have a lot to talk about with Lyra in between now and her execution.” Applejack gave Nightmare Moon a hard look but held her tongue until the door to the dungeons had closed behind them. “They are suffering enough already! Why did you bring that up again?” The alicorn snorted, not bothering to look back at them as she made her way down spiraling stairs. “If they have time to argue about their daughter's sexual preference instead of her well-being and impending fate, they need a reminder of what is important and what isn't.” When they arrived at the bottom of the stairs, the music stopped. Lyra's cell was not facing the stairs, so she could not see who had arrived, but the sound of hooves on stone had apparently heralded their arrival. Nightmare Moon looked around at the few interrogators in the room with narrowed eyes. “I have my own specialist with me.” she announced. “I shall only need one of you to remain. You.” she pointed at a seemingly random interrogator, who immediately knelt down. “At your service, my Queen.” the dark furred earth pony said. Nightmare Moon nodded. “Everypony else... leave us.” After much moping, the rest of the interrogators left the room and the group of five moved to stop in front of the cell. “I will tell you nothing.” Lyra said, and Applejack's eyes watered. She had been roughened up. She had a split lip and several scratches, by the way she moved as she put down her lyre, there were certainly bruises under her coat, if not worse. “We shall see.” Nightmare Moon said calmly. Smirking, Lyra looked up. Her eyes suddenly widened and she gasped. “Oh no, Big Mac! They caught you too?!” The interrogator had his sword in his muzzle immediately and Applejack had jumped in between him and her brother, who shot her an annoyed glance as he prepared himself for battle. “You know I can take care of myself, sis.” the draft pony muttered. “I’ve no doubt, big brother, but I’ll help out, just in case. Wouldn’t want another wound stoppin’ you from bucking apples this year!” They both knew they wouldn’t stand a chance against Nightmare Moon, but they would not go out without a fight. “Lyra, that mouth of yours is a magnet for trouble.” Big Macintosh stated. “I'm sorry Big Mac!” Lyra said, tears pooling her eyes. “Please don't tell Trixie! She'll kill me after I die!” “What's this about Trixie? Are we talking about The Great and Powerful Trixie?” Applejack growled. “What does she have to do with all of this?!” “I...” “She's Big Mac's undead fillyfriend!” “Say what?!” “It's complicated!” Big Mac snorted. It was then that the laughter stopped the conversation and made the interrogator slowly lower his sword. Nightmare Moon was laughing. And for all that Applejack could tell it was honest to goodness laughter. Not at all like the malicious cackling the Nightmare had showered them in when they fought her back in Everfree. Beside the alicorn, Jade's muzzle was clamped shut even as quivering lips could be seen trembling under her mask. Nightmare Moon took a deep breath and shook her head. “Lower the sword, Interrogator.” “My... Queen?” he stammered but put away his sword, looking completely confused. “It's unnecessary.” Nightmare Moon said. Her draconic eyes settled on Big Mac. “Are you part of the Rebel Alliance?” The draft pony hesitated, but slowly nodded. “Big Mac!” Applejack gasped. “Don't you know what Nightmare Moon and Nightmare Flare do to rebels?!” “Tell me, you two.” the dark alicorn started pacing in front of the whole group. “Why are you rebelling against me and my sister?” “Because you are not our queens!” Lyra said. “You've been corrupted! Turned into monsters by...” she stopped, looking at Big Mac. Nightmare Moon smirked. “I see you know something. Tell me.” Her voice became cold. “Who is responsible for turning my sister into Nightmare Flare?” The draft pony and the unicorn looked unsure. “Somepony took advantage of her fears and suffering.” Nightmare Moon said, the edge to her voice drawing shivers from all ponies around her. “They exploited a weakness, in the vilest way possible... and through that Nightmare Flare was born.” She looked at the two rebels. “My sister is trapped in a shell... she's fighting it and causing Nightmare Flare to make mistakes. But she won't last long. Who is responsible for this?!” Lyra looked down. “You wouldn't believe us...” “The Council of Nightmares.” Big Macintosh said evenly. “They induce new members by giving them medallions with spells on them.” Lyra said with a shudder. “They change their memories to make them believe they were always part of the council.” Applejack was stunned. “Then... is that what happened to Rainbow Dash?!” Nightmare Moon's horn started glowing. With a gasp of surprise the interrogator was floating in front of them. He tried to struggle but was unable to break her hold on him. Slowly a silver chain was revealed as the alicorn's magic pulled out a medallion. “Like this one, you mean?” “We've never seen them.” Lyra said, wide eyed. “But... how did you...” Nightmare Moon smirked. “Rainbow Dash was breaking out of the hold of the medallion Spitfire gave her before I even talked to her. When she showed me the medallion, I felt something familiar about it. When I came down to the dungeon I felt a similar energy coming from this pony.” The chain with the medallion broke until it was floating in front of the group. “But... we were told that the only way to break the hold of the medallion was in death!” Lyra said. “Fools!” the interrogator spat, glaring at all of them. “You cannot stop the Council of the Eclipse! Even in death we remain loyal!” Nightmare Moon smirked. “Clearly you think too highly of yourselves. The Element's of Harmony are powerful enough to break the hold of your amulets. And so am I.” Having said that, the alicorn threw the amulet to the floor and then, with a powerful kick, smashed it into pieces. The cultist howled and spasmed in Nightmare Moon's hold, struggling to be free, until with a desperate gasp he fell limp. The alicorn's horn flashed and the interrogator was gone. “What happened to him?” Applejack asked. “Do not worry yourself with his fate.” Nightmare Moon said. “We need to figure out what to do about you.” she added, looking at Lyra. “I... can't you let me go free?” Nightmare Moon sighed. “I'm afraid not... my sister would act immediately and the consequences would be disastrous.” “Oh.” “Big Mac... are you okay?” Applejack asked her brother who stood staring at the place where the former cultist had been floating. “Do you reckon...” he started, throat dry. “That what he said was true?” Applejack frowned. “What?” “About... their bond not breaking even after death?” Lyra's eyebrows went up. “You don't mean...” o.0.o “Okay, I think I have it down right.” Midnight said after studying the runes. “And this is your moment to shine, Trixie.” The depressed mare looked up at him. “What do you mean?” “A physical being cannot access the power contained within... it.” Midnight said, slowly walking to stand next to the mare. “But us ghosts... we can enter it.” Trixie shook her head. “So you're saying that we can both go in there and harness its power?” Midnight shook his head. “No... one of us will go in and the other will stay behind as an anchor to direct the power. Since I have been studying the runes and have more experience, I will be the anchor, you will have to go in and activate it.” “But how do I do that?” “It should be intuitive.” Midnight said. “Don't worry too much, if it doesn't work the first time, at least we will learn something.” Trixie nodded. “I will give it a try. Anything to stop the Guardian and the Nightmares from affecting more lives!” Midnight smiled. “Yes. Anything.” “What do I need to do?” “Just touch it with your horn.” Midnight said. “I will chant the spell and keep it active while you are in there.” The showmare nodded. “Let's get started then.” Midnight's smile was wide, his eyes shone with barely controlled excitement. “Yes. Let's.” o.0.o Bon-Bon looked towards the distance. She could barely see a small cluster of lights where Ponyville was. The view from the edge of the waterfall was one of the most beautiful landmarks in Equestria. It had inspired songs and poems. Lovers often came here to feel the romantic energy that appeared to radiate from the flowers. This was the first place Lyra had brought her to once she had convinced her to come to Canterlot. It was the first of many visits. She had played for her here, pouring her heart out for her, letting her know, without a doubt, that she loved her above anything or anypony else. Bon-Bon had kissed Lyra for what seemed an eternity, with the sunset casting their shadows, intertwined, like the lovers they were into the distance. It had been the best day of her life. But now, as she looked down the edge, following the waterfall reach its destination far below, her eyes gazed on the ragged rocks where the water crashed. She should have known that at the end of the beautiful waterfall that was their relationship, she would bring out the rocks and boulders where it would crash, splatter and break. Lyra would die in a couple of hours. And it was her fault. Did she have the strength to go and watch? Did she want to torture herself like that? “Oh, Lyra.” she whispered. “I love you. I'm so sorry.” Her eyes settled back on Ponyville. “We won't go back there ever again.” she said. “We won't see our friends, or our house...” she choked. “And it's all my fault.” Her head felt light and a small breeze brought some comfort to her. “Perhaps... it was for the best... this world is to harsh for somepony with your kind heart...” she looked up at the eclipse, regretting that the light was not enough to create the rainbows that would normally embellish the waterfalls. “I’m sorry it was me that cut your life short.” She gazed at the scenery in silence. “I will wait for you... and hope you still love me.” She closed her eyes and stepped forward. The sudden rush of wind flapped her mane wildly around her head. The sounds of the waterfall became nothing but white noise as it mixed with the wind rushing by. “I hope... I hope you still love me... when we meet again.” o.0.o End Chapter 14 o.0.o -o--o- Hello readers! Did you anypony see the Catch-22 reference? As always kudos to my faithful and most thorough editor Stephen Cawking, for pointing out so many things that needed attention! Please leave comments as they are not only entertaining, but really appreciated! -WD

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-07-31T01:43:13+00:00

2015-03-29T05:59:26+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 15 By Wanderer D “She will betray you. You know that.” Nightmare Flare glared at the mirror, where her reflection seemed to be sneering at her. “Twilight? Don't make me laugh.” she thought back at it. “Not her. Your sister. Nightmare Moon.” The alicorn shook her head, almost amused. “Nightmare Moon won't. She is loyal to me. More loyal than even Luna was when I was Celestia.” “And yet, Luna betrayed you a thousand years ago.” her image said. “What is stopping her from doing it again?” “We're balanced now. Equals in the sky.” “But she doesn't have her eternal night. All she has done right now is block your sunlight.” the mirror whispered. "Do you really think she is satisfied with just being equals?" Nightmare Flare's eyes narrowed. “She has been diligent about the search for my missing filly. I have seen the anger in her eyes at these rebels threatening me. She has...” “Begun to amass her own forces? Restarted the Shadowbolts? What is next? Her own private army?” “The Shadowbolts are only a few fliers in her service. Hardly a risk against the royal force which is not loyal to her, but to me.” “You shouldn't trust her. And you know it in your heart of hearts. You have seen how she has been acting. She has control of four elements of harmony now that Rainbow Dash has joined her as Captain of the Shadowbolts. Twilight has control of one, but how long will it take for Nightmare Moon to have Applejack join her side?” “You underestimate me.” Nightmare Flare glared at the mirror. “I know the elements. I created them!” “When you had more power... when the rest of the gods knew how necessary they were. You might have created them, but the power was not yours alone.” Nightmare Flare didn't say anything, staring intently at the mirror for a few seconds. “What do you suggest, then?” There was no voice this time. Just a feeling and images as her mind suddenly realized... she smiled. “Yes. That will do. Even if my sister betrays me...” “Mother?” Twilight Spark asked, looking up from her notes. Spike had fallen asleep next to her and continued to snore as she stood up, studies forgotten and walked up to Nightmare Flare. “Did you say something?” The alicorn smiled kindly at Twilight. “My dear student... my daughter... I will bring to Equestria something that has not been seen for thousands of years.” Twilight nuzzled the Queen, who lowered her head to allow the pony to do so. After a moment she stood normally again. “Twilight, ask one of the guards to fetch Spitfire. We will need her.” o.0.o “Wow.”' “It's... amazing!” “So big!” The three little fillies stared at the city of Canterlot in wonder. After several hours walking they had finally arrived, and despite how tired they were, the sight of the city was enough to give them more than enough energy to be awed. “W-where do we go from here, Scootaloo?” “Uh...” “Why don't we ask?” Apple Bloom said, looking at several ponies around. “Hey, check this out!” Scootaloo said, looking up at a poster. “It says here that everypony has to gather in about an hour at the plaza and that Nightmare Moon and Rainbow Dash are going to be there!” “Now that's good luck! We can just go there and meet with them.” Sweetie Belle said. “But what do we do for an hour?” Scootaloo asked. “We explore!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Wait, this says there’s going to be a stage!” Sweetie Belle said. “Why don’t we just head there now and get good places?” o.0.o “Rainbow Dash! Wait!” The pegasus stopped and looked back. “Spitfire...” “Don't let Applejack get to you... she doesn't understand...” “No.” Rainbow Dash snapped. “She doesn't.” Spitfire stepped back, ears flattening. The cyan pegasus didn't care. “I've just about had it with everypony thinking I'm a traitor. I'm not!” “I know, it's just that they...” she glanced around, making sure that nopony was around. “they don't understand our greater mission, they can't, unless they are part of the council.” Rainbow Dash stopped in her tracks. “Are you saying I should induct Applejack?” “She won't mind! Once its done she'll be okay with it... and you can have your friend back!” The rainbow-maned pegasus gritted her teeth. “I will think about it.” she answered, facing away from Spitfire. “For now I have to meet with a couple of ponies about the Shadowbolt positions.” “Do you want me to join?” Dash closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Spitfire... under any other circumstances it would be my pleasure... my honor... hay, I'm not good with words, the truth is I would love to fly with you... but we can't right now. The sisters need a balance. I'm taking care of the Shadowbolts and you...” “I'm being made Captain of the guard.” Spitfire sighed. “I... I know I can't say no... Guardian knows Nightmare Flare would fry me in place. I just wanted to ask if... if you would have considered me.” Rainbow Dash turned around and nuzzled the Wonderbolt. “I'll make sure everything turns out okay.”' Spitfire leaned her head on Dash's shoulder and nodded. “You promise?” Dash closed her eyes and sighed. How much could she take of this? And what exactly did Spitfire feel for her? Was it even real? Her mane fell forward hiding a grimace. Well, she cared enough for the Wonderbolt to set her free... regardless of the consequences. “I promise. And to make it good I need to go now. But... we'll catch up in a little bit.” Spitfire nodded and watched the other pegasus take flight. “Captain Spitfire?” an earth pony guard approached her. “I have orders from Queen Nightmare Flare, you are requested in her presence.” Spitfire blinked. “Sure. I will be there at once.” o.0.o “Halt! The ponies in here are under house arrest by order of the Queen!” A pegasus guard glared at Rainbow Dash. “Well, I am under orders myself.” she snapped. “I'm Captain Rainbow Dash, of her Majesty Nightmare Moon's Shadowbolts. And I am here on official business.” The guards did not look pleased but stepped aside. As she was walking past, one of the guards 'accidentally' shoved her. She glared at him, but said nothing as she went into the building. She soon reached a closed door behind which she could hear voices. But as soon as she was about to knock... “Rainbow Dash.” “Huh?” she looked around. “Nightmare Moon? Are you in my head?!” “I need you to give somepony a message.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Sure. What is it?” o.0.o Conversation ceased the moment there was a knock on the door. After a moment, the door was pushed open and a cyan-coated pegasus walked into the room. The reactions were immediate. “What the hay are you doing here?!” “You have got a nerve to step into this room!” “Are you here to make fun of us, or take us to be interrogated?” The sudden onslaught from the Wonderbolts in the room jarred Rainbow Dash. The thought of her idols had been stained by Spitfire's stories that had made them look more like mortals. But it really stung to hear them despise her. Dash steeled herself. If she allowed her feelings to affect her she would break down again. She looked down then slowly dragged her eyes up to look at Soarin' who was looking at her warily. “You. Soarin'.” she said. “I have a message for you: you're needed in the cave. Midnight is actually evil.” “What does that mean?” A mare with a light tan coat with a blue and mint-green mane, Misty, asked, glaring at the Shadowbolt. “What are you trying to pull?” “What is she talking about, Soarin'?” Blast asked. “Uh...” Soarin' looked around. “Um...” he dove down on an apple pie that was on a table nearby, sending pieces flying. “Okay, now I know you have something to hide.” Misty said. “Spit it, buster, or so help me Celestia...” “He's a rebel.” Rainbow Dash said. “I just found out myself.” The two mares immediately were in between her and Soarin', who was choking on a piece of pie and at the same time staring incredulously at her. “You're not taking him!” Blast said, her mane, so very similar to Spitfire's, fell around her face, giving her a wild and intense look. Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “I don't care about him being a rebel. Rebels are as dangerous as pillow fights. I was asked to give him a message and I've done so. It was supposed to be urgent.” “But how am I supposed to get out?” he said. “They got pegasi guards this time. They do look up when standing guard.” “Here.” Rainbow Dash tossed him something. It landed at his hoofs. It was a pin of an equine skull with wings on the sides. “Congratulations, you're a Shadowbolt and your loyalty to the Queens is not to be questioned. If the guards have any complaints about my authority to say so, they can take it to Queen Nightmare Moon.” Soarin' looked at her, then the pin. His eyes narrowed. “I can't trust you. You work for Nightmare Moon and you betrayed your friends.” Rainbow Dash gritted her teeth. “I was not myself.” “Ha!” Blast snorted. “Likely story!” “Shut up!” the cyan pegasus growled. “You have no idea what I have gone through thanks to Spitfire and her stupid medallion!” “I don't know what you did to Spitfire but unlike you she would never turn traitor!” Misty said, glaring back at Dash. “Wait...” Soarin' said. “She... Spitfire gave you the medallion?” Rainbow Dash nodded, looking pained. “I broke free... and I want to help her, but I need help to do so...” Soarin' sighed. He really wanted to go back to the cavern and see what this whole deal with Midnight was. “Let me check your wings and uniform.” he finally said. “What?” Rainbow Dash stepped back. “Why?” “I need to see if you have medallions on you. I don't want to leave and find that Misty and Blast have been inducted into the Council.” Dash snorted. “Fine.” The two other mares looked at each other quizzically, but decided to remain quiet as Soarin' searched Rainbow Dash, who looked very annoyed at the Wonderbolt ruffling her wings, but allowed him to do it. “Satisfied?” Rainbow Dash asked blushing. Soarin' nodded. “How did you free yourself?” he finally asked, looking at her in the eye. “I was told that the only way to break free was to die.” Rainbow Dash knew why he was asking. “I... have a special skill, very old magic that allowed me to seek help.” she confessed. “Finally, Nightmare Moon destroyed the medallion. And I was free.” “We'll need to talk more.” Soarin' said as he picked up the pin and walked towards the door. “Soarin'?” The pegasus stopped, but did not look back. “I want to free Spitfire too.” The Wonderbolt nodded and stepped outside. Rainbow Dash looked at the two mares, who were staring at her, confused. “What?” Misty shook her head. “What... did you just come to give that message to Soarin'?” Dash shook her head. “I came to ask you to help me free Spitfire... and Luna and Celestia.” “How?” Blast asked. “I want you to join the Shadowbolts.” o.0.o Trixie cautiously walked towards 'it'. In all her years in the road, listening to stories and legends that she could use for her shows, she had never heard of anything like this. It was pony-sized, at least the very center of it was. It was egg-shaped, but clearly had no physical substance to it, it gave the feeling that it should be translucent, but the light emanating from it wouldn't allow anypony to look inside. Bands of energy with strange glyphs constantly swirled around it. Some looked like cutie marks; a sun, a moon, stars, wings, others looked like they should be letters of some sort... runes, like the ones in the cavern. As she approached, they became more focused, while the world around her shifted and seemed to be distorted. She felt like the light was pulling her in. She could hear voices, or rather whispers. She could not make out words, but they had a certain urgency to them, as if they were warning her of some danger and urging her to turn away, and at the same time pleading for her to continue and at the same time telling her secrets without telling her anything at all. She found herself talking, or rather whispering back. Pure nonsensical words and babble that felt somehow significant, somehow answering the pleas, retorting to threats and making her fearful. This was not for mortal eyes, even ghostly eyes. This had been created by forces greater than anypony had a right to witness. Trixie tried to step back, but she couldn't. Her leg was forced forward. Once. Twice. It felt like her body was being stretched... like her soul was being stretched. Her thoughts became whispers, her vision became a blur of light and unidentifiable shapes, save for the bands of runes and glyphs. She was... she was... She felt somepony calling out to her, and realized immediately who it was, the most important pony... but she couldn't stop. “Big Mac... I don't want to leave you...” she managed to gasp. She was gone. o.0.o Midnight watched, enthralled as Trixie took a step towards his objective. The energy tendrils extended and wrapped around the showmare, sparking with energy as her horn started to shine. He held his breath. This was it. He hadn't even made it that far before... “Trixie!” Big Mac was suddenly charging towards the mare and 'it'. Midnight jumped in front of the stallion. “Stop you fool! You can't get close to it! You'll be destroyed!” “What have you done?” the draft pony asked, his voice strained. “The only way of accessing the power in that was through a soul and she needed an anchor... she went ahead and I stayed behind to...” “Stop lying.” Midnight froze as he looked past Big Macintosh towards the entrance to the room. There were two more ponies there. A mare he did not recognize bearing some resemblance to the stallion, and a black alicorn. Nightmare Moon stepped in, stopping right next to Big Mac. “Y-you brought her here?! Are you crazy? What sort of rebel are you?” “I said,” Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes. “Stop lying, Midnight. I know all about the guardian and the purpose of the Council of Nightmares.” Midnight closed his eyes and looked down. Then he started laughing. “What do you think you know?” he spat, looking up at the alicorn. “What I told these fools? 'Rebels' please. A rag-tag group of ponies with no chance at actually achieving anything significant other than getting killed by their own stupidity.” “Hey! Don't you talk about my brother like that!” Applejack growled, stepping up on Nightmare Moon's left side. She spared a glance to her brother, but noticed that his eyes were set on Trixie, who was slowly walking towards... something made out of light. “Big Mac, your taste in mares...” “Not now.” Applejack closed her mouth. Her brother had never spoken to her like that. Applejack looked at him and sorted her thoughts. She felt confused, angry and jealous at the same time. Confused because she could not understand, in all honesty how those two could have ever developed feelings for each other. When had that happened? It was clear that her brother held deep feelings for the showmare, but as far as she knew they had never met! She felt jealous because this was the first time her brother seemed to love somepony other than his sisters. It was silly, she knew he would always love her, they were siblings as surely as they were Apple family and it was a completely different kind of affection. And she felt angry. Angry at Midnight for tricking Trixie and Big Mac and who knew how many others. But right now was not the time to ponder. “Trixie!” she shouted. “Stop! Midnight tricked you!” The unicorn chuckled. “She can't hear you, she's trapped.” Big Mac suddenly rushed forward, and to Applejack's surprise, went through the unicorn. But just as he was about to reach Trixie, he was enveloped in bluish light and stopped cold. “Trixie!” he groaned. “I'm sorry, Big Mac.” Nightmare Moon said. “But I can feel the power emanating from the ĉambro. If you take one more step forward your body will be destroyed.” Midnight laughed. “Indeed!” Nightmare Moon glared at him. “You shall pay for what you have done. To Twilight and to Trixie.” she looked at the paralyzed pony. “And to Big Mac.” “Then why is Trixie able to walk towards it without dying?” Applejack asked. “Because she's already dead.” Midnight answered. “I would have gone myself, but given what happened to me before, I think I would rather let her try her luck.” Applejack stared. Trixie was dead? Did Big Mac know this? She glared at Midnight. “What happened to you?” Midnight snorted. “My body was disintegrated immediately.” “Big Mac! You get back here right now, mister!” the cowpony shouted at her brother. “So you decided to use somepony else to see if they would survive it?” Nightmare Moon shook her head slowly. “That is pathetic.” “But effective.” Midnight returned. “Wait...” a new voice interrupted. Applejack, Nightmare Moon and Midnight turned to look at the cavern, where Soarin' stood panting, having clearly rushed there. “You lied to us?!” he glared at the unicorn ghost. “And...” he looked at Nightmare Moon. “What is she doing here?!” “Getting rid of the trash.” Nightmare Moon said. Her horn glowing a sudden force slammed into Midnight, making him stagger. “H-how...” he coughed. “I'm a ghost!” “And I'm a goddess.” Nightmare Moon smirked, then frowned as she turned towards Trixie, who was almost touching the egg-shaped energy. “Creating a ĉambro requires ancient and powerful magic... had we had arrived earlier..." “You... cannot, stop me.” Midnight stood up. “I will remain here as long as I am in the service of my master!” The alicorn's horn shone again and something scraped against the floor. The group turned towars the cloaked body on the floor as a medallion slowly slid out from under it under Nightmare Moon's call. “Then, by all means, be gone!” The medallion shot towards the black alicorn. Midnight tried to catch it, forgetting in his desperation that he was unable to touch it as it flew right through him. Nightmare Moon's hoof caught it in mid-air and she smashed it on the floor of the cavern, breaking it into tiny fragments. Midnight stood still, his eyes going wide, then locking on to the Goddesses'. They slowly warmed, his body sagged as if a huge weigh had been taken off of him. The unicorn started to fade, wisps of his very being slowly melting into nothing. He looked up and his eyes focused on something beyond their sight. His last words faded into the silence just as the last of him disappeared. “Star Dancer...” “No! Trixie!” Big Mac called as the unicorn’s horn finally touched the egg-shaped energy. “Big Mac... I don't want to leave you...” Trixie's voice drifted to them, full of sorrow. Applejack's eyes were wide as she turned to look at the showmare that by rights she should have hated, but now just couldn't. Before her brother's eyes the unicorn faded away into the light. A bright flash made most of the ponies present cover their eyes. When it was gone, they stared at the thing, which now truly looked like an egg. It still glowed from within, but now seemed to have a solid feel to it. Big Mac, released from Nightmare Moon's hold now that the alicorn felt it was safe, slowly stepped up to it and lowered his head to touch it. “Trixie.” Everypony stood there, shocked. “W-what happened to her?” Applejack asked Nightmare Moon. The Dark Queen shook her head. “I do not know. We will have to wait and see.” “Um, guys? Sorry to interrupt but... didn't Midnight say his body had been disintegrated?” Soarin' ventured. “Yes?” Applejack nodded. “Then... if his body was destroyed... who's under that cloak?” he pointed with a hoof towards the body covered by a cloak. Nightmare Moon's horn shimmered with light once more. The cloak slowly drifted up revealing the body beneath it. “Oh...” “Dear Celestia...” Applejack fell to her knees, she felt short of breath. “I... oh, why...” Carefully, with the tips of her wings, Nightmare Moon lowered the lifeless eyelids, regret clear in her expression. She had seen so much suffering hitting so close to home... she closed her eyes. “What did they do to you?” Applejack asked nuzzling the body tenderly. “You didn't deserve this.” “Who was she?” Soarin' asked in a small voice, caught up in the feeling of the moment. Applejack looked up at him, eyes red and puffy. “One of my best friends.” “My savior.” Nightmare Moon whispered. “Twilight Sparkle.” o.0.o End Chapter 15 o.0.o ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Thank you all for reading! Don’t forget to leave complaints/comments/remarks/praises/notes/theories (love those) and such after you leave! As always, thanks to my dependable editor Stephen Cawking who makes this story better every time he grabs a metaphorical red pen and goes at it. You’re awesome, dude. He has also written an interesting short story which you should definitely read, and can find here: Regicide give it a read and tell him what you think! -WD

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-10-01T01:12:05+00:00

2015-03-29T05:59:41+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 16 By Wanderer D The dungeon under Canterlot Castle was well maintained. For the most part. It was not damp; it was free of vermin; it had new doors outside of where the prisoners were (which were a bit rusty), dividing it into subsections... oddly enough there were small desks and file cabinets against the walls. And, now that Lyra took a good look at her “interrogators” most of them had the lanky look of office workers. In fact, other than the guards who had roughed her up when they brought her here the “interrogators” and the one that Nightmare Moon had... dismissed... they were all a bunch of shy, polite, and friendly individuals. They had given her lyre back to play before the Queen had come to speak to her, and later on had allowed Jade to give her a stack of papers after she left to get them under Nightmare Moon's orders without checking them. Not that any of them seemed eager to question the assassin's motives. When she had practiced they had sat down to listen to her play and even gave her a daisy sandwich just before her parents arrived. She turned a wary eye to her mother. “Why?” “What do you mean, why?” Lyra asked her mother. Truth be told she was barely paying attention to the elder mare, now that she had finished practicing, her mind went back to being preoccupied with the fate of Big Mac, Trixie, Spike and Soarin'. Now that she knew that Nightmare Moon was not a bad pony (the thought still baffled the mind) and that Applejack was going with them she felt a bit better about their chances. She had a half hour to think about things before they had been allowed into the dungeon. “You know full well what I mean, young mare!” her mother snapped. Lyra sighed. “Look, the reason I joined the rebels is complicated...” “That's not what I meant!” her mother shrieked. “How could you, a Noble Unicorn that went to Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns and then on to college here in Canterlot be a...” she struggled with saying the word. “... a fillyfooler!” Lyra stared at her mother, father and brother. “Is that all you can ask right now?” she looked pleadingly at her father. “Is this really what is bothering you?” he looked away, and she felt her heart break. Her brother studiously kept his eyes on the floor. “I'm about to be executed and you tell me that the thing that bothers you the most is that I like mares instead of colts?!” Lyra's voice was almost hysteric. “I don't want you to die.” her brother said softly. “Paper Craft!” their mother hissed. “It's true!” he said looking up and flinching a bit, but not backing down. “So what if she likes fillies? I like fillies too!” he smiled uncertainly at Lyra, who was beaming at him. “It's not as simple as that, dear.” her mother said. “Delivery for the morgue!” a voice shouted, interrupting the conversation. “It's open.” one of the ponies in the dungeon said. “Do you need help? Do you have an ID?” “Nope.” a pair of earth ponies walked into their immediate sight, a stretcher held between them by harnesses and covered with a thick, gray cloth that covered most of the body under it. “We only got to her this quickly because somepony saw her jump from the balcony over the waterfalls and called the guard.” One of the 'interrogators' shook his head. “What would drive somepony to do that?” he walked around the earth ponies and accidentally bumped one, shifting the stretcher and allowing a hoof to slide out. Lyra's blood ran cold. “Well, put her in the morgue, we'll find out who she is and...” “Wait.” Lyra was aware that her mother had been ranting at her, but she hadn't been paying attention. Everypony stopped talking and looked at her. The interrogator looked at her. “What is it, lady?” he asked. “We're really busy and...” “Please... let me see her.” The earth ponies bringing the stretcher and the interrogator exchanged looks. They really didn't know a the first thing about how to treat prisoners. There had been no need of the dungeon for more than five hundred years. It had really been nothing but a morgue up until Nightmare Flare had requisitioned it back into its former use. “I don't think...” the earth pony began to say. “Please! Please!” Lyra said, desperately. “Don't take her away, let me make sure...” Comprehension and pity dawned in the faces of the earth ponies and the few interrogators around. Without a word, the pony that had been about to take charge of the body nodded to the earth ponies. They slowly made their way to Lyra. She barely noticed her mother making a face as she and her father stepped back, not wanting to be close to a dead pony. “Are you sure, miss?” the earth pony at the front asked softly. “It's not a pretty sight.” “I have to make sure...” Lyra said, looking at the hoof. Her horn started glowing softly as the cloth was lifted carefully. Her breath caught in her throat. Seeing the look of recognition, the interrogator motioned for the earth ponies to lay the stretcher on the floor in front of the cell. “Ugh.” her mother muttered. “Please take that away.” “Get out.” Lyra said in a very calm voice. “Now.” “Don't you talk to me like-” her mother started to say. “I believe you have overstayed your welcome.” one of the interrogators said firmly. “The prisoner clearly does not want you here and all you are doing is making things worse for her.” “How dare you...” Lyra's father growled, but the pair of earth ponies, freed from their harnesses stood in front of him. “As a parent... I am appalled at what I have seen and heard from you two.” the interrogator continued, his voice cold. “Your daughter has clearly lost somepony important to her, and she faces a horrible fate in an hour and you... you question her love life.” “You have no right to question us as...” “Go away now, or I will call the guards and have them escort you out.” the interrogator snapped. “I will have your job for this!” Lyra's father threatened. “Bring it up with the Queen then. I'm sure she would love to hear your complaints.” the interrogator growled. The unicorn huffed, but turned around and walked away, followed by his wife. “I'm... I'm so sorry Lyra.” her brother said as he slowly turned around and followed them. Lyra for her part didn't acknowledge any of them, her eyes were set on the pony before her. “Bon-Bon.” “Come on boys.” the interrogator said after a moment to take note of the name. “Let's give her some time to grieve.” The ponies slowly left her alone. She felt... empty. She stared at the body before her, her mind racing but producing nothing in terms of coherent thoughts. Then she slowly started to feel angry. “Oh, you coward.” she hissed at the tear covered face of her former lover. “You coward!” she shouted. “Why?! Why couldn't you have trusted me?! Why did you have to spill everything just because a stupid conceited unicorn decided to share gossip with us?!” She paced back and forth inside her room, her eyes never leaving Bon-Bon's body. Her glare seemed to intensify every time a tear threatened to come out. “You stupid earth pony! Senseless!” she choked. “You always believed the most idiotic things!” she sniffed. “And when y-you get me in t-trouble...” she stopped and took a shuddering breath. “Y-you go ahead a-and...” she closed her eyes. Her body trembled. “You moron! You selfish idiot! The last thing I will remember of you before they kill me is your empty eyes and your crushed body!” She turned around, facing the wall, but her body kept shuffling nervously, her hoof scratched the floor, her ears twitched until she looked back and turned around again to face the silent body in front of her. “Damn it, Bon-Bon.” she whispered. “Don't you know I love you?” she approached the bars until she pressed against them. “Don't you know that I would have wanted you to live? That I wanted to tell you that I forgave you, that it's normal to be scared even if you kind of jumped the bridle? Don't you know that I needed you here? I got my mom and dad... at least my brother came or everything would have been awful. But... why?” She slid down to the floor, looking blankly at the dungeon. “I bought you chocolates.” she confessed. “I hid them in my room, I wanted to get you a flower, you know, since you were so nice to me about not getting the Gala gig.” She looked down, her eyes slowly drifting to the mare lying cold next to her. Hesitantly, she stretched her arm out until her hoof touched Bon-Bon's cold one. Lyra bit her lower lip as she closed her eyes and her body shook, tears forcing their way out. The dungeons were quiet except for sobs and sniffing until a small chuckle emerged. It was followed by another and another until Lyra laughed hard at the same time tears streamed down her face. She kept laughing and laughing, unable to tear her gaze from Bon-Bon, until lack of air finally forced her to stop and take a long breath. Slowly she picked up the lyre from the floor and started playing. The melody Nightmare Moon had given her was simple but powerful. And it had a secret to it, she could feel it from the very beginning, tugging at her magic and at her soul. With little practice she had not been able to do much with it, she didn't know what she was lacking, or what Nightmare Moon had planned by her learning it... but now, looking at the crushed form of her true love, she played sharply, not taking her eyes off of her... each note drawing power from her magic until... o.0.o “You called me, my Queen?” Spitfire asked, walking with her head lowered in submission into the private chambers of Queen Nightmare Flare. “Indeed.” the Nightmare nodded then paced around the pegasus. “As you know already, given your skill and loyalty to me you are being named Captain of the Queen's Air Force... are you ready to accept the responsibilities that come with the rank and position?” Spitfire blinked, she suddenly felt nervous. Why did she not like Nightmare Flare's tone? “Y-yes your Majesty. I can only hope to serve you with the best of my abilities.” “That is good to hear.” Nightmare Flare said. “Be aware that there might be traitors amongst those closest to us.” Spitfire cranked an eyebrow at that, but the alicorn did not elaborate. “For now, step into the circle there.” Spitfire noticed that there was a large magical-looking diagram on the floor of the room. It consisted of a large circle, where she was supposed to stand, and there were four smaller ones each pointing towards a cardinal point. Twilight Spark was finishing up drawing symbols on the outside of the circle while consulting a diagram floating next to her. “Uh... your majesty?” “I understand you are nervous, but you do trust me and owe me allegiance, don't you?” Spitfire forced a smile. “Of... of course.” she nervously moved towards the circle. “Watch it!” Twilight Spark warned. “If you scratch one of those with your hoofs you could implode! Twice!” Spitfire gingerly lifted her hoof. “I uh... I...” “Oh, don't worry your pretty head over it.” Twilight smiled. “Just fly on to the center of the circle.” Feeling even more nervous, Spitfire did as she was told. “I have decided that if you are going to be the Captain, you should have Lieutenants to help you.” Nightmare Flare said. “So I will bring back four of my most trusted to serve under you.” “Y-you honor me, your majesty.” Nightmare Flare smirked. “I do, indeed. But first...” her horn glowed softly and Spitfire felt something shift in place. “No!” She was about to reach up to grab the medallion that Nightmare Flare had levitated away from her, but her body was suddenly encased in energy, preventing her from moving. She turned to look desperately at Twilight Spark, who's horn was also alight. The unicorn smiled sweetly and shook her head slowly. “This is interesting.” Nightmare Flare said as the medallion rotated in place in front of her. “It is tied to your soul. I can see the silver thread that goes from it to you. It is also ancient... and made with the essence that I need for this spell to work.” she looked at Spitfire with cold eyes. “It also has a compulsion spell in it, making you devoted to its cause... but that will change soon.” She levitated the medallion and put it down a few feet away from Spitfire, in a smaller circle with lots of runes around it. Spitfire tried to struggle, but Twilight's magic was too strong. “Let us begin.” the alicorn declared as her horn flared with energy. When the first pulse of energy reached the medallion Spitfire began screaming. “Oh, don't worry!” Twilight Spark shouted over the screams. “It'll take less than an hour!” Hidden behind a curtain, Spike looked in horror at the writhing former Wonderbolt as bubbles of energy seethed and popped in the smaller circles. Behind him, the queen's crown jewels seemed to glitter as they reflected the light from the massive energies being released. o.0.o Azure eyes slowly filled with horror as the green surface of the gem-made mirror Silent Jade held showed her what was happening in Nightmare Flare's room. She blinked and dove to the side, barely able to dodge a lightning bolt striking the spot where she had been sitting. She swirled around, facing an elder male unicorn with a cream coat dressed in white and red robes. “Scrying inside the Castle, dear?” the unicorn asked. “Did you think we would not detect that?” Jade narrowed her eyes. With swift motions she conveyed her message. “Oh, I know who you are.” he said. “But I am under the orders of a higher being and I have been told to get rid of the vermin that have endeared themselves to the Queens.” Jade's horn glowed as she levitated several objects and threw them at the mage, who simply let them bounce on his shield. “Is that and scrying the best magic you can perform?” he chuckled. “This will be easy. For a mage like myself, third in the order of Celestia, you are no challenge!” Jade lowered herself a little, obviously ready to tackle him. In a flash she was before him, but just as quickly, the unicorn teleported... And appeared screaming behind her, through teary wide eyes he stared in horror at his front hoofs, severed by Jade's hidden blade at the elbow. “It's true you might be better with magic than me, many ponies are. But few are better at fighting.” The assassin turned to face him, her horn glowing. His robes took a life of their own, stitches undoing, cloth rearranging until he was completely mummified in the expensive materials, unable to move or even scream anymore. With a slight look of disgust, Jade levitated the severed limbs and wrapped them in extra cloth, before making her way to the barely struggling mage. She concentrated and slowly a Council of Nightmares medallion could be seen between the folds of cloth. Frowning she slid it back under the folds. “Some might see this as me doing you a favor.” She whispered to the mummified pony's ear, ignoring the muffled screams. “I hope you find freedom.” Pulling his head back, her knife traced a deadly arc on his neck. The cloth absorbed the blood as she carefully lowered him down to the floor. Looking around, she quickly dragged the body to a safer location. She had to run. She had to warn Nightmare Moon of what her sister was doing. o.0.o “So... you know what that thing is?” Soarin' asked after a few minutes of silence had passed. They had covered Twilight's body with the cloak again, and the pegasus and the alicorn had stepped away to let the siblings deal with their loss. Applejack had gone to sit next to Big Macintosh and had cuddled up to her brother who provided a shoulder to cry on as he stared dismally at the egg-shaped ĉambro. Nightmare Moon herself looked slightly down over the whole deal, something that Soarin' had some difficulty understanding. As far as he knew, Princess Luna had not had many friends and had kept mostly to herself and her sister since she had come back a year ago. It was odd to see her so distraught over the death of a pony she couldn't have known that well. He sighed. Then again, Luna's life was such a mystery that she could have been dating the pony for all he knew. “I do.” the alicorn said, looking towards Big Mac and the ‘egg’. “The ĉambro is an ancient artifact constructed out of pure magic. It is designed to only allow certain individuals to touch it, or if not completely specific ponies, then it will allow individuals that conform to certain standards.” “So anypony could touch it?” Soarin’ asked. “Or just ghosts? Or just unicorns?” Nightmare Moon nodded. “This one might allow only unicorns to touch it, but the standard was not met by Midnight, which resulted in his body being destroyed. Trixie did conform to it, so she was allowed in.” Nightmare Moon glanced at the dormant artifact. “Normally a great sacrifice is needed to create something like this, not necessarily a life, but something extremely important. One or more ponies might be involved in its creation... the more ponies involved, the more powerful it is. I... have never heard of one with this much power. I only got a glimpse of it before it retracted into its form, the rune shields around it would have been able to tell me what it was. But they are gone now.” “Will Trixie be okay?” Soarin' asked, looking at Big Mac. He had known them for a little while, but he had liked them both, even after Trixie had scared the living daylights out of him with her hoof-through-the-head stunt. They made the cutest unlikely couple in his opinion. “I don't know.” Nightmare Moon sighed. “Trixie was absorbed by one of the most powerful artifacts in Equestrian history, excluding of course the Elements of Harmony and a couple of other... items. I am not aware of how far her skills in magic went. If they are not strong enough, then she only has her will power to keep herself 'alive' or as alive as a ghost can be.” “Well, she seemed to be studying the runes around here, that counts for something, right?” Soarin' said. “She had to know pretty decent magic for that right?” “I'm afraid reading runes doesn't automatically grant you the ability to use them.” Nightmare Moon said. “Magic is complex. As far as I know from reports, Trixie specialized in illusions and magic strictly related to show business. Twilight Sparkle might have been able to do something with it, she was an exceptional mage. She sought to truly understand magic, and not only did she have an amazing amount of power, she had incredible skill with it, so much so that Luna asked her to help Celestia. ” “You mean you asked her.” the pegasus pointed out. Nightmare Moon glared at him. “We are different ponies.” “Right.” the Wonderbolt cringed under the glare. “I um... I saw the egg thingie before it changed...” “Do you remember anything interesting about it?” “Well, other than bands of energy with some cutie marks and other symbols on them...” “... Did you say 'Cutie Marks'?” o.0.o Misty and Blast flew freely over Canterlot for the first time since Blizzard had attacked Nightmare Moon. Their new Captain, Rainbow Dash, motioned for them to land in the Shadowbolt Barracks. “I need to meet somepony.” Rainbow Dash informed them. “There's a pony down there that will tell you more of what's happening.” The pair shared a look, and then nodded at her, following her instructions and banking down in perfect sync, making the cyan pegasus sigh with wishful thinking. As she sped away, the pair made it to the barracks where the imposing figure of a fully-suited Shadowbolt looked at them. “Um... hi.” Misty said. The Shadowbolt cringed. “Hi... uh, follow me... I mean... if you want... that is...” Blast resisted the urge to hug the Shadowbolt. “Sure! Come on, Misty. My name is Bolt, by the way.” “Um... I'm... Fluttershy...” the pegasus leading them said. “Please sit down, I have some tea... If you want? You don't have to.” “Are you really a Shadow-oof!” Misty glared at Blast, who had elbowed her. “We'd love some tea.” “Oh! Good!” the Shadowbolt smiled as she set down a three cups, one in front of the sulking Misty, the other in front of the bemused Blast and the last one for herself. Fluttershy then proceeded to serve them their tea and offered them a tray with pastries. “Welcome to the Shadowbolts.” she said. Misty slurped her tea, her eyes opening wide. “Wow. This is good!” “I'm glad you liked it!” Fluttershy smiled, her voice gaining confidence. “It's my own brew. I grew the spices myself!” “It is very soothing.” Blast agreed. “May I have a muffin?” “Oh, please do.” Fluttershy offered the plate to Misty after Blast had taken one chocolate covered muffin for herself. “Would you like one too, Misty?” The former Wonderbolt glared at the Muffins. The eclipse cast shadows and red light all around Equestria, both Princess Celestia and Princess Luna had been turned into evil versions of themselves, there was a mysterious cult working behind the scenes, Soarin' had joined the Rebel Alliance, one of their own was dead, everypony was mandated to attend an execution in an hour. The guards hated the Shadowbolts. Ponies feared anypony related to the army, the Queens or even the climate. Their lives in show business were probably over and they had been inducted into the Shadowbolts and had sworn allegiance to freaking Nightmare Moon based upon flimsy evidence presented by a former fanfilly, who was their new captain. And here, in Shadowbolt HQ, they were being offered tea and muffins by a superior officer who had the meekest voice and the most inoffensive attitude from anypony she had ever met. “Sure. I'll take one.” Misty sighed. o.0.o The Mayor looked at the ponies that had gathered for her last-minute town meeting. Most pegasi, including the guards, still looked shaken from their ordeal from several hours earlier after fighting Rainbow Dash. Many of them had admitted that they had severely underestimated the young pegasus. They had seen the Sonic Rainboom as something pretty, but not particularly useful other than to amaze... they had never experienced the extreme speed needed for it, or the effects of the aftershock when Dash pulled it off. Still, thanks to Nightmare Moon, they had suffered no losses and little worse than headaches. A fact that the Mayor had kept quiet about. The earth ponies that had fought Jade sported bruises, bandages and in the case of the guard, casts. The unicorn had not been kind to them. Everypony else had ran off in a panic after Dash had knocked out all her attackers and the feeling of shame at their cowardly act made them look guiltily at the ones that had suffered while fighting. The Mayor herself had been about to bolt, had Nightmare Moon not stopped her forcefully. It brought her shame, but she couldn't bring herself to think she could have done something against those three. She was nothing more than an elder earth pony, after all. But she had felt even worse when she realized that they had almost trampled to death three fillies. She sighed. It was time to speak. She brought her hoof down on the wooden floor to draw attention to herself. Conversation slowly died as they all turned to face her. “Now, I know you are all wondering why I called you here.” the Mayor said. “Needless to say, it has been a very stressful couple of days. But we need to decide what to do about our current situation.” “We need to fight Nightmare Moon!” a pony shouted from the crowds drawing several mumbles of agreement. The Mayor bit her lip. Then sighed again, resigned. “I don't think she's the problem.” This drew gasps from the crowd, including incredulous stares from the guards and pegasi. Undeterred, the light coated pony looked at them. “The reason all the pegasi are alive right now, is that Nightmare Moon caught you before you hit the ground. At the speed and height you were falling from... it would have been disastrous.” Ponies started to argue amongst themselves and it took several clops on the floor before the attention went back to her. “I hate to admit it, but Nightmare Moon behaved better than could be expected. We are the ones that attacked them.” the Mayor said, her eyes meeting with several ponies. “I don't like it. I remember what Nightmare Moon did a year ago, but this time... she, and for that matter Rainbow Dash and Jade, did not do anything other than defend themselves.” “She's evil!” “Rainbow Dash is a traitor!” “The unicorn broke my left arm!” “The unicorn,” the Mayor interrupted another shout. “actually dove in to save the Cutie Mark Crusaders from being crushed to death when most of the ponies here in this very hall stampeded away from Nightmare Moon.” A brown female pegasus spoke up. “Is Scootaloo okay?” she asked. “She was fine. She's probably at the Apple Farm right now.” The Mayor said. “But that's not the point... the point is that Nightmare Moon, as bad as she was before, Rainbow Dash and the unicorn, Jade, did not act like villains. And since she is now apparently the Queen, along with somepony called Nightmare Flare we need to decide now how we are going to deal with Canterlot. Are we going to submit or fight? But whatever we decide, we have to remember that things might not be as black and white as we once thought.” At that moment the doors to the hall were pushed open, revealing two ponies covered in dark cloaks. Nervously, the ponies of Ponyville stepped back allowing the pair to walk calmly up to the Mayor. “I think I can help with that!” the foremost pony said. Her voice made Mr. and Mrs. Cake jump. “Pinkie Pie?!” “Surprise!” the hyperactive mare shouted, drawing back her hood and revealing her pink, fluffy hair in all its glory, followed by two balloons and streamers. “So, I think we were all talking about Black Snooty!?” “Beware, Little Pony, that you do not offend, that who's image you are trying to mend.” the other cloaked pony said, pushing back the hood to reveal the black and white strips of a zebra. “Oh, don't be silly-willy, Zecora! Black Snooty and I go waaay back, well, a year, but that's longer than most ponies here.” “B-but, I thought you were in Canterlot?” Mr. Cake asked. “And now I'm here!” Pinkie Pie shouted with glee, bouncing around Mr. Cake. “Isn't it amazing?! I was sent to the moon! And then I got sent to the Everfree Forest! And then I met Zecora and I explained everything to her and...” “Perhaps it's time, to explain things further, as I can see on some ponies here; they have the eyes for murder.” Zecora said grimly, looking steadily at one of the guards until he looked down, unable to hold her gaze. “Right!” Pinkie Pie said, jumping up to stand next to the Mayor. “Okay! Listen up everypony, Princess Celestia and Princess Luna need us! And to help them we have a plan!” When some ponies started muttering between themselves, Zecora jumped onto the podium and brought her hoofs down hard, drawing everypony's attention. “Listen well, ponies! Listen well! What the Element of Laughter has to say! We all need to trust and work and anger quell, Unless we want this eclipse to stay.” The murmurs died completely as the reluctant ponies relented and listened to the pair. o.0.o Rainbow Dash stood at the top of one of the tallest peaks around Canterlot. Down bellow, she could see the castle and the city, in the distance, she could make out Ponyville and further away Manehatan's lights were bright enough to be visible even with the weird lighting from the eclipse. Down in Canterlot, Fluttershy would be talking to Misty and Blast, Nightmare Moon would be plotting something, Applejack would still be hating her, Twilight would be pulling some sort of crazy stunt to get under the farmer's tail and Lyra would be dealing with her execution... In Ponyville, Pinkie Pie should be about to carefully contact ponies that would be sympathetic to their cause, and as far as she knew, Rarity would be doing the same with the Diamond Dogs. She did wonder what was the point. From her exposure to the Council of Nightmares Medallion, she knew that the Guardian would be aware of their actions by now and planning to destroy them. He could manipulate Nightmare Flare and possibly even Nightmare Moon. They were up against ancient beings of unimaginable power. No single pony, or even an army could stand against Celestia if the Princess had decided to use her full powers. Nightmare Flare would most likely be less forgiving, and if Nightmare Moon was not able to stop her. She sighed. “What's the problem, Dashie?” a voice asked from behind her. “You seem down. Nice uniform, by the way.” The pegasus smiled as she turned around to face Gilda. “I thought you wouldn't make it.” The griffin snorted. “After Kung-Fu Pony gave me the blasted letter I couldn't avoid reading it.” she was silent for a moment. “You really mean what you wrote?” she asked, rubbing her elbow with a claw as she looked down uncertainly. Rainbow Dash nodded. “I... I've been taking a lot of hits recently, Gilda.” she sighed, sitting down on the mountaintop. “Just about everypony thinks I've gone evil because I'm on Nightmare Moon's side.” “Yeah.” Gilda looked at Dash with a strained smile. “About that...” The rainbow-maned pegasus groaned. “Not you too!” “You have to admit it is weirder than you hanging out with those dorks.” Rainbow Dash glared at her and the griffin smiled sheepishly. “Okay, sorry.” The pegasus sighed. “What I wrote is true, Gilda. I do feel that I let you go too easily, I was not a good friend in that sense... you acted like an asshole, there's no denying that, but I just let you go and didn't even try to talk things over until now.” “Dashie, you know that you are the only pegasus I respect. The only pony I respect.” Gilda said walking up to sit down next to her. “It's very rare for a griffon to befriend a pony of any kind. You remember how the flight camp was set out, it was two camps, one for pegasi, one for griffons. We don't really get along, we wouldn't even tolerate each other if we were not forced to go to those camps.”' Rainbow Dash nodded, looking at Gilda steadily. The griffon coughed. “I had a hard time accepting that I was supposed to share my sky with pegasi. When I met you, I thought I understood why it could be so... we were the coolest pair in all of the camp! But... the other pegasi were not like you.” “The other griffons were not like you either.” “Of course not,” Gilda smirked. “I'm the best!” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Anyway, when I met your other friends... well, they are simply not cool enough for my Dashie.” Gilda confessed. “I was jealous... I am jealous of them. They have you all the time, and when I was visiting they still wanted you to hang out with them.” she started to scratch the soft ground with a claw. “And when the whole party with the practical jokes happened... I know I had been cruel and petty, I'm too proud to deny the fact that I was doing wrong but... I just felt betrayed when I found out you had planned the jokes.” “I didn't know you would be the victim of all of them.” Rainbow Dash said softly. “I brought it upon myself.” the griffon said. “I don't hate your friends... I think the pink one was actually growing on me for a while, but I... it's really hard for me to make pony friends... it's not personal.” “I'm sorry I let you go just like that, Gilda.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “I knew it wouldn't be easy for you to adapt to them, they all live on the ground, even the other pegasus.” she chuckled. “And I think our friendship is worth more than a single fight. Actually, I know it is, one hundred percent sure of it. I should have sought you out...” “... I should have come back.” They stopped and chuckled together. They remained in comfortable silence, past grievances forgiven, until Gilda looked back to the pegasus. “Dashie... your letter... it felt like you wanted to say goodbye.” Rainbow Dash looked down towards the castle. “I am.” Gilda's eyes widened. “What?! Why?” Dash sighed. “There's too much going on, there's a storm coming... I don't know if my wings will pull me through.” the pegasus shook her head. “Gilda... you have been my friend for a long time, I love you like a sister. I couldn't ask for a more loyal and strong willed friend. I would never consider a wingpony over my one griffon.” “Dashie...” Gilda whispered, moved to tears. “This is the side I so wanted my friends to see! The Gilda that was there for me when I thought I couldn't handle the camp, the Gilda that challenged me every day to be a better flier, the Gilda that would be there for her friends, confident smirk, caring eyes.” Rainbow Dash whispered fervently as she hugged her friend. “I couldn't let things end up like that between us!” Gilda couldn’t understand why her friend felt her world was about to end. “Why is this... do you need help?” Rainbow Dash looked deep into her friends' eyes. “Don't... please, just say you forgive me for letting you just go and not trying to sort things out between us until now... I know I asked you to come all the way here just to basically send you back home, but I needed to say this. Face to face.” Gilda smiled. “Only if you forgive me for acting like that around your friends.” Rainbow Dash's lips quivered as she held her friend close, not noticing as she did that the griffon's smile faded to be replaced by a resolute look. o.0.o End Chapter 16 o.0.o ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you all for reading! Don’t forget to leave complaints/comments/remarks/praises/notes or theories! As always, thanks to my dependable editor Stephen Cawking who makes this story better every time he grabs a metaphorical red pen and goes at it. You’re awesome, dude.

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-08-15T02:58:27+00:00

2015-03-29T05:59:55+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 17 By Wanderer D Applejack stared at the cloak-covered body. Suddenly all that she had gone through with Twilight Spark became a joke. That... creature was not her friend. It never had been. Twilight never harbored lustful feelings for her. She had never seen Applejack as anything but her friend. And that is exactly how Applejack wanted to remember the studious unicorn. The fact that a twisted, fraudulent and lustful thing was prancing around with Twilight's face was unforgivable. The fact that that fiend had used her friend's face to try and lure her into bed was inexcusable. The fact that that monster had forced her into a kiss... and that she had kissed back... was really confusing. But one thing was for sure, regardless of the things that it had done, her unicorn friend was pure and innocent... and it was something that made her feel much better about the conflicting emotions inside of her. There was a tiny voice inside of her, sounding much like her deceased friend, that told her that she had been right, that her honest feelings for Twilight Sparkle were as strong and clear as ever. Even if Spark was another story. She shook her head. The conflicting emotions when it came to the Twilight-clone were getting too distracting for the normally grounded earth pony. Glancing around the room, she took note of Soarin', talking to Nightmare Moon, and further back, her brother standing guard over the artifact that had absorbed Trixie. Forgetting about her own problems, she considered her brother and the now-gone ghost. What had happened there? Big Mac had been to that mockery of a show Trixie had put up in Ponyville so long ago. She remembered how she had ranted and raved about the showmare. Applejack recalled vividly how he had supported her when she explained how much she hated Trixie and how bad she had felt at being humiliated in front of everypony. Since then, Trixie had somehow died and came back as a ghost. She had then met her brother, and in the span of time it took for them to meet and arrive in Canterlot, both ponies had developed feelings for each other. Big Macintosh seemed truly devastated by the loss of Trixie, so Applejack had no doubt whatsoever about his interest in the late showmare. The feeling seemed to be mutual since Trixie's last words had been directed at her brother. The longing and helplessness behind it also showed that even in her last moments, her thoughts had been for Big Macintosh. Applejack sighed. She didn’t like Trixie, but her brother was a good judge of character, and she had never had any reason to doubt him. If his gut feeling was that the showmare was the right mare for him... then there was probably more to Trixie than she had seen or thought. But thinking about Trixie made her realize how little things made sense now. Applejack groaned and fought the urge to bump her head on the granite wall. One of the reasons she loved her life as a farmer was that things made sense. Everything was straightforward. If you plant a tree in good soil and care for it, it grows strong. It then gives fruit, and you reap the benefits of your hard work. Granted, sometimes her life made her feel like she was pulling a train uphill, by herself. However, apples might come out bad, or pests might attack. Perhaps the trees would get sick. For the most part, if you were careful, worked hard, followed the steps, and kept honest, good things happened. That made sense. Love... love did not. Especially when there was a certain crazy pony-creature claiming to love her. Applejack sighed and sat next to her brother. The least she could do was be there for him. o.0.o “I think we're lost,” Sweetie Belle said to aloud to nopony in particular. She then turned to Scootaloo. “I think we're lost, Scootaloo.” “I heard you the first time,” the pegasus growled, looking around at all the big houses. “If I could fly...” she sighed. “How did we get lost again?” Apple Bloom asked. “I have absolutely no idea,” Sweetie Belle said. “We followed the instructions from that colt with the yellow and black bandanna Scootaloo was talking with to the letter.” The three looked around and sighed. “Okay, I say we ask someone more reliable than a pony with a huge backpack,” Sweetie Belle suggested. “Fine, fine,” Scootaloo growled. “Hey, I see a few guards over there! They definitely know the city, right? And they should be reliable.” “They should,” Sweetie Belle agreed. “Let's do it!” As the three Crusaders made their way down the street, the guards would stop on each house, talk to briefly to the ponies there and sent them on their way somewhere. “Ah wonder what's goin' on.” Apple Bloom said looking at the group of guards as they talked to yet another pony outside their home. “Do you think it has something to do with the show at the plaza?” Sweetie Belle looked at all the ponies that would immediately leave after talking with the guards. “Probably! It’s got to be something awesome if they’re having the guards remind everypony about it!” Scootaloo said, a big smile spreading on her face. The three finally reached the guards just as a family of three unicorns walked out of their home to meet them. The unicorns didn’t look very happy- in fact, they all seemed tired, and the young unicorn- who had to be about their own age- looked like she had been crying. She was clinging tight to a familiar-looking piece of cloth. “... and it is by order of the Queens that all citizens, without exemption, are to go to the plaza today.” “I understand, but please, we have just heard horrible news,” the male unicorn pleaded to the guard. “We just lost one of our own, we want time to mourn...” The guard actually looked uncomfortable. “I am sorry sir, but it is a direct order and... well, the Queen was very... clear about what would happen to those that fail to obey it.” The unicorn sighed. “Fine then, we'll go to the plaza...” “Oh, you're going to the plaza!?” Sweetie Belle exclaimed as the three Crusaders reached the guards, she then tried to do her best impersonation of her elder sister. “I'm sorry to interrupt, but we were also hoping to get there, but we were wondering if you gentlecolts could tell us how to do so.” Scootaloo leaned towards Apple Bloom. “Is it me or does she sound like Rarity?” “She does.” the filly whispered back staring at the unicorn. “We’ll take you there,” the unicorn mare said, giving a sad look to her daughter and the three fillies. “Where are your parents? You shouldn’t go alone to something like this.” The three Crusaders suddenly looked nervous. “Um... well, our sisters are goin' to be there...” Apple Bloom said. “Applejack was at the castle not too long ago...” “And Rainbow Dash will definitely be there!” Scootaloo said excitedly, not noticing the looks the guards exchanged. “She's not my sister, exactly, but we go back.” “My sister Rarity should be there, as well as our friends Twilight, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie,” Sweetie Belle finished. “Did you say Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle are your acquaintances?” the guard asked. When the three fillies nodded, the guard gave them a hard look. “How do you know them?” “We live with them in Ponyville!” Apple Bloom explained. “I know Applejack,” one of the guards in the back said. “That little one speaks with the same weird accent. And she does kind of look like her.” “It ain’t weird!” Apple Bloom complained. “Not to mention the pegasus is like a miniature Rainbow Dash except for the coat color. Even her mane is done in the same style. Are you sure they are not related?” another said. “Fine then,” the lead guard said, looking back to the unicorn mare that was now looking a bit conflicted at having offered to help. “My Lady, would you mind watching over these three while they’re at the plaza? They seem to have come all the way from Ponyville by themselves...” Scootaloo, Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom gasped. “H-how did you know?!” the pegasus asked. The guard ignored them. “... and are related and acquainted to some very important ponies. Including our Queen's second in command.” The way that the guard had asked was more of an order than a question, and so Cinnamon had no choice but to acquiesce with a hesitant nod of her head. “Good,” the lead guard said. “One of my guards will escort you to make sure you are close to the stage.” The adults looked completely sick when they heard that, but the Crusaders jumped around happily. “Did you hear that, y'all?! Front row seats!” Apple Bloom gushed. “I knew Rainbow Dash would pull through!” Sweetie Belle poked Scootaloo on the side. “Hey, I thought you were angry at her for what she did at Ponyville!” Scootaloo turned around. “Oh yeah? Well, what about Silent Jade? Do you want to talk about her?” “Girls!” Apple Bloom shouted. “Calm down! We shouldn't keep these nice ponies waiting.” The other two lowered their heads. “Sorry.” The guards, who looked bewildered by the casual tossing of names related to really dangerous ponies, just nodded as they returned to normal. One of the guards started guiding the three unicorns and the three crusaders. Scootaloo kept staring at the cloth wrapped around the young filly's neck. “Where have I seen that...” Her eyes opened wide. “Trixie!” The three unicorns immediately stopped and the guard leading them carried on walking for a few feet before realizing they had stayed behind. “What about her?” Apple Bloom asked. “Look at that cape! Isn't it just like the one Trixie had? I remember Twilight taking it and a hat back to her with Ditzy's help!” “Y-you knew Trixie?” the little unicorn asked. “Can we get going?” the guard interrupted. “I'm sure you can talk on the way.” The group started walking again, but this time the unicorn family kept pace with the three crusaders. “Well... we didn't really get to talk to her, though Snails and Snips talked to her a lot,” Apple Bloom said after a moment. “Yeah, but her show was pretty cool,” Scootaloo said. “Until she started making fun of our friends.” “She wouldn't do that!” Daisy Sprout said. “Sis wasn't a bad pony!” This time it was the Cutie Mark Crusaders that stopped short. “Move!” The guard shouted back. The three stumbled to catch up. “She did!” Scootaloo insisted. “She turned Dash's rainbow into a twister!” “And she tied up my sister with magic to prove she was better!” Apple Bloom added. “And she turned my sister's hair into a rats' nest!” Sweetie Belle sighed. “It took her months to get over it.” “... It was pretty funny though. Ah've never seen my sister tied up like that! She's gone done it to me a couple of times before, but since that happened...” “Apple Bloom!” Sweetie Belle gasped. “Oh, come on!” the earth pony filly rolled her eyes. “Why, Ah remember you mentioning rats all the time to your sister whenever you got annoyed with her. Didn’t you even leave one of Opalescence toys in her bed because she grounded you?” “T-that’s just a rumor! She was never able to prove it was me!” the unicorn looked away from her friend, blushing. “I remember that after she put the Ursa Minor to sleep, Twilight was trying to find Trixie all over the place,” Scootaloo said after a moment. “If it wasn't for Ditzy, I don't know if she ever would have.” “Hey, didn't Twilight leave Ponyville to go talk to her?” Apple Bloom asked. “Ah remember my sister was very grumpy that whole week. She said it was a waste of time.” “Why?” Cinnamon asked, looking at them with a serious expression. “Why was Twilight Sparkle looking for my daughter?” Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shrugged and turned to look at their unicorn friend. “Weeell...” Sweetie Belle looked at the ponies around her and blushed. “I wasn't supposed to be awake, but one night I heard Twilight tell Rarity that she had been very impressed with Trixie's control over magic. She said that Trixie wasn't as powerful as she was, and that she probably knew less spells, but that she more than made up for it with inge... inge...” “Ingenuity?” Cinnamon asked. “That!” Sweetie Belle said. “And when Trixie ran away, she had left behind a lot of her stuff, including her books and esseis, so Twilight tried to find her to give it to her, and also to talk about magic.” Cinnamon closed her eyes and leaned against her husband, while Daisy Sprout sighed. “Sis...” “Are you really Trixie's sister?” Apple Bloom asked softly, having noticed how depressed the other filly had gotten ever since the showmare had been brought up. “Did she give you her cape?” Scootaloo asked, trying to get the unicorn to speak to them. They didn't see the two elder unicorns cringe, but Daisy Bloom had a small sad smile. “I think she would have, someday.” The three Crusaders looked at each other. The family's sadness and the way that they kept talking about Trixie as if she was gone finally settled in. “Um... do you want me to tell you about her show?” Scootaloo asked. Daisy Sprout blinked tears away and nodded, smiling at the three crusaders as they took turns describing the tricks that The Great and Powerful Trixie had pulled in front of the crowd at Ponyville. o.0.o Nightmare Moon was deep in thought after Soarin' had finished describing the ĉambro before it had collapsed into itself. She started pacing, looking around the room. The runes had absolutely nothing to do with the egg-shaped ĉambro. They were responsible for everypony being able to actually see and hear ghosts. Her brow furrowed. Ghosts. The Guardian. Cults. Nightmares. The ĉambro. Twilight's body... Twilight Spark. Trixie. There had to be a connection to all of this. She looked at the body on the floor, this time analytically. Her eyes roamed to the ĉambro, she recalled Midnight's words about his body being disintegrated just by touching it. It was powerful enough to destroy the ghost too, she knew. And he had known it, so he had sent Trixie to it just to see what would happen. The ĉambro... why was it so powerful? What sacrifice had been demanded to create it? Why create it in the first place? And who had created it? And what about the cutie marks described on it? Slow realization seeped into her mind. Her eyes widened as she looked towards the artifact. Could it be that... “Nightmare Moon!” a voice shouted as somepony ran into the cavern. The inspiration disappeared like a bubble bursting and the alicorn swore silently, turning to face Silent Jade as she ran into the smaller chamber and straight to her, panting slightly. Clearly the years of inaction had affected the assassin a bit. “What is it?” The Nightmare’s frown hadn’t disappeared, although the focus of it was now the green-maned unicorn. “Nightmare Flare... she-” “Hey!” Applejack had gotten up and trotted up to them, peering at Jade closely. “You can talk?!” “A-Applejack!” Jade stepped back. “You're... still here...” “You're losing your edge, Jade,” Nightmare Moon smirked, earning a glare from the unicorn. Applejack frowned. “Wait... Ah recognize that voice-” Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth to speak again, but her words stuck there as she felt cold metal pressing against her throat. “Applejack!” Big Macintosh jumped up and approached the pair nervously, watching the blade the assassin had pulled out of no-where press against his sister’s neck. Soarin' didn't look happy, the last thing he wanted to do was to get into a fight right now, but he decided to side with Big Mac on this one, flanking the assassin. “Really, Jade,” Nightmare Moon frowned at the impromptu stand-off. “Is that necessary?” Jade gritted her teeth, her body trembled, but the hoof with the hidden razor-sharp blade being pressed against Applejack's neck never wavered. The farmer was frozen in place, her eyes wide, staring in horror at the unicorn. “You cannot reveal my identity!” Jade cried, her eyes never leaving the earth pony's. “I can't allow it! Too much rides on it! You have no idea just how bad it could get! Don't ever say my name while I'm Jade! Do you understand?! I need you to promise, Applejack! And you too, Big Macintosh! This is no joke!” Applejack nodded very, very carefully, feeling cold sweat roll down her back. “A... Ah Pinkie Swear...” Silent Jade glanced at Big Mac, who looked a bit doubtful, but also nodded. Sighing, she let her hoof fall, the blade retracting into its hidden chamber. Nightmare Moon lowered her head to eye-level with the unicorn, her glare making Jade almost step back. “You and I will have a talk after all of this is done, and you will tell me why that was necessary.” The assassin hesitated, but nodded. The alicorn held her eyes for a few more moments before pulling back. “What is it that you needed to tell me so bad you blew your cover?” Jade cringed. “It's your sister... she knows about the medallions, she caught Spitfire in a spell and... she was turning her into something!” “What?!” Soarin' shouted, stepping in front of the assassin and ignoring Nightmare Moon. “What do you mean 'turning her into something'?!” He stared into the assassin's eyes. “What happened to her?” “Flare put her in a circle with runes inscribed around it, she used the medallion to siphon power into it... I saw four smaller circles that had some sort of energy in them... I was interrupted and didn't see more... they don't trust us anymore, and it seems some of the guard are in the know... it took me the better part of an hour to get here without killing anypony else.” Applejack stepped back. “You... killed somepony?” Jade nodded, either not noticing the farmer's disturbed look or not caring. “I was caught scrying by a member of the cult.” Nightmare Moon slowly raised a hoof and massaged her temple, eyes closed. “Anypony important?” “He said he was third in the Order of Celestia.” “You killed Sharp Glimmer.” “Was that his name?” Jade shrugged. “I hid his body, I doubt they'll find him anytime soon.” Through the discussion, Applejack had become paler and paler until she had to sit down, still staring silently at the unicorn as if she had grown two heads. “Yes, that was his name,” Nightmare Moon said testily. “And the fact that he is one of the three most talented unicorns in Celestia's order...” “Talented?” Jade huffed. “Please. I know of plenty unicorns with more talent.” “Fine.” The alicorn rolled her eyes. “They will still notice him missing.” Jade's ears twitched. “Did anypony else hear that?” The others shook their heads, confused. “Hear what?” Soarin' asked. “It... sounds like crunching?” Jade inclined her head. They remained silent for a moment. “I guess it's gone.” “Excuse me?” Soarin' raised a hoof. “Spitfire? Circles?” “I'm afraid I don't know what she's up to... circles and runes can do a lot... but if she's changing Spitfire and using the medallion...” A sharp crack made them all blink. They slowly turned around to find that the ĉambro was shaking; it’s shape contorting and trying to expand. Little rivulets of dark purple energy whirled and snapped around it as the group carefully stepped away from it. o.0.o Trixie woke up. Everything around her was light. There were no walls, no ceiling or floor. For a moment she panicked. How had The Great and Powerful... slowly memories came back to her and she winced. “Ouch.” Her voice had a weird quality to it. It seemed distant, and at the same time was followed by an echo. It was... kind of ghostly. Another voice seemed to float towards her. “... why...” The voice was distant. But it seemed so much more real than her own, that Trixie immediately set off towards it. The voice... no, voices were clearer now, and the light seemed to dim somewhat, creating a feeling that she was walking into a room of some sort. “... dangerous. We don't know exactly who they are, but my research points to their existence hailing from over a thousand years ago.” A strong looking unicorn in golden armor said. Trixie carefully stepped into the room and everything came to be into sharp focus. It was... a nursery? Trixie looked at the three ponies in the room. The soldier that had spoken was talking to Princess Celestia, who stood next to a crib. The last one was a unicorn in expensive-looking robes decorated with magic symbols and runes. “But why would they want to harm my filly?” Celestia asked. Trixie stared at the Princess, completely ignoring the answer the unicorn gave. A filly? The Princess had a filly?! This, she had to see. Since they seemed to be unaware of her presence, Trixie made her way next to the crib and peeked inside. She had never seen an alicorn filly before. She smiled at how cute it looked. Would her own look like a unicorn or more like Big Mac? She blinked and shook her head. The Great and Powerful Trixie was not going to think about that right now. She looked at the filly instead. Little wings tucked close to her body, the cutest little horn poking out from under her growing mane. She was... she... looked really familiar. The purple coat. The darker shade of purple on her mane... the violet eyes... “But... how can we protect her then?” Princess Celestia's voice seemed louder and Trixie realized that the alicorn had turned to face the crib again and was effectively right next to her. “If I might suggest something...” the robed unicorn in the room said, taking a hesitant step forward. “Twilight is too young to defend herself, maybe if we sealed some of her power... turn her into an earth pony, a unicorn, or a pegasus... she could still live in the Castle, but nopony would recognize her as your daughter. She would grow up learning the ways of the court and by the time she's old enough to receive her full power, and she would not be defenseless.” “That seems complicated,” the soldier unicorn said, then turned to Celestia. “My Princess, let me hunt down those miscreants...” “With all due respect, Lord Lance,” the robed unicorn interrupted, “we know that they have infiltrated the Castle, we cannot really trust anypony outside this room.” “I imagine that you wouldn't suggest something like you did without already having a plan?” Celestia asked. The robed unicorn nodded. “I have done some research into the ĉambro spell.” “I am familiar with it.” Celestia said evenly. “I fail to see how it would help in this situation, unless you want to capture my filly in time.” “The spell can be adapted to contain the excess power and other traits that we would want to remove from the filly.” He hesitated. “I think Lord Lance is right in that we have to find the Assassins Guild. I don't know why they have kept up with the attempts on your life but where they failed at killing you, they might just manage it with an innocent filly.” “It is probably because not many ponies have even caught a glimpse of her in the last eleven months,” the soldier said. “They sensed a weakness... my guards-” “...Are really not a match to the Assassins,” the robed unicorn interrupted. “I know they are trustworthy for the most part, Lord Lance, but let's face it, the last time an Assassin made it into the Castle they were not of much use. Had you not been guarding the Princess yourself...” The guard snorted and scratched the floor with his hoof, but didn't deny anything. “What kind of life can I give to my own daughter by having her hide who she is?” Celestia asked. It was then that a scuffle was heard outside, the door was kicked in and two ponies in cloaks rushed into the room. Trixie unconsciously moved in front of the crib in tandem with Celestia as one of the assassins jumped towards Lance. The other one attacked the robed unicorn, but was stopped by a shield spell, followed by a small ball of energy that sent the pony flying out of the room. The showmare had never seen somepony cast magic so powerful, so effectively and quickly before. Trixie had been so distracted by the casting prowess of the wizard unicorn that she didn't look at Lance until she heard a sickening crack. She looked at the soldier as he let the dead assassin slide to the floor. “Eldritch,” Princess Celestia said, looking at the robed unicorn. “Can the ĉambro be a short-time measure? If we hide my daughter with ponies we can trust until we have dealt with the Assassin's Guild... can we dispel it and return her to normal?” “That should not be a problem, Princess,” Eldritch said. “In fact, if all involved give a little power to the spell, the ĉambro will use the energy as the sacrifice needed for it. When your daughter returns to normal, she'll have bit more magic than she would have otherwise, but she should be fine.” Celestia looked at the bodies of the two guards and the assassins. “Do it.” Trixie blinked as everything changed around her, she felt herself being pulled forward. She was in another room... no! She recognized this place immediately. It was the cave where all the runes were! It looked exactly the same as when she had entered it. The Princess and the two unicorns, Lance and Eldritch were there again, but they had been joined by two more. Trixie gasped when she recognized a much younger Midnight standing next to a mare with stars for a cutie mark. That must be Star Dancer. She thought. The sleeping form of Twilight was wrapped and resting safely in Celestia’s levitation spell. “I have cast the most powerful illusion and disorientation spells I could on Twilight's room as you requested, Eldritch. Nopony alive, other than I, should be able to even detect your shielding spell.” Celestia said, looking sadly at her filly. The robed unicorn nodded. “I have already tied the ĉambro's energy signature to return to the room, where it will be safe until we dispell it and return the power to your daughter- unless entry is forced, in which case it will come back here immediately.” Lance spoke up. “Are you absolutely sure that it will?” “Yes.” Eldritch nodded as he walked around the room. “Our memories of the event should also return immediately.” “For all of us?” Midnight asked. “Yes, for all of us. Although in your case more work is needed.” Eldritch said. “We will need fake memories for you two... we trust you, but you have to be absolutely convinced that Twilight is yours.” The two unicorns looked slightly uncomfortable, but nodded, regardless. “You have to understand that our enemy is very resourceful. We don't know how far their influence goes, so after you two have your new memories, you will be transported back home. It was a happy coincidence that the both of you were gone for roughly a year for your research, so there will be less questions asked,” Lance elaborated. “I understand, uncle,” Midnight nodded. “Are you sure you are okay with this, your majesty?” Star Dancer asked after a second, looking at the alicorn with pity. “This seems dangerous.” Trixie had to agree. While Eldritch certainly seemed to know what he was doing, the whole thing was probably more complicated than it should be. Were the Assassins so feared and resourceful that they merited actions such as this to protect a single filly? Celestia looked at the filly, her eyes shimmering with tears. “For now... I know it is a lot to ask of you all of you, but... I have to do everything in my power to protect my filly.” she hesitated. “If anything went wrong... please take care of my Twilight.” She kissed the sleeping alicorn's forehead and then slowly drifted the bundle up to Star Dancer, who carefully levitated her with her own spell. She looked into the bundle, just as Twilight stirred and opened her big violet eyes. The unicorn almost melted then and there. “It will be my honor to watch over her for you, Princess,” she whispered. “We shall start now... I have devised a rune matrix that, once started, will conclude the whole spell, finishing by teleporting all of you back to your rooms,” Eldritch said. The other unicorns and the alicorn stepped back as the robed wizard started intoning a spell. Before Trixie's eyes, Twilight began to glow. Her wings seemed to shrink until they were completely gone, turned into magic energy. It was then pulled together and a small ball of light formed. Soon, tendrils of magic whipped about it, looking like long blank scrolls that contorted and swam in the air, the ball of light pulsated with every snap or twist of the tendrils, the magic seemed to want to eat everything around it. Eldritch's horn was glowing with an almost blinding white light as energy seeped out of it forming floating runes in the air. A rune flew over each unicorn and the one alicorn. Celestia closed her eyes and let her magic flow as the rune over her flashed and died. The symbol representing the sun, an exact duplicate of her cutie mark appeared on the blank tendrils. It was soon followed by five more. One was the moon, a copy of Luna's cutie mark, the other four Trixie recognized as representing the four seasons. The Princess slumped down, spent, although her horn still shone with magic, she looked confused at Luna’s cutie mark appearing on the blank tendrils alongside hers. Each unicorn's horn glowed in turn after hers, Midnight's cutie mark appeared next, followed by Star Dancer's and Lance's. Trixie noticed that the runes on the walls had started glowing softly as this all happened. Then... she felt a tug on her magic. And to her bewildered eyes a soft cloud of magic floated from her horn to add her own cutie mark to the tendrils! “Where did that come from?!” Celestia asked, worried. “We need to stop this, Eldritch!” “I don't know!” the mage shouted, confused. “It seems there's another unicorn here! The spell... it can’t be stopped now! It’s still draining our magic!” “But that can't be!” Celestia shouted as energy began to whiplash around them creating a hum. “There should be nopony here! We all checked!” “An assassin?!” Lance guessed over the sound. “I... I think... I see somepony there!” Star Dancer shouted her own horn still glowing, pointing a hoof in Trixie's direction. They all turned to look at her. “I can't stop!” the showmare shouted, although she did not know if they could hear her. The magic seeping out of her horn seemed to increase. “She's destroying the matrix! I don't know what's going to happen!” “Don't you dare risk my filly's life!” Celestia shouted, standing up. “The Great...” she gasped. “...and Powerful Trixie...” the unicorn groaned as the magic was soaked out of her. “...would never... hurt... TWILIGHT!” she shouted back. Celestia seemed taken aback, but a sudden shockwave of magic knocked them all down. “The spell matrix is out of control!” Eldritch said as an angry red lightning bolt made purely of magic hit Lance square in the chest. The whole room shuddered and the air turned heavy as the magic enveloped him. The soldier shouted in pain as a cloud of... something seeped out of his head and was absorbed by the sphere, which immediately doubled in size. The tendrils whipped with amazing force as if the memories had fed them somehow. The unicorn did not even hit the floor before he was suddenly not there. “Lance!” Celestia shouted. “Uncle!” Midnight tried to move towards where the soldier had been standing, but like the others, he was held in place by the indescribable force the magical artifact was exerting on the room. “The spell is still working!” Eldritch shouted, as wind seemed to pick up from nowhere. His robes billowed all around him and he had to raise his voice to make sure everypony could hear him/ “His memories of Twilight were erased! He was then teleported away!” Twin bolts of lightning crackled through the air and struck Midnight and Star Dancer. Celestia cried out as the spell holding Twilight failed, expecting the filly to hit the floor. A light blue aura immediately caught the bundled-up filly, holding her in place next to the unicorns. The Princess looked gratefully at Trixie, who was slowly becoming more and more solid, it almost seemed that as the magic was drained from her form, the bursts of energy would feed into her body. “Who are you, Trixie?” she asked as the memories of both unicorns drifted out of them and through the magic storm into the ĉambro, which again doubled in size. “I'm... a friend of Twilight!” Trixie groaned as she tried to hold the filly in place as her magic was being drained and could feel her body being assaulted by energy from all around her. “I... I just never appreciated what she did for me, or realized it... until now!” The pair of unicorns suddenly disappeared, followed by the little bundle containing Twilight. Trixie gasped as the magical energy she had used to hold the filly in place was absorbed into the storm. “Y-you...” Eldritch groaned as another lightning bolt hit Celestia, making the Princess cry out as a considerably bigger cloud of memories was taken out forcefully by the grasping-like tendrils of lightning and drained into the ĉambro. “Y-you're from the future?!” “Yes!” Trixie shouted as the Princess was teleported away. “I found this ĉambro alongside Midnight! I came into it to find out more about it!” “How far?!” “About twenty years, I think!” “You have to get out of here now!” Eldritch shouted. “You could be completely destroyed!” “I have been trying!” Trixie retorted, annoyed. The energy seemed to gather once more, and this time the lightning bolt flew straight towards her. She panicked and struggled against the unbending magical force that held her in place. Eldritch's body just seemed to appear before her. He was hit by the bolt and screamed as his memories were ripped out of his mind, he struggled against it as words poured out of his mouth. “T-this is the last one... I... won't make it, but the spell should be finished...” He opened his eyes and looked at her. “Will Twilight be safe all these years?” The showmare nodded, her eyes wouldn't leave the unicorn that had just sacrificed his life for hers. Eldritch shook his head and smiled, raising his voice even more as the whole room seemed to hum with energy. “Your horn isn’t glowing! It seems I broke the ĉambro’s hold on you! Run now!” Trixie turned and ran. The room started to fade behind her when she heard an explosion. Magic itself rained around her as she was picked up from the non-floor and flung out into the light. o.0.o The ĉambro exploded. Big Macintosh’ eyes widened as Trixie was hurled out of the magical artifact in an impressive wave of multi-colored energy. The Showmare flew through the air and slammed into the draft pony with enough force to knock them both down, where they lay in a confused heap. The energy whirled around the cavern before blasting towards Twilight Sparkle's body. Everypony stared as the cloak was burned in the magical vortex, the body was lifted into the air revealing the gruesome injuries Twilight had suffered. Jade stifled a gasp when she saw the unicorn floating limply in the air. Twilight's horn had been ripped off her forehead, where the wound had bled all over her face and revealed little pieces of bone. Her left front leg was twisted in a way that made it obvious it had broken in several parts. The whole left side of her body was burnt; the coat was charred black and revealed the burnt skin under it. Her once carefuly kept mane was almost missing completely, also burnt by the magical fires of her encounter with the late Midnight. Her cutie mark had faded completely. Slowly, as the magic seeped into her, the wounds reacted. The exposed skin lost the burnt look, going raw red and slowly turning a healthy pink as the coat seemed to extend over it, the burnt parts fading into the magic whirlpool of energy. Her leg stretched into a proper position, the blood slowly faded from her face as the bone seemed to shift and mend as a layer of skin covered it followed by purple fur. Her mane grew again, settling into the familiar style Twilight Sparkle favored. The body was slowly spinning in place, held aloft by the sheer amount of magic acting on it. Twilight shuddered and drew a raspy gasp as she took in air. She groaned as her body twitched and slowly shook her head. There remained no sign of her injuries. The fading magic slowly lowered her down until she stood, shaking, in front of the awestruck ponies around her. Tthe last of the magic snaked to her flank, where her cutie-mark reappeared with a flash. “Ooooh...” she moaned, slowly opening her eyes and carefully looking around. “Dad?! Why did...”Her head snapped up, eyes wide as she looked around. “W-what... where am I?” when she saw Nightmare Moon staring at her with a small smile, her jaw dropped and she started stammering. “Wha... when... how...” “TWILIGHT!” Applejack shouted. She ran around Nightmare Moon and picked up her friend in a crushing hug. “Twilight! You're alive!” the farmer started crying. “Ah can't tell you how glad Ah'm to see you! Ah thought you were gone forever!” “Apple... jack... can't... breathe!” Twilight gasped. The crying farmer immediately lowered her down, but just as she thought she would release her, Applejack closed her eyes and kissed her. Twilight stopped breathing and her eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as her friend passionately tried to slip her tongue into her mouth. Suddenly, Applejack’s eyes snapped open and she pulled back in a panic, letting go of Twilight, who landed on her flanks, staring into space. “Ah’m... Ah’m so sorry sugarcube!” the farmer stammered, wiping a tear from her eye. “Ah'm just mighty glad you came back, is all.” Twilight managed a weak smile. “Uh-huh...” Her brain finally seemed to kick in as she jumped up. “What was that?!” The tan pony would look her in the eye, so Twilight looked around, hoping to get an explanation from the other ponies in the room. Her eyes settled on Nightmare Moon immediately and she felt her jaw fall slack. The dark alicorn raised an eyebrow and Twilight would have asked something had Trixie not coughed and struggled to get up. “Trixie?!” Twilight blinked. “What are you doing here?” The showmare shook her head, but then looked down at Big Macintosh. Without stopping to think, she took his hoof in both of hers and helped him up. It was when both of them stood firmer that she blinked and stared at her hoofs holding the draft pony's. “B-big Mac... I can... I can touch you...” she whispered. Big Mac for his part was completely paralyzed. He looked down, wondering if he had died and his body had remained on the floor, but everything seemed to be in order. “Eeyup.” “Big Mac! I can touch you!” Trixie shouted as she jumped and hugged the red stallion's neck, the showmare then promptly pulled him into a very deep kiss, shocking more than one of the assembled ponies. Unlike Twilight, Big Mac immediately reciprocated. He held Trixie tenderly against him for what seemed like an eternity. When the two finally pulled apart, the draft pony chuckled and wrapped a foreleg around Trixie's waist. “You sure can,” he said. Twilight shook her head again and stepped back. “Okay, what is going on?!” she looked around. “Where are we?” her eyes roamed towards the stallion and the showmare nuzzling. “Why is Trixie here, acting like she’s Big Macintosh's fillyfriend? Why did she kiss him? Why did he kiss her?! WHY DID APPLEJACK KISS ME?!” she pointed at Soarin’ and Jade, her voice gaining a slightly hysteric tone. “WHO ARE THOSE TWO PONIES?” she kept walking backwards, eyes wild, until her back hit the wall. “AND MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL, WHY IS NIGHTMARE MOON HERE?!” The pegasus right next to Nightmare Moon raised his hoof. “Uh, Miss Sparkle? I have a question first, if you don't mind?” “WHAT IS IT?” “Weren't you supposed to be a unicorn?” Twilight blinked. “What do you mean? Of course I'm a...” she stopped. She couldn't feel her magic! She brought up a hoof to her forehead... “My... my horn...” She brought herself to eye-level with Nightmare Moon. “You! You must be behind this! Where is my horn? What happened to my magic?!” Nightmare Moon sighed. “Why do I feel like I have been explaining myself every time I meet somepony in the last two days?” she looked down to Jade when the assassin poked her in the arm. Clop-tap, tap-tap, clop, hoof pointing at her, then hoofs smashing against each other, clop, clop, scratch, forelegs opened wide.The unicorn had then proceeded to hoof-talk to the alicorn, seemingly taking a degree of glee as the fearsome Nightmare blushed, growled and looked scandalized. Applejack snickered despite herself as Nightmare Moon glared at the unicorn. “Thank you, Jade, for pointing that out.” Twilight was about to speak when she noticed that she was hovering. She felt her stomach go cold as she slowly looked over her shoulder at the pair of flapping wings on her back. “Oh, horse-apples.” o.0.o In Queen Nightmare Flare's chambers five creatures knelt before the Queen and her faithful student. The one at the front slowly stood up. “We are ready for the execution, my Queen.” She was almost as tall as the Queen, her wingspan was just as wide. Her draconian tail swished lazily behind her, her powerful claws clicked on the hard stone floor. Two pairs of wings- one draconian, one feathered- shifted slightly. Golden-red eyes regarded the alicorn and the purple unicorn with devotion. “Good.” Nightmare Flare grinned. “And the members of this cult you were part of?” “They will be rounded up and executed too.” Nightmare Flare laughed. “Well said, my dear. I am debating whether to let you keep your old name, or give you another one.” “Your wishes are my wishes, My Queen.” “Oh, I like her attitude.” Twilight Spark smiled and trotted up to the half-reptilian pony. She nuzzled her. “Can I keep her while she's not in service? Applejack and I could have soooo much fun with her.” “We shall see, Twilight,” the alicorn said. “Although I believe she has her eyes set on Rainbow Dash.” “Ooh... just imaging it is giving me shivers,” the unicorn said, giving Spitfire a lustful look. “So, a new name?” Nightmare Flare shook her head. “No... I think Spitfire is oddly appropriate. Especially now, wouldn't you agree, Captain?” Spitfire's smile revealed a row of pointy teeth and a small spurt of flame. “Sound the trumpets!” Nightmare Flare ordered as she slowly walked towards the door. “It's time to show all my subjects what happens when they make fun of their Queen!” o.0.o End Chapter 17 o.0.o _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ As always kudos to my editors; Stephen Cawking, NotAGoodUsername360 and UnderstatedHyperbole. Seriously ponies, without you this would not even be half as good as it ended up. I cannot thank you enough for your efforts. As for my readers, your comments and support keep this story going, just because we’re reaching the climax of this fanfic does not mean I don’t want to hear from you, so please leave a comment behind if you’re enjoying it! (I’m also interested in how many ponies out there caught the cameo/reference of the chapter!) ~WD Stephen here. Much like half the cast of this story, I have died and come back. I would try and spoil something here, but you’ve probably figured it out by now. NotAGoodUsername360: In that case, let ME take over for you and attempt to spoil something! HEY, EVERYONE, THE REASON TWILIGHT SPARKLE DIDN’T REGROW HER HORN BUT INSTEAD GREW WINGS IS BECAUSE SHE- *BANG* “Foreeeveerrrr!” *slumps to the floor, dead* Gun violence is best violence. Also... we may need another editor... They’re dropping like flies these days...

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-09-14T19:15:58+00:00

2015-03-29T06:00:07+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 18 By Wanderer D : Fluttershy was worried. Rainbow Dash had eventually joined them after finishing whatever business she had, but the wild pegasus had seemed completely subdued. There had been no banter, no bragging of any sort. The cyan pegasus had simply joined them, eaten a muffin and basically stared into the sky with a look of hopelessness. Her eyes, usually focused on her next objective, be it a new trick or dominating a competition, now reflected worries and thoughts flying in her mind one after the other. But the worst thing was that Rainbow Dash seemed to be calm. As if she had accepted her fate and was simply just waiting for it to happen. It was almost as though her will had been ground into dust by the wheels of fate. The pink-maned pegasus bit her lip. It was clear to her that the Element of Loyalty knew a lot more about what was happening than she had told them. It made her wonder, just a bit where the loyalty lay... and if it was earned. Rainbow Dash looked down at the city below from the vantage point at Shadowbolt HQ. Having taken over the old, abandoned barracks of the Pegasi Guards in the sheer cliff rising behind Canterlot Castle, they could survey the vast expanse of Equestria from the several ledges accessible only to winged creatures. The dark sky and the blood-red light from the eclipse made the city look eerie... the streetlamps were all on, and she could see thousands of ponies slowly making their way towards the plaza, filling the side streets and avenues like a muticolored river. Behind her, Misty, Blast and Fluttershy, all dressed up in Shadowbolt uniforms, also looked at the crowds gathering in the plaza. “It's disgusting,” Misty said, her eyelids low. “I wonder what Nightmare Flare intends to achieve by gathering everypony in Canterlot for a public execution. It's barbaric!” “S-she's not going to go through with it, is she?” Fluttershy asked, cringing at the thought. “Because Lyra's a good pony... and it would make Bon-Bon very sad... it would make me sad too... I mean... everypony, really...” “I'm sure Nightmare Moon has a plan.” Rainbow Dash smiled with more conviction than she actually had. “She'd better.” Blast said. “And you'd better have a backup, Captain.” the former Wonderbolt looked at her former fan with steel in her eyes, clearly not impressed by Rainbow Dash’s faith in the evil alicorn of legend. Rainbow Dash lowered her head. “If... if Nightmare Moon doesn't stop it... I'll get Lyra... you girls will have to come at me with everything you've got.” Misty regarded the rainbow-maned pegasus. “Everything we've got might be a bit much for you to survive, Captain.” “I know.” “But... Rainbow Dash... if you do that, it won't be just Misty and Blast chasing you...” The cyan pegasus whirled around, facing the other three ponies. “I know! But I just can't let her die like that! It's wrong!” She was surprised to see the two former Wonderbolts smiling warmly at her. “Don't worry, Captain,” Blast said. “We'll cover you.” Dash blinked. “Wait... what?” “You didn't think we'd let you take all the glory, did you?” Misty added. “Besides, if you weren’t willing to do that, then you wouldn't be Wonderbolt material.” The pegasus bit back a laugh. “Now I know you're pulling my tail.” she turned her back to the three and looked down towards the city again. “I don't know how far dreams can take anypony... but I do know where mine are going to end.” The three Shadowbolts behind her traded worried looks. “Is there anything you want to tell us?” Misty prodded. Rainbow Dash was quiet for the longest time, until the echoes of the trumpets reached their ears. “I think I know what Nightmare Moon is planning... and it really scares me, because I know what we're up against, and it might be the only way to save Equestria.” She looked back over her shoulder. “Well, everypony! You heard the trumpets! Time to join the crowds! Soarin' and Spitfire will be waiting for us!” Before they could argue, Rainbow Dash had taken flight and was circling over them, waiting for the three to join her. Unable to shake the chill on their backs from Rainbow Dash's words, the three pegasi jumped up to join her, the last one's worried eyes not leaving the brash pegasus for a second. The group of pegasi pulled into the air, circling high above the city. Down below, the thousands of ponies congregating in the plaza looked like mere ants. They were moving around and pressing together to better see the gallows or the two wooden balconies that had been installed for both the Queens. In the case of civilian pegasi, flying up to land on top of buildings, one even landed on top of the Celestia statue in the middle of the large fountain that adorned the plaza. All of it was an amazing sight under the eclipsed sun, and had their thoughts not been as dark as the shadow cast by the moon, the Shadowbolts would have enjoyed the sight. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle was in a strange situation. Several things had happened in what seemed, to her, the blink of an eye. As she faced Nightmare Moon in a body that was... abnormal... her mind raced through possibilities, scenarios and the nagging thought that she was forgetting something very important. She took a deep breath. “I'll approach this like research. Nice, methodical, understandable research..." she mumbled to herself. Okay, fact check. Nightmare Moon was here. That meant that Luna had fallen again to her darker alter-ego. She was missing her horn. And had gained wings. That meant she had no magic but was possibly capable of evasive maneuvers. It had to be the result of some sort of spell being cast on her while she was unconscious, meaning that it also had to be reversible. Even if these wings somehow felt just right. Trixie was also here and she was acting very affectionately to Big Macintosh, who was also here... for some reason. The blue showmare was eyeing Twilight and Nightmare Moon with a strange frown, meaning that she was either confused or knew something they didn't. But finding out what that was could take time... which she did not have. Next fact. There was another pegasus there. He looked familiar. But he wasn't from Ponyville. Had she met him in a social gathering of some sort? That could only be The Gala since she had avoided anything social like the plague before going to Ponyville. Wonderbolt? Possibly... she seemed to recall Rainbow Dash talking to a similar pony at the Gala. He was at ease next to Nightmare Moon, though. Was he a Shadowbolt now? Her eyes narrowed. Then there was Applejack. She seemed okay, well, except for the kiss. She really did taste like apples. Wow. Twilight had wondered what it would be like to kiss Big Mac, and that was exactly what she had thought it would taste like. Apples (and hay in his case, since he was always chewing on it.) But that was in for two reasons: First, Big Mac was taken. By Trixie. Lucky mare. Second, Applejack was standing next to Nightmare Moon as comfortably as if she were standing next to Rarity. That meant that she was on Nightmare Moon's side. But no, that wasn't right... Maybe she was under a spell? And why was Applejack blushing? Oh no. Had Twilight been staring too long at her friend? What should she do? Should she talk to Applejack? No. She was still analyzing the situation. That called for a more subtle approach. Twilight moved her head in the direction of the strangely dressed unicorn, and then slowly tore her gaze from the Apple Farmer. This unicorn was definitely comfortable with Nightmare Moon. Enough to make jabs at her through hoof-language. She was dressed in a tight-fitting black uniform with a jade dagger cutie-mark on her flank. She had azure eyes and again, jade-green hair. It could be safely surmised that she was some sort of pony hit-mare for Nightmare Moon. She couldn't be trusted. And why was she teary-eyed? There was the nagging feeling that she was forgetting something. What was she doing before she woke up here? Of course! Celestia's filly was missing! Oh, no. Was it Nightmare Moon's doing? Was that why she was here? But... that was impossible! Nightmare Moon had been trapped in the Moon at the time! Why, she had established that the spells cast in the room were no older than twenty years and had been about to tell Princess Celestia when her dad had... Oh... no. What had her father done? Where was he? “Ah think we broke her.” Applejack said, watching as Twilight's eyes roamed from pony to pony, settled on her for an uncomfortable amount of time, then turned to Jade, then just lost focus completely. There was a small twitch on Twilight's left eye. “That is entirely possible.” Nightmare Moon nodded curtly, she then turned towards the blue showmare. “Trixie. What did you see inside the ĉambro?” Trixie looked from Twilight, to Nightmare Moon, then back to the purple, eye-twitching, hyperventilating pegasus. “Trixie is not entirely sure if she should tell a legendary dark alicorn what she saw inside the ĉambro.” Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes and scratched the floor with her hoof. “We don't have time for that now. At any moment my sister is going to call everypony for Lyra’s execution! I need to know if my theory is correct... is Twilight Sparkle Celestia's filly?” “Tah...” was the only sound that escaped Twilight's mouth as her brain registered what the dark alicorn had just said. Trixie gulped and shook loose of Big Macintosh's comforting grasp. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will not let you harm Princess Twilight.” She said, stepping shakily between the Nightmare and the purple pegasus. “Sh-she promised Princess Celestia.” The room was silent as the obscenely powerful alicorn stared at the gifted showmare. The silence was broken by Twilight passing out and collapsing on the floor with all the grace of a sack of potatoes. “Solar-flaring orgasms of Celestia!” Nightmare Moon growled, making everypony in the cavern, including the comatose unicorn, twitch. “That's it! I've had it!” she glared at Twilight and materialized a large sphere of water right over Twilight Sparkle. The former unicorn screeched when it was dumped on top of her with perhaps more violence than was probably necessary. She was immediately wrapped in magic and dragged forward until she was staring Nightmare Moon in the eyes, still dripping and shivering. “I'll make this short because I have several matters of grave importance to attend to and I will not waste my time on this!” She growled at the cowering Twilight. “So listen up! Celestia had a filly. That filly was you.” Twilight blinked. “But how is that possible?! My parents raised me! They even told me about how mom got pregnant during a research trip and...” She was interrupted by the Nightmare stamping her hoof on the stone floor. “Trixie knows what happened and she WILL explain it or she WILL be sent to the Moon!” the alicorn growled, narrowing her eyes at the showmare, who gulped. “Your adoptive father, Midnight, was corrupted by a magical medallion several years ago... the medallion was created by a being called the Guardian.” Nightmare Moon actually looked pained for a moment, she closed her eyes for a second before regarding Twilight. “Midnight was compelled by the medallion to do anything to forward the Guardian’s cause... including killing you.” Twilight looked around at the gathered ponies. With the exception of Soarin’ who barely knew her, all of her friends and even the unknown unicorn with the green mane looked pained at the thought. “Celestia broke and transformed into a Nightmare called Flare.” Nightmare Moon continued in a quieter voice. “She then forced Luna into becoming me.” The alicorn fell silent as the dark thoughts replayed in her mind’s eye, giving Twilight a moment to absorb what had been said. “She created another Twilight using your horn.” Nightmare Moon said, finally looking up. “She's, for lack of a better term, a nymphomaniac fillyfooler with a taste for apples.” The alicorn shrugged and glanced at Applejack who had started blushing the moment Twilight Spark was brought into the conversation. Twilight Sparkle just looked from one to the other... was Nightmare Moon implying what she thought she was implying? The alicorn’s next words cleared her doubts. “She named this new unicorn ‘Twilight Spark’, and she has been chasing Applejack's flank for the last few days... I don’t dare to imagine what’s happened between those two, but from what I hear, they have been extremely rough on the mattresses... and the room in general.” Applejack’s cheeks were burning red as Twilight, Soarin’, Trixie and her brother turned to stare at her. Nightmare Moon nodded and sighed. “Their... exchanges have been the talk of the castle since they began, the staff has reported crashing furniture, screams and galloping inside the rooms as well as... moaning sounds of some sort.” Applejack had pulled her hat down as far as it would go and could only be heard muttering: “Ah swear nothin’ happened! Ah swear! Ah’m gonna kill Spark, ya hear!?” Nightmare Moon ignored her. “Trixie died at some point, when, I am not sure.” “It is truly a sad story,” Trixie said. “The Great and Powerful Trixie will be glad to amaze you with her perilous journey of self-discovery, romance and misfortune.” “Not now, dear.” Nightmare Moon said, patting the showmare in the head and earning a glare. “We really don’t have the time. Also, speaking in the third pony about yourself is generally not a good sign. Try and drop this distasteful habit, would you?” Trixie groaned angrily and scratched at the floor as Nightmare Moon turned her back on her. Twilight did not know whether to be amused or scared by the familiarity with which the dark alicorn was speaking to everypony in the room. “While being nothing but a ghost, Trixie somehow made it to Canterlot with Big Macintosh,” Nightmare Moon continued. “She was tricked by Midnight to go into the ĉambro, which I believe contained the details of why you ended up as a simple -but very powerful- unicorn.” “I... I’m not that powerful!” Twilight complained. “I’m only learning and...” she stopped mid sentence when the other ponies in the room groaned and, in some cases, rolled their eyes. “You’re being a might too humble, sugarcube.” Applejack said. “Remember when you levitated the Ursa Minor out of Ponyville?” “But that was...” “While you were creating music, and also levitating a water tower and milking a bunch of cows to get milk to make it go to sleep?” Trixie added. Soarin’ stared. “Not to mention that my sister told me of the stunt you pulled while you were still a very young filly. You turned your adoptive parents into plants while levitating the instructors and casting a giant growth spell on your baby dragon?” “Fine!” Twilight moaned. “Fine! I get it!” Nightmare Moon chuckled and shook her head. Her smile disappeared as she sighed. “Your adoptive father is gone now. He died shortly after fighting you and I was able to break the spell that tied him to this world... he seemed to regain his senses when that happened... he can’t be blamed too harshly for things beyond his control.” Twilight nodded and looked down sadly, eyes brimming with tears. Her father was gone. He might not be her biological parent, but he had raised her like his own for her whole infancy until she had attended school. She still loved him and her mother. She always would. Twilight looked up at her friends and at the alicorn and wondered if she would ever have time to grieve. Would she ever get the chance to sit down and think of all the happy memories she had shared with her father? Even if at the end he had been corrupted... when they had lived together he had loved her as his daughter and she had loved him as only a filly can love her father. She could only hope, that once everything was over, she would have a quiet time to herself. “I have named Rainbow Dash the captain of my Shadowbolts.” Twilight’s head snapped up in surprise. “Rarity, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie are also performing missions for me.” The alicorn said, dead serious. As hard as it was to imagine her friends working for Nightmare Moon of all ponies, Twilight knew that she was telling the truth. “Now,” the dark alicorn’s eyes turned towards the blue unicorn, who had cringed to the point of not being able to look up. “Trixie. You are going to tell us what you saw, do I make myself clear?” Trixie cringed once more, then felt somepony stand next to her. She looked up into Big Macintosh's eyes as the stallion nodded encouragingly. “Trixie... was sent to the past and witnessed how Princess Twilight's wings were enchanted away from her body, as well as most of her power, to protect her from an Assassins’ Guild.” Silent Jade's eyes went wide and she looked up to Nightmare Moon, shaking her head at the showmare’s implication. The Nightmare nodded in understanding, concentrating on the blue unicorn’s words. “The spell was more powerful than they thought. Trixie...” the magician looked at the alicorn and coughed as she corrected herself. “... I was somehow brought back to life by it, and then I was sent back here.” “The magic of the ĉambro then returned to Twilight's body, reviving her since it was made of her life essence and magic, which were trapped in there. There was enough power in this room and the ĉambro to also bring you back to life... However, since Twilight’s horn had been broken off during her battle, all she got was extra magic and her wings back.” Nightmare Moon surmised. She then turned to face Twilight. “My dear niece, I have good news and bad news. Which would you like to hear first?” Twilight shook her head. She was Celestia's filly? Her eyes teared up, she was Celestia's filly! She had been living with her real mother all those years and she had not known it! Neither of them had! She would always love her adoptive parents... but... she had felt for a long time now a deeper connection to Celestia throughout the years, and if she was honest with herself, she had seen the Princess as a mother figure for a very long time now. She forced herself back to the moment when she heard Nightmare Moon cough impatiently. “I... good news first?” “Very well.” Nightmare Moon nodded. “The good news is that your mother will be able to remember everything once we return her to normal. At this point in time she is so paranoid about memory spells and illusion magic that she’s no-doubt cast a spell to protect her from interference. We just need to break through. Once that happens, we need to get your horn back and you should be able to do take it back and be a whole alicorn again. And I have a plan for that already in motion.” Twilight nodded numbly. Why was Nightmare Moon helping her?! “And... the bad news?” “You are full of more magic than ever ever before... enough for an alicorn twice your age even, and you have no way to control, curve or contain it.” Soarin' watched nervously as Jade, Trixie and Twilight gasped in comprehension. “Uh... what does that mean, for us non-magically versed ponies?” “It means that if we don't get the horn back soon...” “I'll explode...” Twilight groaned. “But... if she needs the horn... how is she gettin' it?” Applejack asked, scratching the ground nervously. “Twilight Spark is not just goin' to just give it to her.” “Of course not.” Nightmare Moon said. “For Twilight Sparkle to live...” She narrowed her eyes and her tone became grave. “Twilight Spark has to die.” o.0.o “That's not much of a stage...” Scootaloo said, looking up at the gallows. “I don't think there's space for that many ponies... okay, maybe four or five, but what's with the ropes?” Sweetie Belle looked nervous. “This... this is not a show, is it?” she looked up at Cinnamon, who kept her eyes ahead. The mare sighed, closed her eyes and shook her head. “But... but...” the young unicorn's eyes teared up. “This is not... who would do something like this!?” Apple Bloom and Scootaloo looked at each other before standing close to their friend. “What's wrong, Sweetie Belle?” the earth pony asked. To the side, Daisy Sprout looked in confusion from them to her parents. “Mom? Dad? What's happening?” The pony guard who had led them to the front of the crowd grimaced, but stayed put. Although he technically was supposed to return to his unit, the commander had given him the Look. The Look meant that it was to his discretion to decide when to leave. Seeing these fillies slowly realizing that something was wrong... he couldn't simply leave. He'd stay, and then help the two adult unicorns guide the four fillies out of the plaza. “Mom?” Daisy Sprout insisted. “Darling... I-” Whatever the mare was about to say was interrupted by the sounds of trumpets. o.0.o The crowd gasped as the gates to the castle opened in the distance and a procession started marching down with the bright-white form of Nightmare Flare at the head. Each one of the alicorn’s steps was marked by a searing flame that left a trail of hoof marks on the stone she walked upon. Her platinum regalia looked blood-red from the light of the eclipse, contrasting sharply with the white-hot of her flaming coat. The helm and spikes gave her a terrifying air of aggressiveness, and more than one pony trembled from her sheer presence. To her right, Twilight Spark marched, a proud smile on her face, eyes shinning with magical energy. Flanking the pair were five creatures. They were a twisted mockery of equine anatomy, something straight out of nightmares... the strongest looking one, with a bright orange mane had four wings, two bat-like and two feathered pegasus wings. From it’s chin down, scales protected the neck and belly going back to the end of a very dragon-like tail with small spikes at the tip. It’s forelegs ended in sharp claws, but her back legs remained equine in nature, with almost normal but deeply black hoofs. Its shoulders and the rest of her body were still covered in bright yellow fur. The creature’s face remained like that of a pony, but closer in shape to that of Celestia, its eyes were an ember red, glowing with intensity, and the closest ponies could see that beneath its smile lay serrated teeth. The other creatures looked like living shadows of the first one. Lacking colors and almost leaving no trail behind them other than shivering ponies, the creatures stared ahead; featureless and eyeless faces scanning the crowd from time to time, as if they expected the ponies in the crowd to attack at any moment. Nightmare Flare and Twilight reached the plaza, the guards had little trouble pushing the few stragglers the shadow creatures had not scared away. The pair climbed up stairs to stand proudly in a balcony to the right of the gallows. The alicorn turned to look at the other balcony across from her own. Dark blue mist, glistening with starlight, formed a whirlpool on top of it and two ponies stepped out. In the middle, Nightmare Moon stood proudly, bowing her head in acknowledgment to her sister. Jade stood to the dark queen's right, the assassin staring dispassionately at the gallows. A sudden tremor in the air made the gathered ponies look up. The crowd gasped as three pegasi in dark uniforms split the air above them as they passed overhead. The middle one leaving a rainbow behind as the other two left trails of dark smoke that crackled with lightning. The pegasi pulled up and another one seemed to emerge out of the air and performed a spiral of lightning and smoke around the trails left behind the other three and falling in line besides the leader. The group split into two pairs, the middle ponies, consisting of the leader with the rainbow trail and the late arrival sped up while the other two banked to the side. Each started to spiral down towards the plaza, joined in their slow descent by two more pegasi. The four alighted on each side of Nightmare Moon's balcony just as the two leaders left behind descended, one to land facing the crowd at ground level, the other to land at Nightmare Moon's left, to the sound of awed ponies thoroughly impressed by the theatrics. o.0.o “That's Rainbow Dash!” Apple Bloom said, staring at the mare that now stood next to Nightmare Moon. The rainbow-maned pegasus was shooting a curious glance down at one of the pegasi on ground level. “Amazing...” Scootaloo whispered. “Did you see those moves?! All of them are pros! I would recognize those three at the center anywhere! I bet that's Soarin' in the middle, and Misty and Blast!” “But who are the other two?” Sweetie Belle asked blinking. “Is that... next to Blast... is that... Fluttershy?!” The three looked at the slightly cringing Shadowbolt standing slightly behind Blast and casting worried looks around. It was when the unidentified Shadowbolt met their gaze, and they saw her gasp that they had their answer. “Since when is she a member of the Wonderbolts?!” Scootaloo asked, awed. “Ah don't know if they are Wonderbolts right now, Scootaloo,” Apple Bloom said. “Ah thought the uniforms were different.” “They're called the ‘Shadowbolts’ now,” The guard who had remained with them said, startling them and the three unicorns that had been quietly listening in to the Crusader's conversation. “They are Nightmare Moon's elite fliers.” “But... this is so wrong!” Scootaloo finally said. “Why are Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and the Wonderbolts working for Nightmare Moon?! It doesn't make any sense!” “There are a lot of things that have gone wrong in the last couple of days.” The guard whispered gently. “I would have never thought either of them would serve the evil Nightmare Moon...” A murmur from the crowds made them pause as they turned towards Nightmare Flare, who was watching in interest as an orange mare walked slowly up the balcony to stand next to Twilight Spark, who grinned widely and nuzzled said mare, who proceeded to blush heavily. “I-is that...” Sweetie Belle stammered. “My sister?!” Apple Bloom's eyes were the size of dinner-plates as she watched her older sister nuzzle the dangerous unicorn before bowing submissively to Nightmare Flare, who smirked and nodded. “Maybe she cast a spell on them!” Apple Bloom said suddenly. “It's the only way this could be happening! My sister is no traitor!” “Yeah! Rainbow Dash would never follow Nightmare Moon!” “Neither would Fluttershy,” Sweetie Belle added firmly. “There ain’t no spell on them,” a voice said from behind them. “But, ah can tell you this; things are not what they seem.” The three unicorns and the guard watched in trepidation as the three little ponies blanched and turned around to look up at the cloaked pony that stood next to the group. They couldn’t see his face but a piece of hay stuck out of the hood bobbing up and down as if the stallion was chewing on it. “Now,” he continued. “Ah reckon ah should be asking what you three are doin' here in this plaza so far away from home, but ah also reckon ah will not like the answer either way.” “Now, see here...” Cinnamon said, stepping before the stallion. “I don't know who you think you are but I am currently in charge of these three fillies and...” The stallion looked down at her and smiled. “Ah appreciate the sentiment, ma'am, but as Apple Bloom's brother, ah reckon ah can put my two bits into the conversation.” Cinnamon blinked. “Oh.” “Now,” Big Macintosh said, looking at the group, including the guard. “This is very important. When things start happening, you, all of you, have to run away. That includes you Mr. and Mrs. Tricks and little Daisy Sprout too. Ah promised that ah would do what ah could to warn y'all, and ah see that y'all have some protection.” he looked at the guard, who nodded. “Ah can't tell you what is goin' to happen. But it will not be pretty. So y'all make sure they get out of here safe, y'hear?” The guard gulped at the look the big stallion gave him, but his eyes narrowed in determination and he nodded firmly. Big Mac smiled and gave the guard a friendly punch on the shoulder. “Thank y'all. What is your name, soldier?” “Ebon Rain, sir.” “Y'all take care of yourself too, Rain.” Big Mac said, turning around and mixing into the crowd. Soon there was no sign of him. The group stared into the crowd until Daisy Sprout blinked. “Wait... how did he know my name?!” o.0.o Nightmare Flare spoke, her voice boomed over the plaza, silencing all the ponies that were gathered there. “Ponies of Canterlot.” she started, her eyes sweeping the crowd drawing all attention towards her. “We will correct once and for all the mistakes made by certain foalish ponies by punishing those responsible. With this example, we want to make it perfectly clear where we all stand. We sisters as your rulers, and all of you, as our dear and LOYAL subjects. To this end, we have the unfortunate but necessary duty to see through the punishment of those that have mocked our status and rightful place. Those who would conspire against us.” she turned towards the castle and her horn flared. The gates opened once more and a group of ponies emerged from the Castle. Six guards in total, three on each side of a lone mint-green unicorn held by two chains attached to a metal band around her neck. The ponies in the crowd were silent as the procession made its way down towards the gallows. Apple Bloom stared in horror. “Is that... Lyra?” “Yes.” Ebon Rain nodded. “Apparently she joined a rebellion against the Queens.” “But... Lyra's not...” Scootaloo looked at the guard in confusion. “She's just a musician! What did she do wrong?” “She challenged the Queen.” the unicorn guard sighed. “Then she made fun of her. Queen Nightmare Flare does not take kindly to those that mock her.” They watched in silence as Lyra was led up the stairs by a guard until she stood in the center of the gallows. “Lyra.” Nightmare Flare's voice was smooth. “Your crimes are as follow: sedition, mocking authority, conspiracy against the Queens, and protecting wanted individuals. You know your crimes. Will you repent, now?” Lyra sighed. “Your majesties.” she said clearly, looking first at Nightmare Flare, then towards Nightmare Moon. “I have offended you and worked against you... my punishment is therefore just... I... I wish...” Nightmare Flare shot her sister a slightly smug look, before concentrating again on the unicorn. “Do tell me, dear Lyra, what is it that you wish?” “I have always wished to perform for you and for your sister... at least once.” Lyra said slowly. “If it pleases you, my Queens, I would fulfill that wish as my last act.” Again the solar alicorn turned to look at her sister, this time arching an eyebrow. From across the plaza Nightmare Moon stared at the unicorn before looking at Nightmare Flare. The black alicorn shook her head ever so slightly. Nightmare Flare smirked. “Very well. But you shall not be alone on stage.” Her horn shimmered as her magic coursed through it and a cracked and charred medallion floated next to her. The crowd stood there, confused, until two screams tore through it. A unicorn and an earth pony were pulled into the air by two similar, but complete medallions. “Ah.” Nightmare Flare grinned. “There you are.” “I recognize them...” Twilight Spark whispered to Applejack. “The Earth Pony is Golden Pot-belly, he’s a known merchant with strong ties with several ponies in the court. The other is Flying Staff, one of the teachers at the academy.” The two were levitated, struggling, onto the gallows where they were promptly bound by the guards and put to each side of Lyra, nooses tight around their necks. The mint-green unicorn didn't spare them a glance as her harp was given to her by one guard. Nightmare Flare grinned and nodded. Lyra played, one hoof holding her harp as the other strummed the strings with amazing skill, her horn flickering to aid with magic the creation of the music. Her melody was sad. It was slow and contemplative, yet... some of the undertones of it felt angry if the listener paid attention. Slowly, it enveloped the whole crowd, shushing the mutterings and whispers as the nostalgic tones touched something deep inside everypony. The melancholic music wound its way into every spectator, and Lyra's horn started to glow brighter. Few ponies caught the tears in her eyes when she closed them and gave herself to the music, letting each movement and feel of the strings bare her soul to the crows, and more importantly, the Queen. With each note her horn's light increased, and each pony surrendered to her melody. In her balcony, Nightmare Flare stood stock still, eyes wide as she was unable to tear her eyes from the playing unicorn. Slowly tears welled in her eyes until they began running freely down her face. “T-this melody... how...” Twilight Spark shook her head. There was something wrong happening, she could feel it... the magic in everypony was resonating with the music... how had Lyra... she groaned and shook her head again, focusing. “Spitfire!” she growled finally as the music faded a bit. Nightmare Flare was still paralyzed in place. “Lyra cast a spell of some sort on our Queen! Stop her!” The Captain of the Guard was immediately in the air, her flight taking her straight at the unicorn, but just as she was about plunge her claws into the unicorn, a pair of black blurs collided with her, sending all three crashing onto the plaza. The crowd panicked and backed up screaming, allowing Twilight Spark to stare in surprise at Spitfire's antagonists... “Rainbow Dash?!” she shouted. “What? Why?!” “And what am I?” Soarin' grumbled at being ignored. “Soggy hay?” Twilight Spark flinched when she heard something behind her. She shot a quick glance that revealed that Nightmare Flare's regalia had cracked in several places, her helm-like crown had even started falling apart. “I have to... oof!” she never completed her thoughts as a green-maned unicorn in black clothes rammed onto her side, sending her over the side of the balcony to land painfully on the plaza below. She looked up in confusion as Jade jumped over the balcony railing to land next to her, with the purple-winged Shadowbolt landing hesitantly next to her. The four shadows swiftly created a perimeter around Nightmare Flare, who groaned and stepped back as more of her armor slowly broke off. “N-nightmare Moon has betrayed us!” Twilight Spark shouted as she stood up, horn flashing. “Royal Escort! Do your jobs and take them down!” The four shadows jumped into the air, a pair flying towards Nightmare Moon, one rushing to help Spitfire while another rushed Jade and the pegasus. Before the shadow aiding Twilight Spark got too far, it was interrupted by two lassos that slipped neatly around its neck, stopping it short when they tightened. The twisted unicorn felt her stomach grow cold as she followed the lasso that had come from the balcony. “Applejack?” she whispered. The apple farmer looked down at her with a mixture of emotions, but she did not let go of the rope. The shadow chimera thrashed around, pulling both Applejack and Big Macintosh a few inches forward, but neither brother nor sister gave any sign of slackening their hold. Tearing her eyes away from Twilight Spark, the farm mare jumped from the balcony to land on top of the chimera, which started bucking and twisting, trying to shake off the pony on its back. Twilight Spark clenched her teeth and turned to face Jade and the unknown, purple-winged pegasus. “I don't know what inspired you to attack us, but you'll regret it!” Her horn started glowing, but before she could cast anything she was forced to jump back to avoid Jade's blade. The pegasus hovered uncertainly, and Spark thanked Nightmare Flare that it was hesitating so much. She just needed to concentrate on the assassin. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle watched the green-maned unicorn fight her double and tried to think of ways to help. She didn't know this body well... she had an instinctual grasp of flying, but... it wasn't as though she could perform any tricks, much less fight! Without her horn she was pretty much useless! Not that Jade actually needed help. It was almost awe inspiring how fluid the unicorn's motions were. Whenever Spark would charge a spell, the white unicorn would already be within striking distance, and would break the purple unicorn's concentration. Minor spells were easier to cast, but also easier to dodge. It was obvious Twilight Spark was getting frustrated, but she was taking hits that Twilight was sure she would have never been able to. What had Nightmare Flare created? Speaking of whom... Twilight looked up at the balcony to find that the right half Nightmare Flare's armor had broken off, and the fur under it looked... normal. The subtle white of Celestia's fur. Seeing that Jade and Twilight Spark were busy with each other, the purple pegasus flew up to the balcony. o.0.o “S-Spitfire?!” Rainbow Dash stammered as she finally got a good look at the chimera. “Rainbow Dash...” the creature chuckled. “Didn’t I tell you you didn’t need to be so rough with me” she licked her lips with a pronged tongue, making the rainbow-maned pegasus shiver. The Chimera turned to look at the other pegasus. “And Soarin'... my, that Shadowbolt uniform suits you well.” “What happened to you?” the male pegasus asked. “We heard that Nightmare Flare cast a spell on you but-” “The Queen showed me where my loyalty should lie and gave me power to back it up.” the former pegasus grinned. “I will take care of Lyra and then we three can talk.” “No can do.” Rainbow Dash said, stepping in front of the gallows. “If you want Lyra, you have to go through me first!” “And me.” Soarin' added, stepping next to Rainbow Dash. “This is not good, Spitfire. This is not you, look at what happened! You're not even a pony now!” Spitfire's eyes narrowed. “The Queen warned me that there would be traitors even amongst my loved ones...” she grimaced showing rows of pointy teeth. “I will perform my duties!” With an angry, draconic roar that no equine could possibly produce, the chimera launched herself into the air, pursued immediately by the two Shadowbolts. o.0.o “Stay back, Fluttershy!” Misty shouted as she and Blast jumped into the air to engage the chimera flying their way. “We'll handle this one!” Fluttershy nodded, but her eyes went back to the three... no four fillies that were huddled under two adult unicorns and a unicorn guard, who had cast a shield over them as he looked around. She looked back towards the other Shadowbolts as they each tackled the chimera from different angles. Above, on the balcony, Nightmare Moon jumped into the air, clashing with her own attacker, leaving her alone while everypony fought. Gathering her courage, she galloped to the unicorn group. “Fluttershy!” Sweetie Belle looked at the pegasus with horror. “What's happening?” “Oh my...” the cream-colored pegasus shook her head. “You shouldn’t be here... none of you. It's very dangerous!” Nearby, a pony scrambled to get out of the way before a shadow chimera crashed down onto him, the beast thrashing about and injuring several other ponies with its flailing limbs as it tried to right itself. It started to get up, only to be violently pushed back onto a building by the combined strength of Blast and Misty as they landed with all the momentum they had accumulated on the shadow creature. “You think?!” the guard growled as the fillies and two parents stared in horror at the mangled corpse next to them. “We need to get out of here! But there's no place safe to run with all the ponies around!” Fluttershy looked around wildly. “There! Under the balcony! It should provide some protection!” The guard nodded, following the crusaders. He stopped when he noticed the Shadowbolt was not following them. “What about you?” Fluttershy looked at the battle raging around them, then at the ponies moaning in pain at her hoofs. “I'm staying here... somepony needs to start helping the injured.” Ebon Rain was speechless. He and the rest of the guards had simply believed that the group of fillies had turned evil along with the Princesses and Sparkle, but this was clearly not the case. Fluttershy was clearly scared, but willing to help, and if the Shadowbolts were trying to help... he looked up at Nightmare Moon. Maybe not all was lost. “Fluttershy!” he called as she stepped forward. When she looked at him he smiled. “You're a captain! Order the other soldiers to help you! They're just standing there doing nothing!” he turned around and ushered his charges as the pegasus galloped towards the other guards. All they needed was somepony with authority, and Fluttershy was that pony. o.0.o While its brethren fought their enemies, the last of the shadow chimeras circled above. It followed the different fights in its corrupted mind, trying to decide who to attack. The ponies running in the plaza were not a target... it was then that it sensed the music. As Lyra's melody unfolded, the music and magic sought Nightmare Flare as moths seek out a flame. The Sun Queen let out a pained gasp of horror as pieces of her armor cracked and flaked off, powerful spasms shaking her body as the spell continued to fulfil its objective. Flying up and doing a barrel turn, the chimera shot down towards the gallows. o.0.o Trixie watched anxiously as Applejack and Big Macintosh took turns bucking the shadow chimera, each attacking when it was distracted by the other, keeping it from retaliating with their ropes. Her instructions were to remain hidden and help whichever group needed her the most. So far things seemed to be working for them, but how long was that going to last? Trixie’s attention was split, between the Shadowbolts, the Apples, Jade, Twilight's unexpected flight towards Nightmare Flare, and the safety of her family and those with them. A guard had guided them under the balcony where Nightmare Moon had originally stood. The black alicorn had taken flight and was easily tossing the chimera that attacked her around like a rag-doll, keeping her eyes on Flare and Twilight. A shout drew her attention up towards the Shadowbolts. The Shadow chimera had batted one out of the way with its wings, and taken advantage of the other’s distraction to slam its hoofs with incredible force on the pegasus’ side. The red and yellow-maned shadowbolt flew through the air almost too fast to follow and crashed through one of the columns holding Nightmare Moon's balcony steady, smashing into the guard watching over her family. The unicorn had been preoccupied with them and had been concentrating his magic to divert fleeing ponies and potential threats, he had no chance to dodge or brace himself. Both ponies slammed against the brick wall of the building. The wooden structure groaned and half of it fell, several planks burying her parents and making the four fillies scream as the rest of it tilted down. Without any of the adult unicorns they would be crushed to death! Immediately Trixie's horn shone with magic, levitating the structure just as it was about to crush all of them. She grunted under the effort, but was confident that she could hold it in place long enough for- The crash almost made her lose her concentration, the balcony falling freely a few inches before she caught it again. She turned to look at the chimera that had descended onto the gallows and had smashed the levers keeping the trapdoors under Lyra and the other two ponies closed. Neighing in a way that almost sounded like laughter, the shadow then pushed off to attack Nightmare Moon. Her horn flashed a second time and she managed to catch all three in her levitation spell. Amazingly Lyra still played, her eyes focused on Nightmare Flare. Trixie strained. She couldn't hold all of it! Slowly, and guiltily, she felt her control slip as she pushed energy into those that she cared for. The magic surrounding Golden Pot-belly failed and she could hear his neck snap from the fall and sudden jolt. The unicorn struggled harder, panicking and making the showmare’s job even more difficult. Sweat ran down her forehead as she tried to intensify her control, but eventually the unicorn followed the fate of the earth pony. His neck didn't quite break immediately, and she watched in horror, unable to help, as he gasped for air, kicking and jerking until finally, with a shudder his body stopped moving. Only Lyra was left. Her music drifted in the wind, soothing, melancholic, sad... the mint-green unicorn turned to look at Trixie, who fell to one knee. “Lyra!” Trixie called, grunting with the effort. “Stop playing! Save yourself!” Lyra smiled softly and shook her head. “Let me go, Trixie... with the last of my magic I will complete the spell.” “But... you'll die!” The musician chuckled. “I'm already dead, Trixie,” she said softly, eyes half lidded as a single tear slipped down her cheek. “Please... save those fillies. Forget about me. You can't keep up the levitation for both of us.” Trixie's eyes teared up. She didn't want to fail. She didn’t want to see her new friends die. She had only known Lyra for a few hours while they plotted with Midnight, but Trixie had felt close to everypony in that group. Slowly her control went away. She could feel both Lyra and the balcony tremble. “Lyra...” The musician unicorn closed her eyes. The magic gave one last desperate pull, then faded. And suddenly she was falling. The harp hit the floor, shattering into three pieces, magic flashing out. On the balcony, Nightmare Flare collapsed with a cry of pain, an extremely worried Twilight Sparkle shouting for the Princess under the Nightmare. o.0.o “Hey, where are we going?” Bon-Bon asked Lyra, looking down at the dress her fillyfriend had asked her to wear. “It's an amazing place! There's nothing like it in Ponyville.” the unicorn replied, a smile brightening her face. “You'll love it!” Bon-Bon nodded as they walked. “So... about this ‘place’... what are we doing there? Having dinner? Meeting friends?” Lyra chuckled and kissed the earth pony on the cheek, earning a goofy grin. “Silly. This is just you and me tonight. So no, none of those.” “But then... what are we doing?” Bon-Bon asked as they turned a corner. She stared at the building. “Oh...” “That's right!” Lyra said, grabbing her hoof. “We're dancing!” o.0.o End Chapter 18 o.0.o f you want to hear an angrier version of the melody Lyra plays, check out THIS LINK at minute 2:16

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2011-10-04T14:45:20+00:00

2015-03-29T06:00:20+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 19 By Wanderer D Nightmare Moon watched as the procession made its way down from the castle, waiting until her sister had assumed her seat before signaling Rainbow Dash and the others that it was time to begin. Allowing her sister, despite the sun goddess' claim of equality between the sisters, to be seated first gave the impression of deference and slight submission. However, the impressive display of aerobatics from the Shadowbolts would make it look like she was being her usual overly theatrical self. Both actions would be appreciated by the older sister, showing Nightmare Moon to be one with respect for her elder, while not being to shy as to not grab all the attention she could. In short, a give and take which her sister would find amusing and slightly comforting. As long as Nightmare Moon fit into Flare's expectations, she would be less suspicious. The black alicorn forced herself to be impassive as the Solar Nightmare spoke to the crowds and then called for Lyra to be brought to the gallows. The black alicorn had had little knowledge of the musician besides what she had glimpsed from their brief encounter, and some would call the Nightmare a foal for entrusting somepony so easily with a task of such importance. But within Lyra's eyes she had seen an honest mare with more than enough willpower to pull it off -even if the unicorn was easily distracted by her belief in the way things ought to be. Giving her the means to stop Nightmare Flare and further Nightmare Moon's plans was risky to say the least, but she had faith in the unicorn. There was a chance Lyra didn’t have the magical fortitude to pull off the spell, as it involved tremendous emotional stress, and if the little unicorn failed... well, even then she had a back-up plan. For now, she had her own part to play. Hopefully the musician had mastered the melody thoroughly, or there would be no stopping Flare from hanging the unicorn. When Lyra asked for permission to play for the Queens, the black alicorn advised caution with a short shake of her head, earning a smile from her overconfident sister. The black alicorn wasn't surprised by her sister's confidence. She was, however, when Flare made the task easier as she dragged forward two members of the council of Nightmares from the crowd to be hanged alongside Lyra. Nightmare Moon hid a smile. Celly had always been one for shifting the playing field to her advantage. When Lyra started playing, the black alicorn immediately knew that her faith in the musician had been rewarded. Already from the first few notes she could see Nightmare Flare reacting. It wasn’t long before Twilight Spark noticed something was wrong and ordered their bodyguards to attack. Moon frowned as everypony exploded into action around her; Rainbow Dash and Soarin’ rushing to meet Spitfire, Jade and Twilight Sparkle heading straight for Twilight Spark; Misty and Blast clashing almost immediately with one of the shadow creatures in the air, while Applejack and Big Macintosh intercepted another. Lyra's melody was as strong as she had hoped it would be -the alicorn spared a moment to look down at the mint-green unicorn. She could feel so much pain, so much anguish coming from her... The Nightmare felt a sudden pang of regret from what she was putting the musician through... But the plan was working, and that’s what really mattered. On the other balcony, Nightmare Moon could see Flare paralyzed by a melody the Sun Queen hadn't heard for more than a thousand years. The music pried open her mind's eye, revealing to her memories of happier times even as the spell woven into the notes created a crack in Nightmare Flare's defenses. The music would have to continue as long as possible for it to complete its task. But her own task beckoned. Taking flight so she could see her objective more clearly, Nightmare Moon extended her magical senses to encompass herself and her sister. She knew her task would not be easy. She began weaving magic around her sister's aura first, probing and enveloping it with her own in a way that she would have never tried under other circumstances; it was an incredibly intimate and possibly uncomfortable thing to do to a magic user. Nightmare Moon watched carefully as Nightmare Flare remained static, eyes filling with recognition as memories began to surface. Soon sister, you will be free. What will you think then? How will you deal with what I had to after returning from being a Nightmare the very first time? The black alicorn’s eyes darkened at the sight of her sister trembling. The worst is yet to come, Celly. You will have to face your decisions. You will have to deal with the responsibility of having let the Nightmare loose... just like I do, every day and every night. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed one of the shadow monsters flying her way. Nightmare Moon gritted her teeth angrily. Under normal circumstances she could take care of the creature easily, but this task required the utmost care and attention. Without taking her eyes off of Nightmare Flare, she telekinetically grabbed a hold of the shadow chimera and held it writhing in place. It would not do for her to lose her concentration over so trivial a creature. o.0.o Nightmare Flare grinned. Lyra hadn't even batted an eye when she had ordered two more ponies to the noose. She nodded at the musician, and with the briefest of acknowledgments, the unicorn started strumming her lyre. The melody started slow, almost hesitant... but as the notes reached her, it awakened something deep in Nightmare Flare's heart... nostalgia. “T-this melody... how...” she stammered. Stop! Stop it! She thought furiously, feeling her defenses fall as the melody continued. The unicorn did not stop playing and the white alicorn felt her body sway slightly to the music. This is... the 'Requiem of the North'... how did she... realization struck her. Nightmare Moon... it had to be her... she betrayed me! Despite her best efforts, the Solar Nightmare felt herself being pulled into her memories... Celestia stood by herself in the room that once had belonged to her daughter. Despite the presence of a crib, books, a small table and toys, the room felt completely empty. The lack of life in it making the absence of her loved ones all the more pronounced as she stared at the horn on the floor. Twilight's horn was slightly burnt at the tip, the bottom part cracked and splintered. “Oh, Twilight...” she sighed. “In the search for my first child... I got my second daughter killed.” she said, looking tenderly at the horn. “I never told you, Twilight, how much you meant to me... how much of myself, and especially Luna I saw in you. You were such a beautiful filly, in mind and body... so innocent, but still so brave!” She had raised the purple unicorn as her own from the moment she had taken her in as a personal protégé. Twilight's education in the arcane arts was but one of the many skills and knowledge that the Princess had imparted on her. She had taught the unicorn how to behave in court, how to approach nobles and common citizens alike. Under the alicorn's watchful eyes, the studious Twilight had grown into a fine mare. True, the purple unicorn had been a bit withdrawn, but she had finally made friends. It had been Twilight, with just a bit of encouragement, who had gathered the Bearers of the Elements and brought back her sister, Luna. “I owe you so much, my Twilight...” the Princess whispered. “And now you are gone... and I have to accept that... I will find the ponies behind this... and they will pay.” She stared at the empty room for a moment before sighing in resignation. “But that will not bring you back. At least I know death is kind... even if he is a bit odd.” she chuckled. “But how can I go on right now, my faithful student, when you will not be at my side again? When your reports will not come to me and break the monotony of the court? When the actual joy of you being alive and part of my life... is gone?” Celestia lowered her head to her hoofs. “And yet, I must. For if not I, who? I only have this night to mourn you, and then, when the time for the sun to rise comes, I will have no choice but to return to my duty and raise it from its slumber. I cannot show this to anyone; I cannot be open, or honest or fragile... even dear Luna needs to see me be strong for her sake... I fear I have become spoiled my student... for within the last two decades not only did I get my dear sister back... I had you.” “And you can have her again...” a voice whispered almost in her ear, making it twitch. “Who’s there?!” Celestia asked, she quicly stood up and glared around the room, searching for the origin of the voice. “Don't you mean... how?” the voice whispered back. Celestia clenched her mouth shut as she looked carefully around again. There was no way anypony could have crossed her field... so who... “Not 'who'” the voice whispered again. “How. How can I get her back? How can I get my daughter back?” “Show yourself,” Celestia growled. “Turn around... yes... you can see me there...” the voice directed as she looked at one of the walls. There seemed to be somepony there... she approached carefully until she stood, staring. “That's not you.” “Yes... it is.” the voice said again. And she saw the pony in front of her mouth the words, just as she had mouthed the words she had said earlier. “You are not me.” Celestia insisted, staring hard at the mirror. “You are drifting from what really matters but if you must know...” her image replied. “I am your inner voice, I am the power within yourself able to bring Twilight Sparkle back to life.” “That can't be done.” Celestia replied angrily. “If you were me you would know!” “I am... and that's how I know it to be possible.” The Princess shook her head... the voice was seductive... Could it be as her mirror image had suggested? If there was a chance to bring Twilight back... “There is!” The voice insisted, her thoughts betraying her. “You know it... just as well as you know your love for that filly... it is not right for her life to be cut so short... not when she was just trying to help you! We know, don't we... that it was unfair... that it was uncalled for.” the broken horn, not even half the size of Celestia's own floated in front of the mirror now, spinning lazily, held by an unseen force. “Y-yes...” Celestia admitted. “She was so young...” she felt tears and was about to fight them but... “There is no need to hide your tears from yourself,” her mirror image said, her voice heavy with kindness. “Who is there to impress? Who is there to see you be a tiny bit sad... fragile? You are alone... not even our dear daughter is here to see us... our sister has to hold the fort for now until we bring Twilight Sparkle back... she is strong; she can handle it...” “But...” “Twilight Sparkle needs us... she needs us to do what needs to be done... she needs us to use our magic and power to bring her back... for her... we should do it for her...” “But how?” Celestia finally asked. “How can I bring her back?” “Find me.” “What?” the alicorn blinked. “Where can I find you?” “I am within you... I am... a spark... within you... you have never needed me before, because you have not loved so much before.” “Within me?” Celestia closed her eyes and turned her attentions inward. She searched deep. Going deeper than she had ever gone before. Everything was light, like being under direct sunlight. “I can't find you!” “I am here...” the voice whispered “You already know me... Look beyond.” The alicorn’s gaze returned to the horn as her thoughts raced in her mind. Was Twilight’s life worth it? Yes, she had decided, there was no doubt about that. Every thought of her deceased pupil brought pain to her heart. She might not have brought her into this world, but Celestia and Twilight were as close as any family... what type of pony would she have to be to let the little unicorn come to harm? Nothing since losing Luna had made her feel so powerless and trapped by rules set down by herself. She had let so many others die, she had selflessly fought to keep a balance in the world, to keep Equestria safe at an incredible personal cost. Each death of a loved one chipped away at her soul and sapped her determination over thousands of years of meeting and allowing ponies into her life. Her subjects expected her to be above such little things as feelings. She was immortal and wise and powerful after all, surely she would get over it. True, she was immortal, and it was true that the average life-span of a pony went so quickly... but she lived with them, every day and night... Her subjects... her friends, lovers, students, colleagues... they all left their mark and she enjoyed every second of their lives and grieved for each death. And out of all of them, a single and most studious unicorn shone like a beacon of happiness in her life; a unicorn she had feared she would lose eventually... but not without a fight. It could be called selfishness, but she didn’t care. Celestia looked. And she looked. And she searched... until she got to the edge of the light, where the shadows at the absolute edge of her subconscious were. She stopped. She should be careful, it was easy to forget she was not- “Princess!” a voice she easily recognized called from within. “Twilight?!” “Princess! I'm scared! I can't see anything! There's... something pulling me away!” “Don't worry, Twilight! I'll...” “Princess...” Twilight's voice seemed to fade into the distance. “TWILIGHT!” Celestia shouted, plunging into the darkness. “Where are you?!” “She's almost gone!” her mirror-voice shouted. “Release your inner power!” And Celestia felt it... a shell of some sort, floating in the darkness. Her horn started to glow as she charged towards it. “Twilight! I'm coming!” She knew this was a bad idea but... she would kill to protect Twilight. She admitted to herself. She never wanted to live through the death somepony she loved so much. She would betray herself and cause untold levels of destruction only if it would bring her beloved student back. She would hurt whoever stepped in her way and Twilight’s return. Because she was tired of losing those she loved so much. Because she was tired of being selfless to the point losing herself. Her horn struck the shell. It didn't budge, her own mind and subconscious fighting against her. There were very few things she would not do for Twilight Sparkle. She would make things right... she would get back both her daughters... The alicorn reared back and struck the shell again. This time it cracked and magic and power poured out in a torrent that threw her out of her mindscape and into reality. Princess Celestia snapped out of her meditation and glared at the horn. “How dare anypony hurt Twilight?! What type of monster would murder such a sweet unicorn? They should be punished...” Something inside her stirred, her body shook with adrenaline and energy. Slowly, tendrils of power began to wrap around her, solidifying into armor. Something inside her pulsed with energy and Celestia gasped with the thrill of magic unlike anything she had ever felt before... “I am ready to come out to the world... to teach my enemies to never threaten my loved ones...” She shook her head. Twilight came first. The severed horn was enveloped in energy. It levitated until it floated at eye-level. “Twilight...” Celestia whispered as her magic turned the horn around and used it to carve a deep gash into the alicorn's shoulder, allowing blood to flow and cover it. The magic coursing through her body immediately healed it, not even allowing her to register pain. The blood-covered horn lit up, the residual magic inside of it giving off sparks of light in tandem with Celestia's heartbeat. The Princess concentrated. She needed all her precious memories of Twilight. She remembered the unicorn's early childhood, where she would be pushy and unintentionally rough when she wanted something, especially any of the books she loved. She remembered the little filly playing with Spike, tossing pillows around and chasing him in her room until the whole place was wrecked. She remembered the lessons in magic she had taught Twilight... her darker inner-self conjuring the lectures on combat magic to the forefront. Celestia tried to put it into perspective... she had warned Twilight to be very selective on using them... “But not anymore. I won't lose her again.” As she succumbed to her darker self, Celestia found herself struggling to bring positive memories to the fore of her mind. Slowly the ghostly silhouette of a unicorn formed from the severed horn. “Her new body needs to be stronger... able to withstand attacks that would leave any other pony crippled.” The alicorn groaned, fighting to make sense of what she should do and what her inner self was saying. The mane formed, falling around the horn in Twilight’s usual mane-style... “Her horn should be longer, deadlier. She should be able to skewer an enemy.” While reinforcing the muscles, the Nightmare grinned. “Twilight will never lose again. She will never leave me.” Celestia continued watching in silence as the process continued... The coat became visible, darker than she remembered. She frowned. “Am, I doing something wrong?” “No.” She told herself. “It is not wrong... she's darker, yes, but that will give enemies pause... she is taller and stronger... much more powerful than before.” The cutie-mark slowly came into view on her flank, the straight lines of the stars twisted almost to look like wavy blades. “That's not right...” Celestia said, confusion showing in her now dragon-like eyes. “It looks strange...” “Her magic is stronger.” she reasoned. “It's natural for a cutie-mark to change a bit to reflect that.” When she opened her eyes, lavender and red irises regarded Nightmare Flare as the alicorn’s regalia molded around her new form. Celestia smiled at the sight of a breathing, living Twilight. “Welcome back, my daughter.” the Nightmare said as the last vestiges of the old Celestia faded into her subconscious. The newly-resurrected unicorn nuzzled the alicorn. “It's good to be back, mother.” She snapped back to the present, thankful for the short reprieve from her memories. The music continued unrelenting, however, still holding her enthralled. The melody, a requiem from thousands of years ago, was being played along with one of the most potent memory spells in history. With enough time it would destroy any shield, any mental protection at the whim of the unicorn player. She had thought it lost to time. But now she was under siege from it. Unable to stop listening, she felt her mental defenses buckling under the power of the melody. Each note drove into her mind like a red-hot spike. Through the haze of pain, vague images and sounds forced their way through... a wave of foreign memories that somehow felt like her own. “Is this necessary?” A tiny filly alicorn cuddled up in bed next to her. She felt tired, so tired... but proud. And strong. Scenes flashed by until she was looking at a mage... she knew this unicorn. Eldritch... he had disappeared twenty years ago without explanation. “I have devised a rune matrix that, once started, will conclude the whole spell, finishing by teleporting all of you back to your rooms...” he was saying. Another flash, red-hot pain in her mind. Whistling winds, cracking thunder, an unknown unicorn suddenly appearing in the runic room. Midnight and Star Dancer bowed before her. “Do we have to forget?” Filly Twilight blinking in the light, muttering her first word. “Please take care of my daughter...” Her first word had been... It had been... Mommy. A battle raged around her, but the nightmare could see only the memories as they relentlessly buffeted her mind. And as the last note of Lyra's melody pierced her psyche, destroying all remnants of her defenses, the memories tearing into her very soul, Celestia was ripped free from her slumber and Nightmare Flare collapsed, her last conscious thought on how unlikely it was that she heard Twilight's voice......calling for Celetsia. o.0.o After Ebon Rain, the Cutie Mark Crusaders and the three unicorns with them made it to the relative protection under of the balcony, Fluttershy realized she didn't know where to look, or where to go. The moment she had turned around to look at the crowd, she had been overwhelmed by the sheer amount of ponies around her. Surprisingly, although a few groups had started running about in a panic, most of the ponies stood nervously in place. Even after one of the shadow chimeras had crashed to the plaza ground, killing a pony and injuring many others, the majority remained in place, watching in confusion and fear as if they could not believe what was happening right in front of them. The pegasus stepped gingerly into the area where the fight had been brought to ground level. There were dozens of wounded all around her... and where the shadow creature had landed on top of a pony... her whole body shook, her first instinct was to run, but the pegasus was rooted to the spot... Fluttershy could do nothing but stare. She had never seen something like this, or even imagined it could happen! She was used to treating small wounds on animals... not... not the carnage in front of her! Fluttershy started to hyperventilate. She had no experience in- the sound of splintering wood brought her back to reality. The pegasus then heard Lyra's melody over the chaos of screaming ponies and everything looking bleak... if the mint-colored unicorn could continue her fight with a noose around her neck and being in the center of all the chaos, Fluttershy could do no less. The pink-maned pegasus muttered a quick prayer to Princess Celestia, which she stopped with a fearful glance at Nightmare Flare, and instead decided to go with a quieter one to Nightmare Moon. She quickly galloped towards the perimeter of guards. “E-excuse me, sir...” Fluttershy asked one of the guards urgently. “We... we h-have to... organize a-and help evacuate and... take care of... the injured... if you want... that is...” The guards either couldn't hear her or pretended she wasn't there. Fluttershy bit her lower lip. There was another crack, and she looked up in horror as the balcony almost collapsed on top of the Crusaders and another filly! Where was the guard? And the filly's parents? A soft blue glow enveloped the balcony. Letting out the breath she had been holding, Fluttershy turned her eyes towards the crowd, where a light blue unicorn poured her magic out. The cream-colored pegasus’ eyes widened as she recognized the unicorn. She looked back to the Crusaders and suddenly it clicked in her mind that the little filly standing with the three friends was wearing Trixie's cape. She looked back at the showmare. Trixie had a sister? The sheer scale of what was happening threatened to make her faint. Whole families were here under Nightmare Flare's orders. Fillies even younger than the Crusaders, older brothers, sisters, parents... all of them scared and unable to act as monsters fought all around them. Her train of thought was derailed when a chimera suddenly landed on the gallows platform with a screeching neigh that sent shivers down the pegasus' back. Its claws smashing the mechanism that kept the trapdoors under the ponies closed, causing them to open with a snap before launching itself into the air. She closed her eyes, not wanting to see... but when Lyra's music continued playing, they snapped open and she stared at the sight of Trixie levitating both the balcony and the ponies. Fluttershy sighed in relief. Confident that Trixie had everything under control, she took a deep breath. A cry from the showmare made her open her eyes in horror, just in time to see the showmare’s control slip and one of the ponies fall, breaking its neck with an audible snap at the jerk of the noose. “Somepony... please...” the shy pegasus looked around, tears welling up. “Please help her! She can't do it alone!” But her voice went ignored amidst the screams. The chaos escalated as ponies previously paralized by fear realized what was happening, as if the sound of the neck breaking had been a bucket-full of cold water dumped on them. But instead of helping, Canterlot's citizens simply ran away, knocking each other down as they scampered for a way out, only to find all the streets so packed by other ponies that they were unable to get out. The pegasi civilians had already fled, except for the few that were rooted to the spot, whether out of curiosity or panic she couldn't know, but they were not helping either. Several ponies had been trampled, here and there moans came from the few fallen ponies that still moved. She turned to look at the guards again, this time however she was getting angry. “WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?!” she snapped at a unicorn guard, staring at him in the eye. She shifted so she could see the other guards, who now were all looking at her, slightly intimidated. The unicorn and earth pony guards gave her wide-eyed stares. “W-we were ordered to not interfere whatever happened!” one of them stammered. The yellow pegasus flinched as she heard another rope snap in the air and Trixie's cry behind her. The second pony had died at the gallows, and Trixie... poor Trixie was doing her best to hold her concentration. She could see her talking to Lyra... there was a desperate glint to the showmare’s eyes. Fluttershy stared incredulously from one to the next. “B-but... who would give such an order?!” As if finally recognizing the fact that she was a Shadowbolt Captain, the guards were quick to answer. “We're under orders of Nightmare Flare herself!” one replied. A shiver ran down Fluttershy's back... she turned to look at Trixie as the unicorn fell to her knees due to the stress. And then... “Lyra!” Fluttershy gasped as the aura that held Lyra flickered and died away. She watched as the unicorn dropped, the rope growing taut around her neck. The sickening crack made her shudder as the unicorn’s hooves shook and bobbed above the ground for a moment. And then... she simply hung there, very still... very quiet. The tears still warm on her face as her body swayed in front of the crowd of motionless ponies. “Lyra! No!” a new voice shouted, Fluttershy opened her eyes to see three unicorns running against the crowd towards the gallows. Lyra's family. It was impossible to not recognize the resemblance. The cream-colored pegasus never knew the musician had a younger brother. Something inside her snapped. She turned towards the guards, her eyes blazing with barely restrained fury. “Who do you think you are?!” she growled at one unicorn guard, who stepped back from her. “You dare call yourselves ‘guards’ while you stand here doing nothing?!” She looked at the others. “Do you think that following the orders of Nightmare Flare is the same as orders from Celestia?!” “You will act now! You will help clear the rubble and get those fillies from under the balcony before Trixie's levitation spell fails! And you will do it now!” She shouted. The guards in front of her immediately ran to the balcony, but those that hadn't received the stare hesitated. “What are you waiting for!? I gave you an order!” Fluttershy roared, her face contorted in anger. “I don’t care who ordered you to do what before! Your duty is to Equestria!” The guards nodded, all terrified right down to the last pony. “You four!” she pointed. “Tell the others, we need to clear the plaza now! There's too many ponies here that will get injured!” She turned to another group. “You go help those wounded ponies! And the rest of you, find doctors, nurses, anypony willing and able to help!” “YES, MA'AM!” came the resounding reply. o.0.o The fillies looked in horror at the planks that had fallen on top of Daisy Sprout's parents. “M-mom! Dad!” Trixie’s sister cried, trying to move the planks. “Are you okay?” She couldn't lose them! Not now! Not after losing her sister! She sobbed as she tried to push the planks away. Suddenly there were other small hoofs helping her. The three Crusader joined her desperate efforts to find the buried ponies. “Don't worry, Daisy Sprout...” Scootaloo said as the first plank hit the floor. “You're not alone. We'll get them out in ten seconds flat.” Apple Bloom looked up at the balcony, a little nervous. “I wonder what’s keeping it up? That thing looks really heavy!” Sweetie Belle's eyes roamed the plaza until they settled on a cloaked unicorn. She was on her knees, crying, but her horn shone the same bright blue as the magical aura that surrounded the balcony. She couldn't see why the unicorn was crying, but she knew enough about magic to know that if the unicorn got too distracted, she would lose control of her spell and the balcony would crush them all. “Help!” she shouted. “Miss! You have to concentrate!” drawing the attention of the other three fillies. The balcony groaned, as the the mare turned to look at them. Daisy Sprout stared, her heart beating hard in her chest, her eyes watering even more. “I... TRIXIE!” she wailed “Trixie! Sis! Mom and Dad are hurt! Please!” The mare's eyes opened wide as she looked their way and noticed what was happening. Slowly standing up, her horn flaring, Trixie concentrated on the balcony. The structure groaned as the magic tore at the balcony. The fillies looked up nervously as gravel from the wall it had been attached to rained around them. Another pull and a crack as the wooden stairs leading up to the balcony splintered and broke. The fillies crouched low as the balcony was suddenly ripped from the wall. Trixie shouted as she threw the remains of the structure into the air, catching one of the chimeras attacking Nightmare Moon with it. The shadow creature did not even know what hit it as Trixie’s magic slammed the balcony with tremendous force into the fountain, completely destroying the statue of Celestia that used to sit there. The broken pipes began to spew water into the air, high above the buildings, and the wind spread it, creating a misty haze. The chimera did not rise again. “Daisy Sprout!” Trixie shouted, running towards them just as a group of guards arrived and fervently started digging their parents out. “T-Trixie...” Daisy Sprout stammered, not believing her eyes. “Y-you... you're alive...” tears started flowing freely as the showmare slid into a stop just in front of her. Trixie was breathing heavily, tears drying in her face as she took stock of her little sister. “I... are you okay? Did anything fall on you? I'm sorry I wasn't able to get rid of it quicker... I-I tried to help...” her lips trembled. “I couldn't save...” She was stopped from talking when Daisy Sprout launched herself and tackled the older unicorn in a hug. “Trixie!” she cried, sobbing as her older sister stopped stammering and, with a gentle smile, closed her eyes and hugged her sister back. “They're okay!” a guard said, helping Cinnamon and her husband up. Cinnamon immediately looked for her daughter, and found her crying and hugging an unknown pony. “Daisy!” The little filly gasped and turned around, the amount of tears doubling as she stared. “Mom! Dad! You're okay!” she let go of Trixie and ran to hug them too. Both unicorns smiled and wrapped their daughter in a hug. “Aww...” both Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom sighed at the scene while Scootaloo hid a smile. Trixie slowly stood up, drawing the attention of the two adults. Cinnamon choked, looking at her in confusion as her dad slowly disentangled himself from the hug and walked up to her. “Trixie?” The magician scratched the floor with her hoof. “Dad... I...” She never finished talking as she suddenly found herself being held close by her father. Soon, Cinnamon and Daisy Sprout were hugging her as well. “We thought you were dead!” he whispered, nuzzling his daughter. “We heard bad news and...” Their reunion was cut by a cough from one of the guards. “Excuse me... you’re Doctor Golden Cross, correct?” When Trixie’s dad nodded, the guard sighed. “Sir, under orders from a Shadowbolt captain, all doctors and nurses in the area are to help those in need.” Golden Cross blinked. “O-of course! What was I thinking?” he turned back to his family. “We have a lot to talk about, but...” Trixie smiled, putting a hoof on his mouth. “...but we have duties to perform.” she finished for him. “We all do; go help them, dad.” As she turned to trot towards the battle, Daisy Sprout jumped forward. “Trixie! Wait!” The showmare looked down at her sister. “What is it, Daisy Sprout?” “You’ll need this!” the little unicorn said, using her mouth to undo the clasp on the cape. Trixie levitated it and threw off her cloak. The cape was a bit torn from the Guardian’s attack, but it was otherwise unharmed. “Thanks,” she smiled as the cape attached around her neck. The blue unicorn smiled for a second. Then she looked towards the gallows and her smile dropped. “I have to go... be careful...” she looked at all of them over her shoulder. “But fear not, The Great and Powerful Trixie is here!” With that, she shot off towards the fray. “Wow.” Scootaloo said after a second. “Your sister is awesome!” “I know!” Daisy Sprout smiled. o.0.o Lyra's melody ended abruptly, and it was all Nightmare Moon could do to slam more force into her spell, keeping the memories flowing and hoping that it had been enough to snap her sister back from the Nightmare. She had located what she was looking for, and now she had to find all the little traces that connected her and her sister to the Guardian. She still needed more time! Nightmare Moon glanced down at the gallows and her magic almost failed her when she saw Lyra. Struggling to keep her emotions in check, she returned to her work, knowing that she had one more death to add to her long list of failures. At least Lyra's spell completed its purpose. She thought guiltily. Nightmare Flare has passed out, she has no way to stop the memories from reaching her. I'm sorry Lyra... It was then that the other shadow chimera attacked. She had less than a second to move, and she banked to the side, then flew up and back, keeping her slim hold of the Guardian's tendrils in check. “Where's everypony?!” she growled as she allowed her mind to scan for her allies. There was too much going on and everypony was doing their job... sadly that wasn't enough. Using her telekinetic hold on the first shadow chimera, she proceeded to use it to bat the second one away whenever it came too close. It would have almost been amusing if it were not keeping her from finding the last tendril! Her anger rose as the chimeras struggled to get to her. As if you two could ever do something to me. She glared in their direction for a second before snapping her attention back to Nightmare Flare. I can't let them distract me! I'm almost done! It was then that she felt a tremendous pulse of magic and suddenly her balcony sailed in front of her and took down one of the chimeras. Her mouth slid open and her eyes widened. “What the hay...” she shook her head and felt the magic start to slip through her control. Nightmare Moon immediately tightened her grip on the tendrils. That distraction had almost cost her everything. Her eyes narrowed. Just a few more... o.0.o Rainbow Dash was batted away by Spitfire. The cyan pegasus tumbled through the air, trying to regain her senses. The chimera was strong... really strong. Soarin' took advantage of his former teammate's distraction and dove down, slamming his fore hooves with as much strength as he could muster into the middle of the dragon-pony abomination's back, eliciting a pained growl. Her draconic tail snaked up faster than lightning, cutting painfully into his arm. Soarin’ gulped. He had almost been completely impaled by Spitfire. The pegasus bit back a scream, instead opting to fly back and get some breathing room between the chimera and himself as Spitfire turned to glare in his direction. “Well Soarin’, it seems all those apple pies finally caught up to you, they're slowing you down!” she spat, the hatred in her eyes felt completely surreal to her old wingmate. “Spitfire! This isn’t you!” he shouted, spying a recuperated Rainbow Dash gaining on their position. “I don't know what Nightmare Flare did to you, but- whoa!” he yelled out, fast enough to duck a burst of flame that passed over his head, but not fast enough to dodge the tail that rammed hard into his abdomen, sending him spiraling down towards the plaza. “Don't insult the Que- Oof!” Rainbow Dash's momentum-fueled charge culminated in a straight punch to the chimera's stomach, forcing all the air out of her lungs in a pained wheeze. “We're taking down Nightmare Flare, and then we're getting you back to normal!” the chromatic pegasus shouted, spinning in place and landing a hard kick to Spitfire's ribs. Gasping for breath, the former Wonderbolt's eyes glowed red in anger. She grabbed Rainbow Dash by the throat before the cyan flier knew what was happening. “I'll rip your wings off and let you suffer for a while until you come whimpering for me to take you back!” Dash struggled, but could not break free. “W-what is it about Nightmare Flare and turning ponies into perverts?” she gasped, feeling the claws around her neck begin to draw blood. “Maybe I should get rid of your voice too!” Spitfire snarled. “I think I'll like you better as a mute!” A roar, similar to that of a lion, split the air. Surprised, the chimera released the pegasus. Rainbow Dash felt her heart give a lurch. Something crashed on top of the abomination, slashing with wicked claws as sharp as the dragon-pony’s, putting a sharp beak to good use as the chimera fought frantically to turn around and retaliate in some way. Both the chimera and her assailant plummeted down towards the city. “Whoa... is that...?” Soarin' gasped, flying up to Rainbow Dash. “Gilda!” the cyan pegasus shouted, diving after them. “A Gilda? I thought it was a griffon! I'm pretty sure it's a griffon!” the stallion shouted, following Rainbow Dash down. “That's her name, feather-brain!” shouted an angry Dash. “We need to catch up to them! She shouldn't be here!” “Oh... you know her!” Soarin’ nodded in understanding. Rainbow just rolled her eyes. “Just help her!” o.0.o “Paper Craft, you come back here now!” he heard his mother shout as his parents chased after him. But he couldn't... he wouldn't! Eventually his gallops brought him up to the gallows where he slowed down until he stopped under the slightly swaying body of his sister. He couldn't bring himself to look up at her, and instead his gaze settled on the pieces of broken lyre that lay at his hoofs. He remembered how, several years ago during Lyra’s tenth birthday, somepony had given it to her. She had searched for a card inside the box, but never found out who had given it to her. Her parents hadn't been happy about it. They had raged in private about how inconsiderate Lyra's friends were. They had discouraged her interest in music from an early age, unwilling to support her passion and trying to get her interested in other more socially acceptable endeavors, like accounting or law. The lyre was a direct insult to them, or so they thought. They didn’t destroy it though, since several of their friends were important ponies in their own right, and the musical instrument was exquisite, hoofcrafted with inlaid designs of gold leaf. No, they didn’t like it, but they would never throw something so expensive away. Paper Craft still felt proud that he had managed to sneak that present past his parents. Even broken, he could tell the loving care with which she had treated the instrument. The inlays were clean, the paint immaculate. After all this time, he was sure that she would have had to take it to be fixed at least a couple of times. He sniffed, watching his tears fall between the broken pieces. He had loved staying awake at night to hear his sister practice, and had missed her dearly when she had announced, to their parents anger, that she would be moving to Ponyville to join the town’s small orchestra. He smiled a bit. He, of all his family, should have known that there was more to it than simple rebellion against their parents. He had never understood it fully until earlier that day when the body of the mare had been brought to the dungeons. His heart had never ached as badly as when his sister had broken down and cried in the Castle’s dungeon. While his parents had huffed and marched themselves out, he had stayed behind, sitting on the cold stone stairs, listening to his sister cry at the loss of her lover. He had gritted his teeth and closed his eyes when she had broken down and started laughing for no reason. He had been about to walk back in and offer whatever support he could... but then she started playing. And he couldn’t intrude. “Paper Craft.” His father's voice reached him. “There's nothing to see here, son. Let's go.” “She's here,” the colt said, finally looking up at the body suspended above him. His tears flowed more freely now as he stood up on his hind legs to hug hers. He buried his face in the soft coat and cried. “She's dead, and good riddance to her.” His mother's words made his blood run cold. He choked up and the tears died. He had misheard... he must have heard wrong... “She was always a failure,” his mother continued, refusing to look up at the body. “Playing with that stupid musical instrument, wasting our money studying music and accomplishing nothing but playing in a small town just so she could be with that disgusting Earth Pony. Figures she would be a fillyfooler on top of it all!” “Come now, dear,” his father said, “Let's not talk about things gone wrong. Paper Craft, let’s go; we need to leave before something bad happens!” “Before something bad happens?” the younger unicorn whispered. He slowly turned around to face his parents. “Fillyfooler? Failure? That is my sister you are talking about! Your daughter! You raised her! She was beautiful!” he broke down crying and stepped back, shaking his head violently when his father approached. “You're monsters!” he shouted, looking at both of them. His father's face a cold mask, his mother's adorned with a sneer of distaste as she looked up at the body hanging from the noose. “How can you be so cold and cruel?! Don't you feel anything? Don't you feel any regrets? We'll never talk to her again! She's gone!” “Paper Craft...” his father started. “Don't!” he shouted. “Don't you dare talk to me! Don't you dare come any closer!” His father ignored him, trying to put a comforting hoof on his son’s shoulder, he didn’t watch where he was going and stepped on one of the lyre pieces by accident. Paper Craft saw red. With angry roar, his horn blazed into life, ripping flyers and posters from the nearby walls. They glowed with arcane light as they swirled into a whirlwind around his father. The older unicorn gasped as he was suddenly surrounded. He cried out in pain as small cuts began to appear on his clothes and flesh as the confused unicorn tried to backpedal away from his son. “Son, stop that this instant!” his mother shouted, only for a piece of paper to wrap tightly around her mouth. “Shut up! I am not your son!” Paper Craft shouted. “I don't know who you are, but monsters like you could never be my parents!” “Son! Listen to your mother!” his father shouted, unable to concentrate on his magic to break free from the vortex. “This is not helping any!” “I don't want to help!” he snapped, his eyes glaring from one parent to the other. “Leave us alone! You have been nothing but unfeeling, hateful and petty jail keepers for me and Lyra!” he shook his head and scratched the floor, breathing heavily and ignoring the hurt in his parents’ eyes. “At least she was strong enough and had the common sense to escape from you!” “And see where it landed her!” his mother spat back, having used her magic to rip the paper away from her mouth. “Hanging from the gallows after wasting her life and her last moments playing her stupid music!” “Excuse me?” another voice asked, filled with venom. The three unicorns turned to face a blue unicorn with a purple hat and cape decorated with stars. “Did you just say that Lyra's melody -the melody that just now brought down Nightmare Flare- was... stupid?” the mare asked, tears welling up as her eyes flared in anger. “Did you just imply that your own daughter’s heroic sacrifice was stupid?” “What business is it of yours?” Lyra's mother asked, looking down her nose at Trixie. “Wait, I recognize you. You're Cinnamon's daughter, aren’t you? Just another useless dropout who went to waste their life seeking fame.” She was suddenly thrown back to land painfully on the wet floor, covering her coat in blood, grime and pieces of pony. Unable to fight the bile rising in her throat, she violently vomited, glaring at the meddlesome showmare as she stood up slowly. “How dare you?” “Who do you think you are?” Paper Craft's father finally managed to blast the vortex surrounding him. “I will have you arrested for this!” “By whom?” Trixie laughed at them, walking to stand beside Paper Craft. “In case you haven't noticed, we're in the middle of a crisis.” Lyra’s parents stood their ground, horns shimmering with magic. Trixie narrowed her eyes. “Do you really want to test my patience?” Her magic aura slowly grew around her, easily outshining the glow of their horns. The stallion took an involuntary step back, intimidated by her display. “P-Paper Craft... come on. Leave these two alone.” “No.” the colt said, his eyes furious. “I'll never go back to you.” “Paper Craft...” his mother tried again. “The young unicorn spoke his mind.” Trixie growled. “Leave, before I forget what Lyra would have wanted and I reduce your bodies to ashes, then have them baked into a Diamond Dog piss-pot.” With a silent look, his parents turned around and trotted away. A soft blue aura enveloped the late unicorn's body as Trixie's magic slowly undid the noose. When it was done, she slowly levitated the body down, next to Paper Craft. “Can you levitate her?” she asked softly as she placed the pieces of the lyre on top of Lyra's body, using her discarded cloak to cover and wrap the body. The young colt nodded. “I think so,” he said, fighting the tears that threatened to flow again. “Good,” the showmare sighed. “Take her over there, to where those fillies are. I don't want anything to happen to her...” she choked. “She's a hero, Paper Craft. You should be proud.” The colt's magic was already coating his sister's body. “Oh... I am.” he said with a small smile. “I've always been proud of her.” Trixie watched the young unicorn float Lyra's body along as he went towards her mother and cursed her lack of strength. She sighed. This battle was costing everypony much more than she had ever- her thoughts were interrupted by a screech-like sound of a shadow-chimera. She looked up and her eyes widened. The showmare scrambled out of the way, horn lighting up with magic to create a shimmering shield around her as the gallows exploded behind her. o.0.o Applejack was sent flying by a stray kick from the shadow chimera she and Big Macintosh were fighting. She landed painfully, but rolled with the momentum until she finally slid to a stop. The rope she had held so tightly to whipped around as her brother jumped back and circled the dangerous shadow-creature as it tried to keep both ponies in sight. The chimera pulled back, making the stallion brace himself and pull back as well... only for the creature to pounce on him. The rope went slack so suddenly that Big Mac lost his balance. The chimera was on him immediately, landing on top of him so forcefully that the stallion smacked his head on the floor. “Big Mac!” Applejack shouted in a panic, charging towards him. The red-coated pony desperately dodged the clawed talon as it ripped into the stone next to his head, leaving deep gashes on the floor. He kicked as hard as he could, but the creature ignored the pain, still trying to claw the stallion to death. The chimera opened its maw, black fangs clear even under the perpetual gloom of the eclipse and dove down to clamp about his neck. Applejack dove in, her legs already kicking out for all she was worth at the creature's exposed side. The kick made it roll to the side and off the stallion, who stood up a bit shaky. The chimera had managed to draw blood. A small rivulet started flowing down his neck from several small cuts. “Are you okay, Big Mac?” Applejack asked, looking at him worriedly and wondering if the creature's bite was poisonous. The stallion nodded, his eyes carefully watching the creature as it jumped to its feet with an almost feline grace. The two ropes trailed behind it as it started circling them. “We need to get rid of it quickly.” he whispered and winced, feeling the sting of the bite wounds around his neck. His sister nodded and glanced at the balcony for a split second. “Ah have an idea.” she said. “But ah’m gonna need your help... it's a bit risky.” Big Macintosh nodded. “Just tell me what to do, sis.” “We need to get the ropes.” she said, her eyes following the creature. “Then ah need you to distract it long enough for me to throw the end of my rope through one of those spaces on the balcony... then, when ah pull it back, you grab your rope and pull down, throwin' all your weight on it. We'll break its neck.” The stallion nodded again. He started moving to his left, while Applejack moved to the right, effectively stopping the creature in its tracks as it watched both of them warily. Big Mac made the first move. Feigning a charge at the monster, the stallion changed his course at the last second, forcing the shadow chimera to whirl around to keep him in sight, leaving the ropes unattended. Applejack immediately shot forth, picking up the end of the rope and preparing to throw it at the balcony, cursing herself for not thinking of this earlier, when she had been up there earlier. She was about to proceed with her plan when a sickening crack and Big Macintosh's shout stopped her cold. She looked back towards her brother, only to find lying in a pool of blood at the feet of the shadow chimera. With a desperate shout, she yanked the rope, pulling the creature a couple of feet away from him, trying to see if he was moving or still breathing. The creature, however, had other plans. With a mighty pounce, it landed on the preoccupied apple farmer, knocking the air out of her, and almost knocking her out. She choked and coughed as the chimera pressed its weight down on her chest... the light blurred in her vision, distorting the sight of the fanged maw as it lowered towards her. o.0.o Twilight Spark was getting frustrated. Jade was too good to fall for simple tricks and too fast to catch with her most powerful spells. They had been trading blows since the attack on Nightmare Flare commenced but neither had gained a clear advantage, even if she had been on the receiving end of most of Jade's attacks while the white unicorn had dodged just about everything. She was just lucky that she had been able to keep vital areas out of the reach of the assassin’s blade or the battle would have been over by now. Had Nightmare Flare not given her more strength, endurance and power than even Spitfire had received, she didn't think she would have lasted more than a minute. Which made her hate the assassin more. The green-maned pony moved with a grace and intent that were enviable. The white unicorn's attacks were precise, where her own were powerful but unfocused. She growled as Jade nimbly twirled in place, dodging a magic missile. “Those are always supposed to hit!” she accused. The assassin took advantage of her distraction to buck her in the jaw, sending her stumbling back. Shaking her head she opened her eyes in time to see her opponent charging at her. “Enough!” she shouted, expelling a shell of magic around her, and sending the assassin reeling. “I'll kill you, you cheap excuse for a unicorn!” Jade was already on her hooves, but the assassin had landed far enough that she wouldn't be able to close the distance between them in time. It was then that Spark heard Applejack shout. The purple unicorn’s head snapped to the side, quickly spotting the shadow chimera as it stood on top of the apple farmer, claw raised and ready to deal the killing blow. Big Mac was either unconscious or dead several feet away from them, and there was no-pony around to help Applejack. Without a second thought, the spell that had been intended for Jade slammed into the creature, throwing it off of Applejack, and enveloping it in flames. “Don't you dare touch her!” Spark shouted, galloping towards the monster as her dark-purple aura formed into five energy blades that shot towards the chimera. The blades cut into the creature, eliciting a pained roar as it stumbled back with each strike. Its wings were sheared of by a pair of energy blades, one leg was almost completely cut off, the last blade bit into its neck, parting it with ease. The shadow chimera collapsed, its head rolling away from the body, but Twilight Spark only had eyes for Applejack, who was looking at her in pain and confusion. She slowed down until she was a few feet away from the apple farmer. “A-are you okay, Applejack?” she asked, her eyes scanning the other mare's body and taking note of all the small cuts. The orange-coated earth pony stared at her for a few seconds, then struggled to sit up. She looked over her shoulder and noticed that Big Macintosh was slowly getting to his hoofs. He seemed okay, if a little dazed. She released the breath she didn't know she had been holding and turned to look back at the unicorn that had caused her so much grief and worry and confusion. She smiled a little. “Ah am... thank you, Twilight Spark.” The purple unicorn's heart fluttered. “I... s-sure, anytime Applejack!” she coughed, trying to compose herself. It wouldn’t do for the apple farmer to see her as anything but the strong mare she was. “A-anyway! I couldn't let my pet get hurt! What kind of lover would I be?” she asked with a smirk, still a bit shaken by the thought of losing the mare and ignoring Applejack’s wince at the term. She decided to just tease the farmer. “We still have a lot of stuff to do in be-” She saw Applejack's eyes widen as the apple farmer looked at something behind her. The world whirled around in a blur as she turned around to see Jade descending on her, forehoof with its blade poised for a deadly strike. Suddenly, she felt something hit her hard, the world spinning about her once more as she saw blood fan out over her. o.0.o Gilda fought furiously, claws digging into the chimera’s soft underbelly, tearing off scales as her target roared in pain. Spitfire snarled angrily, as she shook off the pain to dig her claws into the griffon's shoulders, holding her in place while the former pony opened her mouth and flames started to accumulate. Seeing this, the griffon thrashed about, ignoring the pain as the claws ripped into her shoulders. With a desperate swipe of her hind legs straight at Spitfire's face, she was able to force the chimera's head to the side the moment it released a blast of flame that seemed as though it could have melted her face around her beak. Both fighters flew apart from each other, bloodied and breathing hard. “Not bad...” Gilda smirked, forcing her claws to stay put and not rub her painfully throbbing shoulders. Spitfire growled. “You're interrupting a private dispute, pigeon! I'll give you this one chance to leave.” Gilda growled back. “That's not happening. You're not cool enough to dance with me, much less Rainbow Dash. But at least I can whip your sorry flank out of the sky and save us all the trouble of looking at your scaly mug.” “That's it!” Spitfire roared, flames surging around her body. “Foal's gloves are off! I'm going to wipe that smirk off your beak and then remove it from your carcass!” The griffon gulped as she rolled out of a fire-blast that sailed past her. “You'll have to catch me first, scaly-flank!” she shouted back. “Die!” the chimera shouted as she charged towards Gilda, who did the smart thing and turned tail, banking up and trying to put some distance between them. She had to concentrate and evade several fireballs that tore right past her as she dashed from side to side, trying her best not to be immolated. A black blur zoomed down past Gilda, leaving a rainbow trail. As the griffon snapped her head around, she saw Rainbow Dash plant a solid hoof into/onto the chimera's face, throwing the beast off-course. Quickly taking advantage of the shift in battle, Gilda did a backwards loop to gather speed before sweeping down towards her friend. Another dark blur, this one trailing a dark cloud with small lightning-bolts slammed into the side of the chimera, cracking at least one of its ribs as the creature tried to fry Dash's coat with its flames. “Snap out of it, Spitfire!” Soarin' shouted before wincing as the chimera sliced his foreleg with her sharp wings in a fluid motion. “How about I snap your neck instead?!” his former partner growled. “How about you shut the hay up?” Rainbow Dash retorted with a buck right to the chimera’s stomach, where Gilda had clawed her. The chimera roared in pain before smashing Rainbow in the snout with a vicious blow from her tail, sending the pegasus reeling backwards. At the same time, one of Spitfire's talons grabbed Soarin's head, another ripping through his uniform, leaving bloody gashes across his flank. Gilda's eagle-like cry split the air as she sped past the chimera, and catching the creature’s throat in her arm, forcing her to release Soarin', who carefully retreated while still facing the pair to quickly scan his injury. Although painful, it seemed the damage was more superficial than he had originally thought. “That will sting for a while...” he wheezed. Rainbow Dash shot past him, anger in her eyes, blood flowing from her nose. She gritted her teeth as she rammed the chimera in the shoulder with all her strength and momentum, hearing a sickening crack and the anguished cry of Spitfire a split-second later. The Wonderbolt-turned-monster started glowing and her three opponents suddenly found themselves dodging for dear life as trails of fire sliced through the air. Rainbow Dash cried in pain as she was hit by one on her hind leg while dodging another pair. She quickly patted the fire out, but the damage was already done, her melted uniform burned into her flesh, much of the cyan fur burnt away. She bit her lower lip to stop from crying out as the pain blurred her vision. “Watch out!” Gilda shouted, her claw grabbing Dash by the hoof and yanking her out of the way as another barrage of flames shot past her previous location. “T-thanks...” the chromatic pegasus panted, nodding thankfully at the griffon. “What are we going to do now, Cap’n?” Soarin' asked, flying up to the pair as they warily watched as Spitfire turned to look at them with hatred. Gilda arched an eyebrow at the title, but Rainbow Dash just shook her head. “I don't know... we've tried reasoning with her, but she's too much under Nightmare Flare's influence to care!” “I say we just beat her up.” Gilda growled. “You can talk to her later!” “Hey! That's my partner you're talking about!” Soarin' growled back. “In case you haven't noticed, she's trying to fry us into snacks!” Gilda snapped back. “Uh... guys?” Rainbow Dash flew in between them. “What’s she doing?” The griffon and the blue-maned pegasus turned to look at the chimera. The air around Spitfire seemed to shimmer as small flames licked her body. Slowly a golden-red aura formed around her. “I don't like the look of that.” Gilda gasped, eyes widening. The aura slowly expanded until the chimera had a sphere of the golden-red aura expanding a couple of feet in all directions until it shimmered in a protective bubble with Spitfire in the middle. Then it burst into flames and started spinning in place like a miniature sun. “I really don't like the look of that.” Soarin' seconded. “Scatter!” Rainbow Dash shouted as she shot up into the air, while Soarin' took left and Gilda right, barely in time to avoid being rammed by the sphere, which turned around and started chasing the griffon. “Why me?!” Gilda shouted, looking back over her shoulder and snarling in annoyance. “Because you're the slowest, idiot!” Spitfire laughed from somewhere within her sphere. The griffon narrowed her eyes at the insults, but concentrated on putting some distance between them. High above them, Rainbow Dash watched in horror as her friend was about to be fried alive. “Oh no, you don't!” she shouted, diving towards them with all the speed she could muster. Soarin' watched in awe as the air seemed to bend around Rainbow Dash. The last time he'd been around and that had happened he had been unconscious and falling to his death. But he had heard the description from other pegasi that had witnessed it. The atmospheric pressure around her made the chromatic pegasus grit her teeth. Her leg hurt horrendously; her wings strained under the pressure and stress from the battle. The wind buffeted against her mane, and just as she felt she couldn’t go on, the cyan pegasus was in that split-second moment that made the Sonic Rainboom so much more than a simple stunt. Everything around her came into sharp focus, doubts left her, pain faded away. This was her moment. The cone of sonic resistance broke less than a second after, shooting her like a rainbow bullet that slammed through the exterior of Spitfire's flame sphere without a pause, and the Sonic Rainboom destroyed the fiery shield, which disintegrated as the pegasus tore out again, this time heading up. Spitfire was thrown down, completely knocked out even before she crashed into one of the buildings in the plaza. Gilda stared in awe as Rainbow Dash shot up for a few miles before suddenly stopping and falling. It wasn't until her friend’s unconscious form plummeted past her that she reacted and dove to catch her friend. She easilly caught up with the pegasus and, matching her speed, was able to break her fall. She held her friend against her chest, looking towards the expanding rainbow ring far above them. “What was that?” she finally asked. “The Sonic Rainboom.” Soarin' whispered as he hovered over the pair. “I didn't get to see it until now... it's amazing.” Gilda nodded mutely as they slowly made their way down towards the plaza. Soarin' suddenly drew a sharp breath and without explanation, launched himself towards the gallows. Gilda followed him slowly, arms wrapped protectively around her unconscious friend. o.0.o “Applejack!” two voices shouted in unison as the orange earth pony fell to her side, a nasty cut on her shoulder bleeding heavily. “You idiot!” Jade shouted. Turning angrily towards the assassin, Twilight Spark's eyes shone white with barely restrained power. “You talk!” she said angrily, then growled. “You hurt Applejack!” The earth pony coughed. “Girls...” “You're one to talk!” Jade snapped back at Spark, knowing that it was too late to pretend to be a mute again. “You've been torturing her since you got your dirty hoofs on her! You're nothing but a mistake at the cost of the life of a dear friend!” her horn glowed with a blue aura and she shifted her position to strike. “You've gotten away so far, but this time I will make sure you die!” Twilight Spark was taken aback by the anger in Jade's eyes, even as the hurtful words dug at her, she smirked, doing her best to ignore them. “And what is she to you?” she taunted. “You met her once a few years ago. You have no relation to her. I have fought hydras and dragons and even Nightmare Moon by her side!” “Dang it, Ah'm talking to you!” Applejack growled from the floor, painfully raising her head to glare at the pair. She was ignored. “You are not Twilight Sparkle!” Jade roared. “You were created to think you were, but you are nothing but an imitation! An equusculus!” the assassin started pacing. “Nothing else!” Twilight Spark bit her lip and her eyes flashed with hurt and anger. “That's not true! I am Twilight Sparkle! I just changed my name! I have my memories-” Jade snorted. “Really? If you are the real Twilight Sparkle, tell me, what were you doing just before you left Ponyville?” “I...” Twilight's horn stopped glowing as her eyes widened. Her mind raced as she tried to remember. Had she been racing? Got fifth place? No... that was in Fall... “I am Twilight Sparkle!” she cried, stepping back. Why can’t I remember? she thought furiously. It’s all a jumble of images... Another memory surfaced, she was at the Ponyville Library, but the perspective was wrong. She looked down at the six ponies around her as she spoke. Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash and... me? “Girls!” Applejack called again, but to her frustration the pair of unicorns was too involved in their argument. “No.” Jade's cloth mask covered her face, but Spark could see the vicious smile reflecting in her eyes as the assassin pointed towards the balcony. “Twilight is up there, setting Celestia free. Which is exactly what the real Twilight Sparkle would be doing” Despite herself, despite knowing that it was an awfully stupid thing to do, Twilight Spark turned her head up and looked. The pegasus pony that had been with Jade when the fight began was now standing next to the collapsed queen. She had taken off her mask, revealing her face. “N-no...” Twilight Spark whispered in horror, her conviction fading at the sight of the purple pegasus. “Do you see it now, monster?” Jade met Twilight Sparks’ eyes as the unicorn faced the assassin with a slightly panicked look. “The real Twilight would never kill anypony.” The assassin accused. “But... they attacked the Queens!” Spark blurted out, shaking her head. I had to do it! she thought. Or did I? Couldn’t I have just paralyzed them like I did with the Bearers of the Elements of Harmony? Another part of her mind argued. The real Twilight Sparkle never killed... even if you can’t remember it, you know its true. “The real Twilight would not try to force Applejack to love her.” Jade growled, her eyes hard as steel as she looked down at the slightly cringing purple unicorn. “I didn’t force her! I didn’t!” Spark cried as one by one tears started to run down her cheek. “I was just... I just wanted her to see how much I need her!” Applejack sighed and looked down. For a second, the assassin seemed taken aback by her opponent’s outburst, but she quickly shook her head. “The real Twilight wouldn't have let Princess Celestia turn into monster like Nightmare Flare!” Twilight Spark fell on her rump. What little of her magic that was still active slowly faded, leaving the dark-purple unicorn staring blankly at the floor. I’m a lie? Her heart seemed to skip painfully. Am I just a construct? A- an equusculus, an imitation... she looked back towards the balcony. “But... she's not even a unicorn...” she whispered futilely. Even as she voiced her complains, Spark could feel her magic skip whenever she thought of the other Twilight. She could feel herself drawn to her, not as a lover like she fancied herself with Applejack, but as a part of the whole. I know the truth now. I... was my love of Applejack even real? Could a creature like me even feel? Her blood felt like ice as her thoughts took that turn. How could Applejack ever love me back, when I am nothing? Jade approached the immobile purple unicorn, her eyes hard. “I... I’m real.” Spark whispered, making the assassin stop for a second. “I feel... I fear and I hurt... I can’t be a lie...” “Don't you dare... Jade.” Applejack said, struggling to get up, but her foreleg was too damaged for her to put any pressure on it. Twilight Spark flinched and looked up at the apple farmer, confusion in her eyes. Does she care? “You can't stop me now, Applejack.” Jade said gently. “I don't know what she did to you, and I don't know why you saved her... don't you remember what happens if she stays alive? What will happen to Twilight?” Spark’s eyes went from one pony to the other. What are they talking about? Am I doing something to Twilight just by being here? The earth pony winced and looked down, her eyes then rose to meet the purple unicorn’s. “Ah... ah just don't want her to die...” she said, not breaking eye contact. “She had no choice in how she was made...” The assassin stopped just in front of Spark, never taking her eyes off of the whimpering purple unicorn. “She...” the apple farmer sighed. “She never did anything to me other than tease me, Jade.” she looked at the purple unicorn. “Ah know she's not a good pony, ah know that she has ah know she's done things that nopony can forgive... but... look at who made her... and why.” “She was made for all the wrong reasons,” Jade stated. “No!” Applejack struggled again before sighing and leaning on her elbow. “Jade... she was made out of love... from a mother to her daughter.” Jade closed her eyes. “Be that as it may... even if the reasons behind her creation are as noble as you say... the fact is, Applejack, that Spark was created by the same magic that turned the Princess into a Nightmare. She cannot be allowed to live..” “Ah... ah used to think the same thing about Nightmare Moon.” Applejack pleaded. “Ah know wanting her to live doesn't make sense to you, Jade, but... Ah... Ah can't bring myself to let you kill her... she is a part of Twilight Sparkle!” Jade's blue eyes opened slowly. “Only the horn. And not for long.” She closed the gap between her and the purple unicorn. Twilight Spark looked up at Jade. Slowly, tears started flowing down her cheeks as she gazed into the eyes of her executioner, before she turned to expose her neck. Her eyes went to meet Applejack's. “I'm sorry.” she said. “I love you.” she closed her eyes. Applejack averted her eyes. Jade raised her blade, muscles tensing to make it as quick as possible. The blade was poised to kill... the assassin narrowed her eyes... and hesitated. Then she stepped back, wide-eyed as everything around them began to shake violently. o.0.o “Over here!” somepony shouted. Slowly she started hearing more voices. Voices and the sound of stone being shifted around, or perhaps the sounds of hooves scraping against stone. She tried to take a deep breath, but something was pressing down on her, barely allowing the air to go through. Her memory was hazy. How had she ended up here? The mental image of a strange shadow monster came to her and she remembered. “Damn.” she coughed. “That thing packs a punch!” Somehow, she didn't feel too worried, although being upside down and having several parts of her body immobilized by heavy things put her in a weird position. Her left shoulder was propped on something hard, but not stone. Wood? She thought she had seen a wooden beam... she shifted as the sounds outside continued. There was something soft under her. She coughed and felt liquid slide down her muzzle. That... was not good. She tried to move more, but then she felt pain from her chest. Something... her hoof felt it's way around until it bumped into that something. It felt... Her thoughts were interrupted as the heavy weight on top of her shifted, then slowly started levitating. “I see somepony! She's alive!” a unicorn shouted. “You're going to be okay... don't... oh, Celestia... Ebon Rain...” “That's not my...” she started to say, but then followed his eyes down. A mangled body lay under her. The legs were twisted into unnatural positions, one was almost completely severed. His neck had obviously been broken due to his horn getting stuck in her abdomen. She gritted her teeth as she looked at how bad the wound was. It was a belly-wound and the horn had probably ripped her stomach. “Great...” she coughed blood as she took stock of her other wounds. “Punctured lung. And... several broken ribs.” she winced as she forced her wings to move. “Wings... survived... somehow...” “I... w-we can... if we move quickly...” the guard stammered, staring at her. Behind the unicorn, the pegasus could still see three shadow creatures and her fellow Wonderbolts-turned-Shadowbolts fighting it out. “No.” With the slab off, she forced herself up. The horn slid out of her painfully and with a disgusting squelching sound, her right hind leg almost gave under her weight. “N-no?” the guard repeated. She shook her head, barely able to concentrate. “No... there's no time...” Misty was up there, alone with that thing. She couldn’t leave her teammate to deal with that by herself while she was being pampered over. The guard stepped back, aghast, as she stumbled out of the remains of the wall she had crashed into, dripping blood. She heard several gasps from around her as several ponies, including a small group of fillies, stared at her. “Hey.” she greeted them all. “Don't worry about me, I'm-” she coughed and swayed before forcing her legs to keep her upright. “I'm just passing through.” “You... you’re Blast!” one of the fillies, a pegasus, gasped. “Hey...” she blinked, head feeling light. “A... a fan... how charming! Nice to meet you, little filly!” she knew what was happening. “I wish I... *cough* could s-stay and chat but...” she looked up. “My captain... and my friends need me.” The little pegasus' eyes welled with tears, but she nodded. “Rainbow Dash told me once that friends are the most important ponies in life.” Blast smiled. “They're up there with family.” she carefully raised a hoof up and slid her goggles off, throwing them to the filly. “Here... we Wonder-” she stopped and chuckled. “Shadowbolts are like family. I always knew Dash would make it to the team...” her voice faded and she stood there for a few seconds, until she snapped back to reality. “Keep those...” “Scootaloo.” “Nice name.” she chuckled, then indicated the googles with her snout. “Hold onto those, kid. Hope they bring you luck like they did for me.” She looked up at the battles in the sky and her wings spread open. She took a galloping start, gritting her teeth and doing her best to ignore the stabbing pain as each step caused her wounds to worsen. The pegasus jumped into the air, flapping her wings wildly as she felt her body almost give up on her. o.0.o Misty blinked back tears of frustration, anger and sadness as she dodged the shadow chimera once again. The creature had batted Blast with such force that it was doubtful the pegasus was still alive. She had seen her partner crash with incredible force onto the side of the building that had, at one point, had Nightmare Moon's balcony attached to its side. Her partner had smashed through a support beam and been buried in rubble. There was no way she had survived. After that, with nopony to help her, she had been able to do little but avoid being shredded to pieces by claws sneaking in a kick or two, which didn't seem to do much against the creature. Already her uniform had suffered very close encounters with those shadowy appendages, and she sported a few jagged cuts herself. She was also getting tired, very tired. She knew that it was the emotional drag as much as the physical exertion... but her movements still slowed down considerably. The shadow-chimera snapped at her and she executed a roll to avoid getting caught in its maw. The creature turned and followed her as she desperately tried to put some distance between them. But the monster was a fast flier, possibly even faster than her, despite its bigger size. The Shadowbolt could almost feel the creature’s jaws snap just behind her hoofs when a black blur slammed into its side, making it lose control as the new arrival held onto its wing tightly. “Blast!” Misty shouted, recognizing her partner. “You're alive!” “Misty! Grab its other wing and follow my lead!” Blast shouted back, holding as tightly as she could to the wing. Nodding, Misty did a quick loop around the creature as it flailed around, looking for an opening. When she saw it, she immediately dove in, grabbing the other wing tight. The monster, with its wings pinned down and deprived of any other means to keep flying, started falling, but Blast started flapping her wings and angling the chimera. Misty caught on and followed her lead. Between the two pegasi, the acceleration increased considerably, and soon the three were hurtling towards the gallows. “We'll have to let go at the last second!” Misty shouted over the whipping wind. “This thing is pretty strong! It might be able to pull out of the dive otherwise!” she concentrated as the ground approached. “We only have one chance!” The ground rose to meet them and when she sensed that there was almost no time left she looked at her partner. “Now, Blast! Let go!” She gave the monster’s wing a sharp twist for good measure before letting go. It was only then that she saw the blood on her friend's uniform. Only then did she realize that Blast had not spoken back to her at all during their descent. Only then did she see the sickly smile as her partner mouthed a goodbye. “Blast!” Misty's scream mixed with the panicked roar of the shadow-creature's realization of its inevitable death. “Blast!” she screamed again as she dove in a futile attempt to catch up to them. The chimera and Blast’s impact blew apart the gallows, sending pieces of wood flying everywhere, and causing what remained of the structure to collapse on itself. Misty pulled up hard as debris filled the air, hooves skidding as they met stone before she tumbled head over tail and skidded to stop. She looked up from the ground, tears in her eyes as she stared at the wreckage. “Misty! What happened?!” Soarin's voice reached her, making her look up to see him, approaching. He was splattered with blood and she could see several nasty cuts on what was visible of his coat beneath his shredded uniform. Behind him, flying a bit slower, was a griffon carrying the limp form of Rainbow Dash. She looked back at the wreckage as her team-mate landed. “It's...” she sobbed as she buried her face in his shoulder. “It's Blast...” Misty whispered sadly. “She took the shadow creature with her...” The male Shadowbolt looked at the remains of the gallows for a second before closing his eyes and nuzzling the sobbing pegasus. Gilda landed next to them and carefully laid down Rainbow Dash next to them. o.0.o The last tendril of the Guardian’s attached to Nightmare Flare magic fell into Moon’s grasp and the Nightmare grinned. I have them all! With her search over and the delicate work done, it was simple to divert a fraction of her concentration and effortlessly snap the shadow chimera's neck with a focused burst of magic. Letting the creature fall harmlessly to the ground, she then looked around. There were no more of the creatures to be found and it seemed that even Spitfire had been taken care of. “Perfect.” her head turned towards the balcony where Twilight Sparkle was standing guard over Nightmare Flare. “Let's draw out the last enemy.” Nightmare Moon twisted the tendrils of energy together into a single tout strand. She shaped her magic into a long, razor-edged sword, and, with a single swipe, the Guardian's link to her and her sister was broken. The Nightmare took a sharp breath as she felt the stolen power returning to her; it was as though an enormous weight she had been unaware of had been lifted from her back. Nightmare Moon could see her sister, with the last bits of the armor falling off stir, opening her eyes to stare at Twilight. She looked better already, and if the magic had returned to Celly as it had returned to her, she would be up and about shortly. Nightmare Moon sighed as things quieted down. Here and there guards ran around under Fluttershy’s orders helping injured ponies and finding more dead than they would have wanted. A few ponies that had been hiding from the moment the fight had started, slowly made their way out into the open. The Moon Queen shook her head sadly at the toll their battle had exacted on the citizens of Canterlot. The plaza was almost completely destroyed. The building that had originally held her balcony was missing its entire western wall; the fountain was completely crushed with water still shooting out at an angle; the gallows had been decimated; the floor of the plaza was splattered with blood, and seeing unmoving ponies of all kinds just lying there tore at her conscience. Her gaze turned to the destroyed gallows, where the remaining Shadowbolts and a griffon were approached by Trixie. Looking towards the balcony, she was glad to see that Scootaloo and her friends were okay. Over at Flare’s Balcony, Celestia was struggling to get up with the aid of Pegasus-Twilight. Moon sighed again as she noticed Jade moving in to eliminate Twilight Spark. It was then that the whole plaza under her started shaking. High above them, the Sun and the Moon broke their static watch and very slowly started drifting appart. The few ponies that remained in the plaza began to shout in panic as the tremor worsened. Something was making its way from the eastern side of the city. The ground shook more violently, and she could see buildings crumbling while the road cracked and split open as it made its way towards them. Everypony looked at each other nervously in the sudden silence. The ground exploded on one side of the street, sending up a cloud of dust, followed by another explosion on the other side of the plaza. Ponies screamed in confusion as everything at street level cracked and buckled as the fast-moving shape of a huge creature rounded around the area bringing down damaged buildings and forcing the fleeing ponies to run back to the center of the destroyed plaza. A few of the lanterns adorning the buildings broke, and soon several of the collapsed structures showed tell-tale signs of an imminent fire. An angry roar rose out of the dust clouds as the shaking suddenly stopped. Ponies shouted and looked around wildly as the area went quiet again. The few pegasi that remained hovered hesitantly over the settling dust. A hissing sound made everypony freeze in place as the ground rumbled with the movements of the titanic creature that slowly snaked around them. Here and there ponies could see large scales moving through the smoke and dust. Nightmare Moon floated back as coils and coils of the serpent-like body of the Guardian slowly revealed themselves towering over the buildings around them, until the creature, unlike anything anypony had ever seen, except for Trixie, rose high above them. The Guardian's several red eyes glowed with power as he glared at all of them. You dare! it roared in their minds as well as in a completely alien language that rumbled like thunder all around them. I have let you all crawl over my world for thousands of years, and now you refuse my due! I will rid this world of all of you and feast on your life energy. I will eat your souls and torture them for eternity. With a wave of a scale-covered arm, the dead shadow chimeras were pulled up from where they lay. Some of them were missing entire parts of their bodies, but that didn’t stop the guardian as the remains started convulsing and their forms were reshaped. Nightmare Moon gasped as the shadowy forms became clearer until she could see the familiar faces and shapes. Her heart lurched at the painful memories of having to destroy those familiar beings so long ago. Trixie, Big Mac and Soarin’ stared, Midnight’s words returning to them. “Legend has it that there were once more Princesses around... true, Luna and Celestia were the greatest, but there were more alicorns protecting Equestria with their power than we remember. Their influence is still felt through terms we still use, like the North Wind, or Spring.” The last of the shadows faded away, leaving behind four alicorns, all shorter than the Nightmare or Princess Celestia, their coats somehow dulled and muted in color. The newly arrived alicorns looked around in confusion until one of them settled her eyes on Nightmare Moon. “Luna...” Winter whispered. o.0.o End Chapter 19 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-04-28T21:58:00+00:00

2015-03-29T06:00:39+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 20 By Wanderer D o.o.0.0.o.o “Princess!” Twilight Sparkle nudged her newly-discovered mother's cheek with her muzzle. “Please wake up... please... please mom...” The anger seared as it left her body and the one voice in the world - no, in the universe - that mattered called for her once more. Slowly her eyes opened, magenta focusing on the violet of her long lost daughter. The world seemed to stop. Her daughter. Twilight Sparkle. All this time she had been with her, feeling guilty of wishing Twilight was hers, that this wonderful filly could be her own flesh and blood, and not just her beloved student... slowly tears streamed out of her eyes. All this time she could have called her 'daughter.’ All this time she could have been the mother she had always felt she was and never fear to be crossing the invisible line between students and mentors when it came to affection; for it was different to treat a pony as if they were your child... and treating that pony as you would treat your real child. She would have spoiled her so much. Twilight's eyes were also brimming with tears as she looked at her mentor and mother. “Prin-” she shook her head and said more firmly, “Mom. Welcome... welcome back.” “Oh, Twilight...” with her forelegs, Celestia pulled the unicorn into an embrace. Then she noticed something worrying. “W-what... what happened to your horn?” Twilight chuckled weakly. “Um... I... was resurrected and it wasn't part of my body anymore...” Celestia's eyes were wide. “The cambro had enough energy to bring you back, but not completely... Oh, Twilight... I'm so sorry, the whole thing was unnecessary but... I didn't know back then that we could bring down the assassin's guild...” “There's so much that we need to talk about...” Twilight agreed, smiling softly as she held her mother close. “About the assassins, about you and me...” she sighed. “There's so much I don't understand... how did the cambro work? Why could it bring Trixie and me back?” “Trixie?” Celestia blinked. “Clearly I also need to find out about a great many things.” “About my horn...” Twilight ventured uneasily. “I know that Twilight Spark has it.” Celestia cringed. “I'm so sorry, Twilight... when I thought I had lost you... I- I couldn’t carry on. Even if I had forgotten you were my biological daughter... I couldn’t think of you as anything other than that. From the little filly unicorn that I took under my wing, to the proud...” she smiled, “pegasus that you have become...” Twilight chuckled as she buried her face in her mother's flowing mane. “I always thought of you as my daughter... I just wish I had known.” “I always thought of you as a mother,” Twilight stated. “And now, it's true... and I was blessed with three parents instead of two...” She frowned. “Which reminds me... about that--” A crash and a roar interrupted their conversation. The whole area around them started shaking as a they looked around wildly. “Twilight!” Celestia slowly stood, stumbling a bit with the shaking beneath her hooves. “What's happening?!” Suddenly they could hear it in their minds. You dare! A completely alien language that rumbled like thunder all around them, and somehow they understood. I have let you pathetic beings all crawl over my world for thousands of years, and now you refuse my due! I will rid this world of all of you and feast on your life energy. I will torture your souls for eternity. “It's the Guardian!” Twilight gasped. “The what?” “The Guardian! Nightmare Moon explained it to me... he's the one responsible for turning alicorns into Nightmares! He somehow feeds off of them! She was hoping that, by releasing you from Nightmare Flare, he would show up!” “Nightmare...” Celestia shook her head. The memories of her time as Nightmare Flare were fogged... still there but she had to struggle to remember. “Ugh... now I know how Luna felt...” her eyes widened. “Oh... oh no- Twilight... I... Lyra!” Twilight closed her eyes and lowered her head. “Twilight, I let one of my guards get killed! I-” “Mom...” The word broke the Princess from her guilty ramblings. “Mom... there's nothing we can do about it right now other than finish this.” Celestia nodded, taking a deep breath. “I have been acting like a victim too much for my liking...” she said soberly. “Regardless of my feelings I must be strong... I must save Luna from the Nightmare... then, then I'll... I'll deal with what I have done.” Twilight nodded. “We should join the others.” “Yes. Let's go.” o.0.o Most of the ponies that remained in the plaza had frozen in place. They had been looking for family members, friends or simply bemoaning the horror of what had transpired in Canterlot. Now, as the beast approached, they froze in fear, a few screaming out here or there, while the more cowardly and able ponies had abandoned the rest to their fate. The four alicorns observed their surroundings with interest. Clearly they had never seen the city before. One of them, Winter, watched as Nightmare Moon drifted down and landed in the street a few feet in front of her, while several other ponies gathered around the black alicorn. The action seemed to snap the frozen crowds out of their stupor and soon the plaza was a cacophony of confused shouts and screams from panicked ponies trying to flee the area. However this was nothing more than white noise now, all but lost in the background as the fighters stared at the new arrivals. Winter narrowed her eyes as she took in Nightmare Moon's form, then glanced at the black alicorn’s cutie mark. “You... you are not Luna. Who are you?” “Nightmare Moon.” The black alicorn smirked and nodded slightly. “It has been close to two thousand years since you four were destroyed. The world has changed a great deal.” Another alicorn, with a green mane, yellow coat and a single, white daffodil cutie-mark gasped. “Two thousand years?” A rusty-red alicorn with a large brown leaf for a cutie-mark glanced around the semi-destroyed plaza. “It has changed indeed. Structures such as these did not exist when we ruled the four stations.” “We have missed so much,” the last alicorn, cyan-blue with a thundercloud cutie-mark lamented. She looked at the others. “It was several centuries at least when I saw you last, Winter.” The white coated alicorn with the electric-blue mane and ice-crystal cutie-mark arched an eyebrow. “Moon?” Soarin' asked after a moment, “Are those alicorns for real?” The Nightmare sighed, “Yes.” “Well, the Great and Powerful Trixie is at least grateful that you have a plan,” Trixie said, her customary illeism. covering up her shock. “Because trying to win this fight without one would be a bad idea.” Nightmare Moon fell silent for an uncomfortable amount of time. As the immediacy of her previous comment faded, Trixie coughed. “You do have a plan, right?” The black alicorn's wings slumped. “No. I really did not expect this to happen.” “N-Nightmare Moon!” a voice yelled out, all the ponies turning to look at Celestia as she slowly made her way towards them with Twilight Sparkle supporting her. The Sun Princess's majesty was severely diminished by her dull, limp mane. Behind her, Jade helped Big Mac limp toward them, while Twilight Spark levitated Applejack. Cinnamon, Daisy Sprout, Fluttershy, Golden Cross, Paper Craft and the Cutie-Mark Crusaders also approached them from the other side, abandoning the relative safety of distance in favor of being closer to family. Nightmare Moon shook her head dismissively. “Now is not the time to argue, dear sister,” she said, glancing up at the Guardian, who watched silently, all sixteen eyes shining malevolently, “We have bigger issues to deal with.” Celestia's eyes were hard. “My sister-” “Is fine.” Nightmare Moon interrupted as she looked at the two Twilights. Her gaze went to the purple pegasus. “I see you haven’t been able to get your horn back yet, my niece.” Twilight shook her head while Spark took a nervous step back. “Celestia... you've changed.” Summer said, looking at the Princess in awe. “I'm sorry I didn't get to stay longer and-” She was interrupted as the air around them thickened with energy. Everypony gasped, all ponies save Celestia and Nightmare Moon falling to their knees as if the weight of the world was slowly crushing them. “What are you doing?!” Spring demanded, as she and her sisters looked in anger at the Guardian. The voice of the Guardian echoed in their minds. We don't need distractions, and this respite has lasted long enough. “Celestia!” Nightmare Moon shouted, horn already aglow as energy gathered around her. The Princess of the Sun was equally fast; as the pressure around them exploded, a shimmering dome of white light and darkness formed around the group of ponies. Outside the protective dome, all sounds died immediately. It took several seconds for the Princesses to decide it was safe to lower the dome. The group stared in horror at what awaited them behind the dissipating spell that had protected them. The guards who had been helping the injured stood frozen in place, along with the ponies they had been trying to help and even the few remaining ponies trying to flee the plaza, all of them turned to stone. The whole city had dulled, taking a grayish hue under the dark skies, and there was an unsettling feeling of something lurking just outside their perception. “W-what‘s happened to them?” Misty stammered out. “Are... they just frozen? Like when a basilisk or a cockatrice stares at you?” Fluttershy asked fearfully. “They...” Celestia choked. Nightmare Moon growled. “They're dead.” She whipped around to glare at the Guardian as the behemoth hissed in mirth. “You killed them!” Why, my little Nightmare, the Guardian chuckled, his words a hissing threat. You seem to have developed a soft spot for these useless beings. “Silence!” the black alicorn barked, drawing a disbelieving stare from Celestia. “I'll tear you to pieces!” “You won't be alone!” Trixie proclaimed, standing next to the Nightmare, albeit looking more than a bit nervous. “Trixie shall lend you her magic!” “And you have us,” Soarin' added, as Misty and even Gilda, who had been checking up on Rainbow Dash, nodded their assent. “And me as well,” Jade said marching forward, her eyes assessing the four alicorns and the Guardian. Her voice drew a gasp from several of the ponies, who turned to stare at the assassin as though she had grown another head. “J-Jade!” Sweetie Belle gasped, “You talked! But-” “Don't forget me,” Twilight Spark interrupted, not looking at them, preferring to center her attention on the Guardian. “I have a good deal of pent-up aggression to rid myself of.” “And you have me as well, Nightmare Moon,” Celestia finally said, walking up to stand next to the Nightmare, the sun princess's mane already returning to its wavy glory. She stood strong and firm as she glared at the Guardian. “There is much to discuss between us, but there are more dire circumstances to deal with right now.” Nightmare Moon smiled at her sister and eyed the behemoth before them. “We're all with you, Moon,” Jade added. The monstrous snake-like being hissed and its eyes glowed brighter. The four alicorns that had risen from the ashes of the Guardian’s shadow chimera howled in pain as their bodies were wracked by a malevolent energy. Slowly their legs elongated and their faces shifted becoming slightly longer. Their eyes turned reptilian as the rest of their bodies grew to a stature similar to that of Celestia and Nightmare Moon. We will see how far you get! the Guardian hissed angrily. With a wave of one of his several arms, the ponies were blasted by an invisible force as Celestia and Nightmare Moon, struggled in the powerful telekinetic grasp of the creature's powerful magic. The alicorns watched in horror as their friends, family and allies were flung into the the city. Go! Kill them! the snake-like monster ordered the four new Nightmares, who shot up into the air and flew in different directions. “Let us go, reptile!” Nightmare Moon ordered. “Guardian, stop this now or we shall put a stop to you!” Celestia’s voice joined her sister’s. The Guardian's monstrous form rumbled with confident laughter, its amusement sending a chill down the alicorn’s backs. o.0.o Gilda glared at the dome of gray energy that covered all of Canterlot and then sighed as her eyes drifted down to the cyan pegasus beside her. She had managed to fight the force of the Guardian’s throw and had quickly caught the unconscious pegasus, flying down into the city to hide and recuperate inside one of the evacuated buildings. They had ended up in, from what Gilda could tell, some sort of office building. Wooden desks sat buried in papers emblazoned with various company logos. She had dragged Dash into a large office on ground level with a large window that overlooked the street. The air was thick with dust, as if the building had been abandoned for several years, despite the fact that it would have been only mere hours since everypony had left. The Guardian's magic was strange... it left her feathers tingling and her muscles tense. There was a pervading sense of wrongness in the air. It was only the sight of the pony beside her that kept Gilda from giving in to the urge to fly away. “Really, Dash, you get me in the worst kinds of trouble,” the griffon chuckled, her claw carefully brushing aside the chromatic mane so that she could look at the pegasus' face. “I haven't seen you passed out like this since we went bar hopping after Junior Fliers. That was so cool!” she laughed quietly. Her chuckles slowly died until all was quiet again. “Why did you tell me to go away, Dash?” She sighed. “You could have asked me for help... I've learned a lot since I got kicked out of Ponyville. Don't get me wrong, I'm still too cool for your lame-o pony friends though.” She glanced down at the calmly breathing pegasus. “Not that you’re awake to appreciate it right now.” She looked out of the window to the streets outside. Everything seemed duller, as if the life had literally been sucked out of everything, even the paint of the buildings. Trees that had been green that morning looked a muted brown, colorful banners and textiles looked like they had hung for years, bleaching in the sun. “Haven't ever seen anything like this before...” she spotted a couple of statue ponies that had been running away from the Guardian, frozen permanently in the middle of the otherwise untouched streets of Canterlot. Gilda shook her head. “So. Completely. Messed up.” As her eyes strayed upwards towards the distant rooftops, she froze. Fall was flying low, searching the streets carefully. Gilda carefully slid back further into the office, just in case, and watched from the shadows as the alicorn flew past. After a few tense moments of eerie silence, she risked another look. No sign of the rusty-red alicorn. She sighed. “You know Dash... I would really like to start over again. What we talked about earlier... it got to me in a big way. So much that I couldn't just leave you. I had to help.” She lay down next to the pegasus. “Dash... thank you for saving me and forgiving me... I was a wreck after I left Ponyville... it took me months to realize why I was acting like that, and then even longer to come to grips with it and the fact that you were now out of reach.” She smiled and chuckled a bit. “That all changed with that crazy Kung-fu pegasus bringing that letter. She still had to beat me up to make me take it but... Dash... I-” Gilda stopped and looked down at the still unconscious pegasus. “I...” She slowly lowered her head until she was able to nuzzle the pegasus sadly. “I wish I was cool enough to say it,” she finally said, sliding down to simply lie there. o.0.o The air rushing around her, Trixie tried with all her might to hold on to her beloved hat, her cape whipping about in the wind. She could see the ground rapidly approaching. She wasn't going to merely hit it. No. First she was going to smash into the side of a building, then her broken body would tumble down to the street below... or perhaps she would hit it hard enough that her corpse would slide down and leave a bloody smear down the building. Either way, she had to figure a way to quickly change her fate and fast. Complicating matters was the fact that she wasn't alone, and the earth pony's screams were distracting her. Applejack was falling along with to her, screaming her lungs out as she kicked her hooves wildly. She couldn't blame the earth pony. After all, she seldom had her hooves off the ground herself. However... “Applejack!” “Oh, Hooorseaappleeees! Celestia dang it!” “APPLEJACK!” The apple farmer looked over at her, eyes wild with fear. “We'll be fine! The Great and Powerful Trixie won't let anything happen to either of us!” The earth pony managed to grab hold of Trixie and shook her wildly. “In case ya haven't noticed, WE’RE ABOUT TO CRASH!” Trixie sighed in exasperation and pointed towards her horn. The orange-coated mare simply blinked at her. “Oh.” Blue energy gathered around her horn and suddenly, a dense mattress appeared on the wall of the building. Both mares crashed onto it with an “oof!” the force of the impact decreased considerably. It was still painful and disorienting as they bounced off of it, but Trixie quickly spotted something else to use. Another flash and a stray cart in the street turned into a mattress right under them as they landed on top of it in a heap. “A m-mattress...? Why a mattress...” Applejack groaned. The blue unicorn simply shrugged. “They're comfy.” Slowly the pair crawled off the mattress and stared around them. The architecture of Canterlot proper was very different from that of the castle. Celestia's home was, and had always been, designed to reflect the magic and might of the alicorn-goddess: spires, careful curves, perfect white walls... the almost random coloration of the turrets. The city, on the other hoof, was a mixture of styles, the many decades it had taken to build it having brought with them ponies of varied architectural visions. Although none of the buildings could be mistaken for quaint, and the structures were mostly masonry, several sections of the city itself were defined by the buildings in them. “What in tarnation...” Applejack growled as she stared up at the buildings. Trixie looked around. The tall buildings, the ornamentations and stonework, the complex designs, arches... “I see that neo-gothic is not your style.” “Neo-what-ic?” the apple farmer asked. “That why all these buildin's here look so creepy?" Trixie merely huffed in response, taken aback by the farm pony’s apparent ignorance. “Just look at the play of light and shadow, the intricate stonework, the magnificent gargoyles! Look at how the buildings seem to reach for the heavens themselves as if trying to grasp Celestia’s sun itself! How can you possibly call such masterworks ‘creepy?’" Applejack gave the magician a deadpan look as Trixie panted from her outburst. “Ah think ya just answered yer question, sugarcube.” Trixie looked away, mumbling something rather crude under her breath. “Well, we should git goin’...” Applejack said, stretching her legs with a slight grimace. “Ah think Ah saw somepony fallin’ a few blocks from here on the way down.” She pointed towards the east. “Sure.” Trixie sighed. She started walking, but stopped when she heard a pained moan and a muffled thump. She looked back and her eyes widened. “Applejack!” She ran towards the orange mare, leaning down to take a look at her. Damn it! I can't let Macintosh’s sister die! She noticed the deep gash on the orange mare's shoulder and grimaced. “How could Trixie have missed that?!” “Ah... ah don't know, sugarcube.” Applejack chuckled. “But, if it makes you feel any better, Ah forgot ‘bout it mahself. Spark healed it a bit ‘fore we all went flying.” “How could you forget about something like that!?” Trixie asked, horrified, looking around. “Trixie thinks that the landing probably reopened the wound.” “Whatcha lookin’ ‘round fer?” Applejack asked slowly, feeling suddenly tired. “Something to bandage you with!” Trixie answered. “Can't you magic up something?” “It's not that simple,” the showmare sighed, “I can transform small objects with my magic, but after a while they will become what they were originally. Look.” She pointed to where the mattress had turned back into a cart with a puff of blue magic. "I can perhaps heal you partially with magic, but I'm afraid healing spells are hardly my speciality." Trixie's horn glowed and blue pinpricks of magic flashed on Applejack's cut. The blood flow slowed down until the injury had completely stopped bleeding. However, unlike Spark's hornwork, the wound was still open. "You could go root around in one of them buildings and-" “No.” Trixie shook her head as she sat down next to the apple farmer. “One of those alicorns is probably going to come for us, or the Guardian will, or something else.” She shuddered at the thought. “I can't leave you alone like this and I don’t think using my magic to move you around will help much while I search.” Applejack smiled and closed her eyes , swaying a bit. “Ah don' know, sugarcube. If y'all don' get a bandage...” A ripping sound made her open her eyes. The farm mare stared as blue magic ripped two long, wide strips of fabric from the bottom of Trixie's cape, then ripped them again so that she had four long strips of the blue fabric. Carefully, the unicorn levitated Applejack just off the ground and then started bandaging her shoulder. The farmer couldn't stop staring as the soft blue material firmly wrapped her wound until it had been bandaged completely. “T-Trixie.” She looked from her shoulder to the unicorn. “You... yer cape...” The considerably shorter cape barely even covered her flank anymore, but the unicorn shook her head. “It's fine.” “But...” “Here. Let me help you up.” The orange mare kept silent as Trixie accepted some of her weight. They started walking slowly towards the east again, Applejack favoring her healthy foreleg and only using the injured one to keep balance. “Thank you Trixie,” the apple farmer said after a moment. “Ah honestly can't say ah ever thought you would do anythin’ like this.” The unicorn chuckled. “The Great and Powerful Trixie you once knew would have never done this.” She looked down at the street, a bit sadly. “The Great and Powerful Trixie was a bit of an idiot. But... I'm just Trixie right now... nothing Great and Powerful about me at the moment.” “Ah don't think-” “I know how I treated you and the others,” Trixie interrupted, “And you weren't the first. Or the last. After Ponyville, I kept doing it. I thought I had to, even more so than before. When I did it to you and your friends, I did it as 'part of the show.’ I never stopped to think how I might have been hurting ponies doing it. After the Ursa Minor, it was to prove to anypony that I could best them in anything, and if I could, then maybe I really could do all I said I could.” “Why... what made you change?” Applejack asked softly, noticing the pained look in the showmare's eyes. “Twilight Sparkle,” Trixie said. “At first...” she added quickly when Applejack raised her eyebrow. “Just a little. She found me a few months after Ponyville. I was about to try and challenge her to combat, but... she brought my cape, hat, notes and books with her. She said she had read some of them...” She smiled softly. “That's our Twilight, alright.” Applejack chuckled. “She seemed to be impressed with my magical technique... I couldn't stay angry at her... at least not to her face. We talked for a long time. We parted on... favorable terms... Although I still saw her as my rival.” She sighed. “When I found the Guardian, I thought it could make me more powerful than ever... that I could go back to Ponyville and... I don't know, challenge Twilight to a friendly match or something.” “And how would you go about doing that?” Applejack asked, raising an eyebrow. “Oh, I'm sure we would have found a way.” Trixie said after a moment. “I mean, there are formal challenges for titles and such. We could have devised a series of complicated tests of skill to find out which of us is the most talented and powerful only to eventually realize that we are almost equal in power.” The apple farmer laughed. “Sugarcube, you really think you could have matched Twilight test for test and even win?” “Of course.” Trixie snorted. “I would have won some and maybe lost some!” Applejack chuckled and shook her head. “W-well, and, that was before Trixie knew that Princess Twilight was an alicorn!” the showmare added defensively. “Besides,” she said, her tone more somber, “the Guardian killed me.” Trixie shook her head as she thought back to it. “Funny how that monster was more helpful to me than anypony ever was. I knew the only pony that could help me was Twilight. So I got a kid to etch a small rune on my wagon and used my magic to get to Ponyville.” She nudged Applejack, who had slowed down, and they started walking again. “Why do you say that the Guardian did you a favor?” the farmer asked after a moment of silence. “Trixie... I was alone. I had nopony to show off to, nopony to talk to. I only had time to think as I made my way and...” she looked down, a rosy tinge on her cheeks, “that’s when I met Big Macintosh.” “Ah was wonderin' how that happened,” Applejack said. “Big Mac was very helpful... just by being there... he was all that Trixie was not,” the showmare continued. “He was kind. He was humble. He listened. He offered to help without expecting any recompense.” Applejack smiled as the unicorn talked about her brother. “I had never met anypony like him. Under other circumstances, I might have thought he was simple... but he's considerate and careful. He never rushed and...” Trixie coughed, “he's pretty nice to look at.” “Whoa there, Sally!” Applejack said, giving the unicorn a glare in mock anger. “That's mah brother yer talkin’ ‘bout!” “He's amazing,” Trixie replied with a smirk, which melted into a warm smile as her eyes looked at something beyond Applejack. “And I never want to be away from him. Ever.” she looked away. “Thanks to him I was able to make it this far without despairing. I was able to face my family... and discover how much I had missed because I by being an obnoxious brat.” The apple farmer took a deep breath. She had seen how much her brother cared for Trixie... and this... this mare standing in front of her was not the unicorn whom she had honestly hated. This Trixie was... likable. Genuine. And, if Applejack was any judge of character, being completely honest. “Ah can tell mah brother loves you, Trixie,” she said eventually, “'For the life of me, ah couldn't figure out why... ’Til now.” She leaned a bit more against the unicorn sisterly fashion. “Ah can't rightly say that I think things will work out or that we’ll even survive this... but fer now, and as long as ya don't raise yer hoof or magic against mah kin... ah welcome you to th' Apple family.” Trixie stopped and stared at the orange mare, eyes shining hopefully, and, yet, part of her was a bit reserved, looking at the apple farmer to see if this was any sort of joke. Applejack smiled through the scrutiny and had to hold back her own tears when the showmare choked on a laugh, her eyes becoming watery. “Thank you, Applejack.” “Call me AJ, sugarcube. All my friends do.” The orange-coated mare smiled. “Now, come on. We need to find the others.” They walked in silence for a time, eyes searching for any clue as to the whereabouts of their friends. Trixie noticed that the apple farmer had a distant look in her eyes. “Something bothering you... AJ?” The orange mare started, then looked at the blue unicorn. “Ah...” she sighed, “Ah'm just comin' to grips with everythin' that's been happening.” “You mean the Guardian?” “Everythin'!” Applejack exclaimed. “The Guardian ah can deal with. It's just a Big Nasty, but we've taken down nasties before. He’s just a mite bigger than the usual...” The earth pony shook her head. “No, it's everythin' else that's botherin' me. Twilight died an' came back t' life... an’ now she's Princess Celestia's daughter!” She chuckled. “Ah always did think that that mare was actin' like a filly tryin' to impress her mama every time she panicked ‘bout the Princess visitin' or when she was late with a report.” She shook her head. “It's a bit much tah take... one of mah closest friends was forced away from her mother an', when they were together, neither of them knew...” Trixie was silent for a moment. “I saw what happened... how much Celestia hated doing what she had to to protect Twilight,” she sighed. “I never really understood the value of family until... well, until I died. Before that it was all about myself, my dreams, how far I would get doing what I wanted. I left my parents behind after a nasty fight with my dad... I just concentrated on being ‘The Great and Powerful Trixie.’” She sighed. “I never imagined the pain my family went through after I left, or how worried they were for me...” Her eyes teared up a bit. “I never knew until they could no longer see me, or touch me, or hear me, that I had a sister, and that I was her hero.” She sighed. “It is ironic that the worst had to happen for me to be the happiest I have ever been in my life.” Her eyes sought out Applejack's. “I know that Twilight must be hurting horribly from her parents' death. And she must be confused and scared regarding what will happen to her now... but I can hope that she will get some respite with the good things that have come out of this.” Applejack smiled sadly and nodded. “Ah hear ya.” She looked up and her eyes widened in fear. “Sugarcube, we have to hide! It's one of ‘em alicorns!” Trixie blinked and looked around wildly. “There!” She pointed to an open doorway. “Hurry!” Both mares galloped as quickly as they could, the earth pony wincing every time her forehoof made contact with the the street as pain shot through her bandaged shoulder. They dove through the doorway just as the alicorn turned their way. The pair did their best to hide under a large dinner table, barely registering that they had run into a restaurant. They didn't even dare to breathe, looking at the doorway and expecting to see a resurrected goddess step into the building, hunting after them. After a tense moment with nothing happening, they exhaled in relief. That is, until the wall was blown apart, revealing amongst the falling debris the form of an amber red alicorn, eyes glowing with malice. A vicious and twisted smile spread across Fall's face as she looked at the two ponies. “You two are so dead.” o.0.o Gilda shifted uncomfortably on the floor, keeping an eye on the still unconscious pegasus. Rainbow Dash was showing no sign of recovery and it was starting to worry the griffon. “Just how long are you going to be out, Dash?” she asked after several minutes of waiting. “Don't quit on me now, you dork! It's the worst possible time!” She sighed, looking out the window at the desolate streets. At least there had been no sign of the alicorn for a little while now. She glanced down at the pegasus. “So...” she looked away. “What you told me earlier... sisters, huh?” A self-depreciating chuckle escaped her beak. “When you told me that... it was weird. I felt kinda happy, but it also...” The griffon flexed her talons idly, still not looking down at the pegasus. “I thought it was obvious... and I thought... maybe...” Gilda shook her head. “Not that it’s bad, being your sister. Or rather being thought of as your sister...” she smiled. “You would have made an awesome griffon, Dash. It would have been easier for us to be sisters then. Clan sisters, at least... It's still possible to be blood sisters. You've certainly proved yourself a true warrior today...” She shook her head. When she heard the explosion and felt the ground trembling slightly, Gilda jumped to her feet. She watched the windows shake as a shiver ran down her back. “Guess the party's started,” she said, looking out at the city. She could see a cloud of dust rising from the west. “It's pretty close.” A shuffling behind her made her turn around. Golden eyes met rose-colored eyes as Rainbow Dash looked up at her silently. “Dash!” Gilda quickly made her way back to the pegasus. “You're okay!” She hugged the filly tightly. “Don't ever scare me like that again!” “Hey, Gilda...” Rainbow Dash grinned. “I'm just glad I managed to save your hide.” The griffon snorted. “I could have handled it myself.” “Yeah, right.” Dash chuckled. “I'm... I'm just glad you're alive.” Gilda said nonchalantly, her eyes betraying her worry. “Hey, I'm okay...” the pegasus said, weakly punching Gilda's arm with her hoof. “I just can't get up. Or fly... or laugh... probably.” Gilda blinked. “How do you know you can't laugh?” "I just have a feeling that'd really hurt... feels like somepony stuck a lamppost through my chest," the pegasus confessed. There was a moment of silence as both stared at each other. Then both started talking at the same time. “Gilda, I-” “Dash-” There was an awkward pause. The griffon motioned for the pegasus to speak first. “You first.” As Rainbow Dash was about to speak, another explosion shook the windows. “The hay was that?!” the pegasus squeaked. “Damn! Forgot about that,” Gilda muttered. “Dash, when we those shadow monsters and brought down Nightmare Flare, this huge thing called the Guardian appeared and sent everyone flying in different directions. I think that's some of your friends fighting the alicorns right now!” “Wait, they’re fighting the princesses now?” “No! The Guardian made four alicorns!” “He did?! He can do that?!” “Yeah!” the griffon said. “Listen, I managed to hide us earlier, but I think they are hunting us now!” “We gotta go help them!” Rainbow Dash yelled out as she struggled to to her hooves, legs trembling as she hobbled a step before subsequently collapsing back down to the floor. “Damn it!” “Dash...” Gilda placed a talon on the pegasus back, keeping her from getting up again. “You rest. I'll help your friends.” “No way! They need me!” Rainbow Dash said, struggling against the weight of Gilda’s talon. “Dash, I will make sure they are okay. “Gilda shook her head. “You can’t even lift my claw. Please, trust me.” The rose-colored eyes met Gilda’s golden ones and slowly gratitude settled in. “Thank you...” "You just wait here while I go save your lame-o pony friends from certain doom," she quipped. "You ain't gonna do me any good rushing it and getting yourself hurt more." Rainbow Dash chuckled weakly. “I'll be there in ten seconds flat. Just you wait.” “I'll be counting,” the griffon replied, smiling as she made her way to the door. “Gilda...” “Yeah?” Rainbow looked at the griffon in the eye. “I... know that a 'sister' isn’t exactly what you wanted...” “Dash-” “No,” the pegasus interrupted. “Let me finish, Gilda. I... I was awake for a while... I heard what you said.” “Oh...” The griffon looked down at the floor. “I feel like an idiot for not noticing...” Dash sighed. “And I regret now that we never talked about it... I... just lost somepony I probably never really had recently, so I dunno if I feel differently about you, knowing how you feel about me... but I’d like to maybe find out.” The griffon's eyes widened. “Do you mean...” “I mean you'd better stay in one piece until I get there to save your tail feathers again. Then we can figure all this out,” Rainbow Dash said tiredly. “I can't promise anything, but... I think we have a lot to talk about.” Gilda's eyes slowly warmed as she nodded. “Fine. I'll see you soon then. Don't leave me hangin’!” “Hey!” Dash shouted as Gilda jumped into the air. “That's my line!” o.0.o Scootaloo flapped her tiny wings as hard as she could. She had managed to grab onto Sweetie Belle, who had grabbed onto Apple Bloom, who had grabbed onto Daisy Sprout. She had then tried to keep them aloft, but the combined weight was far too much for her still developing wings; she could hardly manage to keep herself afloat, much less the combined weight of four fillies. Close by, she could see Misty struggling to right herself as she tumbled through the air. The force of the throw had slowly receded and both pegasi had been able to at least think coherently enough to attempt rescuing the others. Below them she could see a street lined with stores and cafes. It promised to be a very painful landing.. Scootaloo suddenly landed on Misty’s back as the pegasus flew under her taking the weight of the other fillies of off her, before passing under the other crusaders and Daisy Sprout, managing to catch them all. The others were still too scared to do or say anything, but Scootaloo’s gaze quickly turned to Jade and Cinnamon. Jade's horn lit up and several decorative banners, table cloths and tarps were ripped from their homes, stretching in front of her and Cinnamon, each absorbing some of the momentum as the pair hit one after the other, ripping through the fabric until both landed heavily, alive and uninjured, on the street. “That was some quick thinking!” Misty shouted as she landed next to the recuperating unicorns before letting the fillies slide off her back to stand on their own hooves. “Mom!” Daisy Sprout shouted, running into Cinnamon’s waiting embrace. “Jade!” Sweetie was soon to follow, tackling the assassin to the ground. Misty blinked, while Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stood next to her. “She knows the assassin?” “Assassin?!” Cinnamon squeaked in horror, flipping around her embrace to stand protectively in front of Daisy Sprout. “I think we do too...” the younger pegasus frowned, looking at the white unicorn with an inquisitive stare. “I know her voice from somewhere.” Apple Bloom nodded. “Yeah, me too!” Jade looked at both of them, her blue eyes measuring. “I'd rather you not say anything until this is all over.” “What’s the plan, Jade?” Misty asked after a moment. “I don’t know,” the unicorn replied, looking around at the stores. “I can get us back to the plaza but...” she paused to look at the fillies and at the trembling Cinnamon, “I’m not sure that’s the safest place for all of you to be.” “My husband is there...” Cinnamon said, her voice a bit shaky. “I don’t think I could stay behind.” “And we came all the way here to find you and the others!” Scootaloo added. “Ah can’t stay here!” Apple Bloom exclaimed nervously, “Ah need to know find out where mah sister and brother are!” “You might not get that chance,” a voice said, drawing the groups attention to the air, where a white alicorn, covered in a frosty sheen, hovered silently, looking down at them. “If you have something to say, it might be best if you do it now, while you can.” A collective shiver ran down the spines of all present. Winter's eyes never wavered, her tone never turned angry. She seemed, if anything, indifferent towards them. But there was something about the intensity of her gaze that put everypony on edge. “Come to do the Guardian’s bidding?” Jade asked, eyebrow arching. “I am here of my own accord, I assure you,” the alicorn replied. “As for the Guardian... our interests have coalesced in this instance.” “It’s not as if he couldn’t erase you at a moments notice,” Misty quipped from where she stood next to Cinnamon, Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Daisy Sprout, the flier placing herself between the alicorn and the rest. Winter leveled a look at her. “It doesn’t matter as long as I do what I want.” “Sweetie, go stand with Cinnamon and the others,” Jade said, taking a couple of steps forward. She was soon joined by Misty, who stood at attention next to her. The assassin didn't look at the pegasus, keeping her eyes focused on the alicorn before them. “Are you in fighting condition?” “I'm well enough,” the pegasus replied eyeing the alicorn angrily. “I have a lot of frustrations to work out anyways... besides, can't just let you go it alone.” The unicorn nodded, her eyes not leaving the alicorn as she slowly landed a few feet in front of them. The tension grew as the pair faced Winter. “There are ways to kill an alicorn,” Jade whispered to Misty, who looked at her with a bit of trepidation. “But none of them are easy or even a guarantee... let’s hope some of my tricks work.” “Things have changed indeed, if a pegasus and a unicorn think they can stand up to my power all alone,” the alicorn noted. “If you lay down and surrender, I will quickly freeze you to death; it will be a most beautiful end.” “Oh, please, like we would simply give up! We’re Wonder-” Misty coughed, looking down at the uniform then at the unicorn. “I mean, I’m a Shadowbolt and she’s an assassin, we don’t give up!” Winter narrowed her eyes. “Shadowbolt? Never heard of them.” “Ever hear of the Wonderbolts?” Misty ventured. “Were they around over two thousand years ago?” the alicorn asked. “Uh... no, I don’t think so...” the pegasus shifted. “I- I think we started roughly five hundred years ago?” “Well then, I wasn’t around, was I?” Winter tilted her head, ice-blue mane leaving a trail of snow behind. “Why would I know of some relatively new group of pegasi?” “Oh, um... sorry?” Misty shifted uncomfortably. “Don’t be.” the alicorn assured her. “I was deep in slumber inside an infinite void where there was no heat, no sound or light... it was bliss.” “Aha.” Misty slowly turned to look at the assassin with a worried expression. “Jade,” she whispered. “She’s buckin’ crazy! She’s freaking me out!” “I know,” the unicorn whispered back. “I grow tired of this,” the alicorn stretched her wings and looked down at them. “If you truly are to fight me we should get it out of the way,” Winter said. “Don't let her cast anything too powerful,” Jade instructed in a whisper. “If she gathers power interrupt her, no matter what. Smaller spells we can dodge. We’re both fast enough.” “Got it,” the pegasus whispered back. The pair exploded into action, Misty taking to the air as Jade launched herself with incredible speed at the alicorn, her hidden blade springing from its sheath as she stabbed at the powerful creature's chest. Winter did not move, but as soon as Jade was within striking distance, the unicorn felt a blast of cold smash against her. Gritting her teeth, she ignored the sudden pain in her muscles and lunged forth, until her blade clashed with an invisible shield. When frost started to immediately creep up her blade, Jade kicked back off the shield, rolling away and gasping for air, looking in horror from the sphere of almost invisible ice that encased the alicorn to the frozen blade on her hoof. It had been close. Her eyes went to the pegasus as Misty performed a fiery stunt overhead, dragging flames behind her as she struck the shield herself. The pegasus screamed as her forehooves were suddenly encased in ice-crystals; it was only Jade's quick thinking that saved her, as she was grabbed by the unicorn’s magic and yanked away before the frost could reach her muscles. Winter did not move to counter, she just looked at them. “Are you ready to surrender? You have no chance of defeating me.” Jade gritted her teeth under her mask. “Her shield is too strong for me to breach on my own...” she muttered under her breath. “Misty, I have an idea...” Winter watched silently as the two ponies whispered to each other. Her eyes turned to the other unicorn and the four fillies with her. “Will you surrender now and depart painlessly?” she asked of the group. “You leave them alone!” Cinnamon shouted, stepping forward to shield the fillies. “We've done nothing to you!” The alicorn ignored her, igniting her horn as she formed a large icicle just above her floating form before flinging the icy spire at the mare. Cinnamon's eyes widened as the ice speared towards them at an incredible speed. She barely managed to shout in horror before the spear smashed into a shield spell right in front of them. “How?? Winter blinked, feeling like she had missed something. A sudden widening of the eyes of her targets alerted her to an impending attack. With a flash, several icy spears shot towards Jade who weaved through them, easily pulling her hoof back, the metal of the blade flashing as the unicorn stabbed forth. Again the tip barely got to within few inches away from the alicorn before it suddenly stopped as it encountered the shield. The tip sunk into it, but both mares knew that Jade did not have the strength to push it through That was when the Pegasus flew into them, tackling the unicorn forward. The blade broke through as the unexpected force broke the alicorn's concentration and it connected, although at an awkward angle, the sharp tip tracing a bright red arc over Winter's chest as the white alicorn staggered back in surprise. “What?!” Her eyes flashed as her face contorted in anger. “How dare you touch a goddess?!” With a sudden burst of power both, Jade and Misty were in the telekinetic clutch of the now enraged alicorn. With an angry shout, Winter threw Jade aside, flinging her straight at a jewelry store. The unicorn smashed through a window and into several counters inside, smashing into them painfully as the glass cut into her flank. She crashed against the far wall of the store, where another, larger counter collapsed on top of her. The alicorn then turned towards Misty and with a flash of her horn started using her to bat objects out of the street. Trash cans, tables, windows, the pegasus body was used to break or smash anything the alicorn set her eyes on. Winter laughed malevolently at the cries of pain from the pegasus. Misty felt bones snap as her jaw smashed against something. She could feel it break, darkness swimming before her eyes. Winter continued to pummel her against any surface that looked solid enough, but every time she faded out, a jolt would wake her up to the pain. “Oh, you are not escaping this particular experience, little pegasus,” Winter growled, “I’m still punishing you.” As if to prove her point, she slammed the pegasus hard against a wall, holding her there and putting more and more pressure on her. “You made a mistake, challenging me,” Winter said, her eyes fixated on the former Wonderbolt. “Had you accepted your fate, you would have been resting now instead of suffering.” Shaking her head, she flung the pegasus like a rag doll towards the remaining ponies. Misty's body flopped limply as it rolled to a stop at Cinnamon's feet. The unicorn mare recoiled in horror. “And now...” the corrupted alicorn grinned, “To finish this task...” her head lowered as her eyes took in each of them. “This brings back memories... during the cold nights of winter, I would entice young fillies and colts to seek adventure... they would walk through the snow as I slowly made the world around them colder and colder until they would close their eyes...” Winter chuckled. “A slow and painless death that will be denied to you, but I will make sure you beautiful creatures never decay...” o.0.o Trixie and Applejack rounded another corner at a mad gallop, the showmare losing her balance in the sharp turn. She smashed painfully into a wall before forcing herself to catch up with the injured apple farmer. A second later the same corner exploded into pieces, courtesy of a magical blast of energy from a madly cackling red alicorn. “Come on! Come on!” Fall shouted after them. “Why the panic? Why run? You know there's no way of saving your sorry asses other than fighting!” “Trixie loathes the way the obnoxious alicorn speaks,” the showmare muttered through clenched teeth, following Applejack around another building and into an alley. “Never mind her!” the earth pony gasped, wincing. Each time her hoof struck the ground, burning pinpricks of pain shot through her body. “Jus’ focus on running!” It was then that the wall to their right exploded as the aforementioned alicorn burst through it just in front of them. “Peek-a-booo! I see you!” she laughed gleefully. The two mares stumbled in surprise and fell face first to the ground. “BwhaHAHA!” Fall cheerfully shook out her mane, scattering bits of rock and debris all around her. “Fantastic! You two are my bitches now!” “What is she talking about?” Trixie growled. “We are ponies, not dogs!” “Or wolves!” Applejack added. “Trixie hates wolves!” the showmare said, looking truly offended. She narrowed her eyes at Fall. “Are you calling The Great and Powerful Trixie a wolf?” Fall stopped laughing and simply stared at them, dumbfounded. “Insults must have changed a lot since I was last here...” she murmured. “Well, no matter! You're my bitches now, because I say so!” “No. Trixie refuses to be a dog or wolf or anything canine,” Trixie declared, her hoof striking the ground in anger. “And Trixie is also tired of running away from the obnoxious alicorn!” “Oh?” Fall's grin grew. “And whatcha gonna do about it... bitch?” Trixie opened her mouth to answer when a gargoyle statue twice the size of a pony crushed the alicorn. “Wow.” Applejack coughed as she slowly and painfully stood up. “Ah didn't know you had it in you, sugarcube.” “Trixie... didn't...” she looked up as a griffon swooped down from the tall building where other gargoyles decorated the rooftop. “Ah, I do so love Gothic architecture.” Gilda said as she landed next to the two ponies. “Lots of statues to toss about.” “You... You're Gilda!” Applejack's eyes were wide. “Ah, saw you earlier, but I couldn't believe mah eyes!” “That's right!” the griffon smirked. “And you owe me your ass.” Applejack blinked. “No, I don't. He only works at the farm on Tuesdays, and I don't really own him...” “I'm not talking about your bucking donkey!” Gilda smacked her face in frustration. “You know what, never mind. Let's get the hay out of here. You ponies have been too sheltered your whole lives.” The two mares nodded. “Where are we going?” Trixie asked. “To meet with Rainbow Dash, she's-” Her words were drowned out when the floor exploded around her. With a painful shriek, she was slammed and held by invisible bonds against a wall. Laughter filled the air as the dust settled and they could all see Fall floating over a hole in the ground. Her coat was ruffled and she had several scratches and a cut on her face. Blood poured out of the corner of her mouth. “That was a nasty surprise,” she growled. “But now it's payback time, pussy cat.” Whatever was holding Gilda in place pushed her through the wall as Fall smirked. Gilda glared at her as she slowly stood up from the debris. “Bring it on, bitch!” “But she ain't a-” “Shut up!” Both Gilda and Fall shouted, glaring at Applejack before turning their attention back to each other. With a leonine roar, the griffon slammed into the alicorn, both of them crashing painfully against the wall across the street. “Time to teach you a lesson, pussy cat!” Fall shouted as her hoof sent Gilda tumbling back. “And before you die you will have it memorized! You. Do Not. Mess. With. Fall!” Gilda's claws raked the alicorn's shoulder, forcing her equine opponent back a bit. “Two words, you pest: breath mints!” “Trixie feels dirty just listening to those two,” the showmare confessed to the apple farmer as they watched the pair trade blows and insults. They winced as Gilda was sent sprawling into the street. The red alicorn strode past them without even looking at them. “Have you memorized it yet?! You. Do Not. Mess. With. Fall!” Gilda coughed up blood. The alicorn was hardly pulling her punches and in this fight. She knew this was a fight she couldn't win by simply punching back harder. Not that she actually could anyways. Fall smirked as Gilda moved the fight into the air, her own wings batting down to send her up after the griffon. “Trixie, we have to help her!” Applejack said worriedly. “She's tough, but she ain’t gonna last long against an alicorn!” “Trixie knows!” the blue unicorn retorted, then took a deep breath. “Let me think...” Her eyes moved around the streets, searching for an idea or an inspiration. Finally they settled on something laying atop an abandoned food cart. “I... might have a plan.” Above them, Gilda was desperately in need of a plan. Although she was one of the best fliers around, griffon or pony, she was no match for the alicorn, who could simply stop the griffon in the middle of any maneuver, be she upright or upside down, and levitate there only to grab the griffon in a telekinetic hold for some punishment. “Going somewhere?” Fall asked, grinning like a mad mare as Gilda struggled to free herself. “Have you learned your lesson yet? You. Do Not. Mess. With. Fall!” Each word was punctuated by a hoof slamming into Gilda's forelegs, torso and shoulders, pain shooting from each cruel blow. She could feel how each of her bones were about to snap with each hit and realized that the alicorn was pulling her punches, after all. Finally, she broke the hold, just as Fall's latest hit smashed into the back of her skull, and spiraled down, exhausted, to land in the middle of the street. The red alicorn looked upon her with a large smirk on her face. Gilda spat blood and gingerly touched the many places in her body where the alicorn's hooves had impacted. “Damn it all...” “Gilda!” Applejack called, running towards her with Trixie close behind. “We have a plan!” “About bucking time...” The griffon shook her head as her vision grayed out for just a second, but she shook it off. Applejack looked at her worriedly. “Hold on, sugarcube, if this works you can rest all you want...” she gave Gilda an apple. “All you have to do, is force her to eat this.” The griffon shook her head dazedly and stared at the apple. “I- she must've hit my head harder than I thought... I could swear you just told me to feed her an apple.” “That's the plan...” Applejack said, half-smiling, half-wincing. “Trust me. If you can do it, it'll work.” “But you have to do it soon,” Trixie said. “Or-” “Enough talking, you idiots!” Fall’s voice echoed in the street. Suddenly, in the middle of the group, a sphere of light materialized. Trixie's eyes widened. “Everypony, run!” Gilda reacted immediately, picking a pony in each arm, her wings propelling them out of the way just in time. The light exploded, pushing them all further into the air before landing heavily on the ground . Trixie and Gilda looked at Applejack as the earth pony shouted in pain. Her shoulder wound had finally opened again and her leg hung uselessly at her side. She struggled, but couldn't get up at all. “Are you coming up, kitty?” Fall taunted. “Or do I have to go get you?” Gilda clutched the apple in her claws. Her eyes focusing on it while she did her best to ignore the pounding in her head.. “Are you sure this will work?” she asked Trixie. The mare nodded. “Good. If... if I don't make it and you do... tell Dash I'm sorry I broke my promise,” Gilda said as she jumped into the air once more. “I'm coming for you, you useless bag of manure!” The alicorn grinned. “Give me your best shot!” Gilda’s first swipe was vicious, her second less so. The alicorn didn't even bat her wings, she simply dodged out of the way each time the griffon tried to land a hit, until with a sigh, Fall took hold of Gilda's body with her magic. “I'm getting tired of this, canary.” she said with a small frown. “It was fun while you were well enough to put up more of a fight but now...” Fall grinned as her magic broke one of Gilda's hind legs with a dull crack. The griffon howled in pain, barely able to hold on to the apple. The alicorn chuckled. “Now it's time to finish this shit so I can maim those two mares down there sufficiently before killing them. That was always the difference between Celestia and I!” she cried jovially, enjoying the pain she was causing as she snapped every bone in Gilda’s tail. “She was always a defender of life! Me? I don't give a damn!” Gilda took an instinctual swipe at Fall's eyes, actually managing to scratch her face and forcing her head to the side. The red alicorn's eyes focused angrily on the griffon. “Bad move, bitch!” The alicorn's horn was glowing with angry red magic. Fall slammed the semi-conscious Gilda against a wall and dragged her along it with her magic, leaving a bloody smear behind her. The crazed Nightmare laughed as she used her bloodied opponent to paint a red line across the entirety the wall. Finally, she levitated the griffon up to eye level. “You really should learn the difference between a fight you might win and a fight you can never even hope to put up,” the alicorn remarked as she floated the both of them higher up into the air. She leaned in until her muzzle was almost touching Gilda’s beak. “It would have made your short life much simpler. Do you want me to repeat the lesson that you should have learned or did you memorize it already?” She forced Gilda's look at her. “Well?!” It was then that Gilda slammed her claw into the alicorn’s mouth, ramming the apple down Fall’s throat and leaving the Nightmare choking to death.“Yeah, yeah, same thing you've been blabbering about.” Gilda managed to growl, spitting more blood. She smiled at the alicorn. “But, you know what? I don't give a damn!” she shouted in the alicorn's face. The alicorn struggled to get it out. What?! An apple... what the fuh- She exploded. Gilda watched in awe as she fell alongside alicorn chunks and the gargoyle statue that used to be the apple to the streets far bellow. “Cool...” Her eyes closed and she felt everything go dark, missing the light blue aura that wrapped around her. o.0.o Cinnamon gulped and stepped in front of the fillies as they huddled together fearfully, watching as Winter conjured a frigid wind to sweep all around them. The unicorn gritted her teeth as she looked from the fallen form of Misty to the the broken window the assassin had been thrown through. There didn’t seem to be any way to escape, and rescue was unlikely. She turned to face the alicorn, a resolute look in her face. She would do what she could to protect them. “Girls...” she said softly, but loud enough to ensure they would hear. “When Winter and I start fighting, you have to run away, okay?” “Mom...” Daisy Sprout looked fearfully from the alicorn to her mother. Winter took a menacing step forward, but then stopped, startled, as a line of red appeared on her cheek. Blood began to drip from the paper thin cut. She snapped around, dodging an almost invisible projectile that had been flying toward her eye. The object instead cut off a section of her mane, the clean cut lock floating to the ground. Her eyes flashed back to look at the store into which she had thrown Jade, from where another miniature missile shot out. This time the alicorn was ready, and the small object found a shield in its way... which didn’t stop it. Winter staggered back as her leg bled. “That’s impossible!” “No, it isn’t,” a voice emerged from the destroyed shop, followed soon by a figure. “Shields are designed to stop many things, but there is a trick around them... Assassins have grown clever and bold over the years. I'm certain Celestia and Luna would know of this loophole... but you... you were not around to learn of it.” Apple Bloom gasped. “Is that...” She stopped, gasping as she and the others watched as hundreds of gems seemed to levitate out of the store and chain together, snapping and crisscrossing around the unicorn as she stepped out from the broken window. The assassin’s black outfit was tattered, her fur matted with blood; her knife holster had been torn cleanly from her foreleg and the left half her mask was missing, the rest dangling loosely beside her chin. “Sis...” Sweetie whispered. “If you think fancy gem tricks will be enough to defeat me, you’ll find you’re sorely mistaken,” Winter warned, although her voice trembled. “Oh,” Rarity smiled, moving her green-dyed mane away from her face with a hoof, “These are not tricks... there are many ways to kill an alicorn, just not many ponies who know how. And you are a lot less experienced in fighting assassins than Celestia or Luna, not to mention weaker than either...” Like a whip, the gems snapped out, arching in a glittering curve of death. They cut through Winter’s shield like butter, slicing into the alicorn’s side. She tried to jump out of the way, but one of her hooves was stuck in a crack on the floor. A tingling sensation on the back of her neck made her shudder as she pulled herself free. She jumped to the side as the left gem-whip snapped the area where she had just been, cracking the floor with the force behind it. Her wings batted down, trying to lift her up. However, Rarity’s right whip lashed out, wrapping around the alicorn’s left wing, digging into it painfully. The left whip smacked her on the back and withers, leaving bloody trails where they struck. The alicorn blasted Rarity back with cold air, which sealed the ground around the fashionista in ice. The assassin would have surely frozen to death had somepony’s warming spell not saved her. “What?!” Winter was about to turn around to search for the unicorn responsible for foiling her when one of the whips wrapped tight around her neck, digging into her coat and muscle with a sharp pull from Rarity’s magic. A blast of power sent the gems flying, only to come back together at the white unicorn’s call. Winter jumped, and as she fell back, conjured a miniature blizzard which whipped around Rarity, the sleet and winds both cutting her and breaking her concentration. Winter again had the feeling that something was not right, but she ignored it, concentrating on the deadly unicorn before her. Angrily stomping a hoof on the ground, she sent a freezing wave of water and ice towards the assassin. Instead of retreating, as her numerous opponents in the past had, the white unicorn galloped towards the ice and jumped up at the last second, letting the icy water pass bellow her, freezing everything. Landing on the ice with more grace than the alicorn expected, the assassin slid forward towards her, both whips lashing out in complicated patterns. “How are you able to do that?” the alicorn demanded. Rarity smirked as one of her whips drew blood on the furious alicorn with a painful sounding snap. “We’ve been wrapping up winter without you for many generations! It’s practically a celebration these days!” Winter recoiled, the words stinging her pride. “You believe you can wrap up MY winter? You foal!” The alicorn jumped into the air, barely avoiding Rarity’s whips as they smashed into the ground. “Don’t you dare make little of me!” A cold blizzard whipped around Rarity, pushing her back. Although the assassin could feel somepony’s magic trying to keep her warm, she couldn’t stop shuddering as the winds pressed her back. “I am Winter, I revel in the freezing air devoid of warmth!” the alicorn shouted in anger. “I will seep the heat out of your body until even the marrow in your bones is completely frozen!” And, for the first time, Rarity truly believed it. Her concentration broke as she sought to warm herself with her magic. The gems clattered to the ice-covered floor as the assassin found her attempts to keep herself from freezing almost completely useless. Nightmare Winter grinned manically, her calm facade completely gone. “Feel the cold sap away your will to live! Die knowing the folly it is to challenge a goddess!” Rarity gasped, falling to her knees, her breath clearly visible as it was swept away by the freezing wind. She could hear Sweetie and the others shouting her name in horror, but there was little she could do... her eyes felt heavy... Winter started laughing as she saw the assassin start to give up. “Die you little upstart! I’ll-” She was interrupted as something slammed into her back, and smashed her into the ground face first, horn scraping painfully on the concrete at the side of the street. Batting the weight off of her with her wing, she turned around, spitting out a tooth to look at her attacker. “Impossible!” she shouted as her eyes grew wide. Misty panted painfully, her body covered in blood and bruises, but very much still alive and standing if only barely. “I broke each of your bones!” the alicorn struggled to get up. “How did you?!” her eyes darted to the small group of fillies and the one adult unicorn. “You!? But how?” She felt a shiver as she saw the eyes of the ponies widen in surprise and horror, most of the group turned away in anticipation. Winter snapped her head around at that, just in time to see Rarity’s hoof, enveloped in a glowing, gem-made dagger, plunge into her chest and through her heart. Rarity stared into Winter’s eyes as the shock and anger slowly faded, leaving behind sad ice-blue eyes. “Thank you...” Winter whispered to the unicorn as polluted energy seemed to evaporate around her and her body returned to its original shape. “It- it’s good to see you little ponies have come so far without us...” she coughed and looked at the assassin with hard eyes. “Bring that bastard down...” Rarity nodded slowly. “I’m sorry.” “Don’t be... my time has been done for a while... finish it.” Winter closed her eyes as her horn flashed. The assassin hesitated before closing her eyes. Her horn lit anew with magic as the gems embedded inside the alicorn tore through her in all directions. What was left of Winter’s body fell to the floor before Rarity’s hooves. Misty’s breathing slowed as Cinnamon ran up to her, horn alight as she cast a simple healing spell. Rarity sighed, her hoof going into a small pocket in her uniform that had somehow survived Winter’s attacks. Pulling out a small purple sphere. The small object glowed in time with the unicorn’s magic, and slowly began changing color into jade-green as Rarity’s hair shifted back her usual purple hue. As she dismissed the spell that kept her hair green, she slumped down, with a sigh. She was suddenly mobbed by Sweetie, Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. The latter two were crying in both horror and relief. “Sis! Are you okay?!” she heard Sweetie ask as she hugged the fillies back. “For now, Sweetie... we’re okay,” she whispered, closing her eyes as the fillies cried into her coat and mane. Something cold landed on her nose and she opened her eyes. Small specks of white fluffy snow fell all around them as the remains of Winter slowly dispersed into the wind. “That... that was horrible...” Scootaloo said, barely able to stop shaking. “And... gory...” “How did you do that?!” Sweetie asked in awe. “I didn’t think anything could break an alicorn shield!” Rarity gave her sister and odd look. “If you infuse the gems with an air-vacuum spell, it activates on touching the shield and sucks the magic into the gem... in other words, you send it through the shield, but you are not breaking it, really.” “Did mah sister know who you were all this time?” Apple Bloom asked. “Not until very recently,” the unicorn chuckled as she stood and looked at Misty, who was struggling to also stand. Cinnamon and Daisy Sprout were helping the pegasus as best they could, but the injuries were still fresh and she could hardly keep her balance. “We have to go back... the others might be fighting these monsters too... and the Princesses will be fighting the Guardian,” the fashion designer/assassin said after giving them a moment to collect themselves. The former Wonderbolt nodded, her legs shaky, but her eyes steady. Cinnamon however, looked a bit dubious. “But what about...” she motioned towards the fillies. Rarity cringed, but sighed. “They have to come with us... at least to the plaza... while we were in the air I managed to look around a little, everything here is surrounded by the Guardian’s magic... I doubt they could make it out even if they reached the edge.” “But...” Cinnamon shifted uncomfortably; she was a mother, not a warrior. “The Guardian...” “I know,” Rarity sighed. “I don’t want to bring them but... can’t you feel it? Whatever the Guardian did to Canterlot, it wasn’t just to make it look abandoned and decrepit. There’s something lurking here... it feels as if the city itself is waiting to pounce on us.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking back at the worried mother. “Cinnamon, I’d rather Sweetie and the others were near us just in case.” The mare looked down at her daughter. “Mom... Trixie will be there,” Daisy Sprout said. “She’ll protect us.” Releasing a long breath, Cinnamon nodded slowly, with a tiny smile. “Let’s go find your sister.” Rarity nodded. “This way, we’ll cut through Old Town.” o.0.o Rainbow Dash slowly stood up. Her whole body ached, and she couldn’t help but wonder if she had broken anything. Taking a deep breath, the cyan pegasus slowly walked towards the door. Although she needed the rest, the urgency of her friend’s need and the fact that the silence was starting to freak her out, were good enough excuses to get her going. Each step, although painful, was in itself a relief. She could still walk and as soon as she got out of the building she would feel much better. She looked back at the desks. The shadows stretched away from them, in the same position they had been before. However, she couldn’t shake the feeling that they were somehow creeping up on her. She nudged the double glass doors open with her head and sighed. The street was a bit better than the inside of the building but not by much. The shadows still made her feel leery and the air seemed thick with anticipation. For what, she could not tell, but it made her feathers fluff nervously. “Careful, careful...” The voices startled her. Rainbow Dash quickly turned around, immediately recognizing Applejack’s voice. The sight that greeted her was unexpected. Trixie was pulling a cart down the street. Inside it, Applejack was focused on holding something with her hooves. “Careful, Trixie! She ain’t doing so well!” “Trixie- I know!” the showmare replied. “I’m trying to keep it steady but it is a cobblestone street! It is bumpy by definition!” The unicorn looked up and locked eyes with Rainbow Dash. “We’ve found her!” “Really?” Applejack looked up at Rainbow Dash. The earth pony felt a rush of joy to see her friend alive. “Applejack!” the cyan pegasus started walking slowly towards them. “I’m glad to see you... I thought... Gilda went out to find you and-” “She’s here, Dash...” Applejack interrupted, the thought of the griffon stealing the smile from her face. Rainbow Dash felt her blood run cold at Applejack’s suddenly somber look. Almost forgetting just how much her body hurt, she galloped to the cart, running around it until she could see inside. “Oh, Nightmare Moon help us...” Dash whispered in horror. “Sh- shouldn’t that be, ‘Ce-Celestia’ help us?” Gilda hacked up blood, but somehow managed to smile. “Gilda... what the hay did you do?!” the pegasus asked, carefully nuzzling the griffon. “Ouch...” Rainbow Dash immediately stopped nuzzling her. “Sorry...” “Dash I-” Gilda coughed again, spitting more blood. “I- I’m glad that I got to see you once again...” she trailed off, her breathing sharp for a few seconds as she seemed to stare past the pegasus. With a slow shake of her head, she focused back on Rainbow Dash. “Dashie I... would be honored if you would... if you would...” “Anything, Gilda...” The cyan mare carefully took Applejack’s place as the earth pony and the unicorn stepped away to give the pair room. “... Dashie...” Gilda’s talon slowly came up until she was holding the pegasus’ front hoof. Rainbow bit back a sob. The strain was evident in her friend’s body, she could barely feel any strength in the deadly talons. She was loosing her. “Dashie...” Gilda repeated softly, her eyes warming as she looked up at the pegasus. “You’re beautiful... I- I want you to be my sister... that’s all we can be now, so close... now that I’m leaving you...” “N-no!” The pegasus couldn’t hold back the tears this time. “I just got you back! It’s not fair!” She stopped when she noticed the griffon had closed her eyes. “Gilda! GILDA!” Very slowly, weakly, the eyes slid open, only half focusing on Rainbow Dash. “... Geez, Dashie... you- you don’t have to be... so loud...” “I’m sorry...” Dash slowly held the griffon tighter, but Gilda did not protest. “Wha... was I sayin’?” Gilda asked, her head slowly leaned to the side, resting on Rainbow Dash’s chest. “Y-you wanted m-me to be... your sister-” the pegasus managed to choke out. “B-blood sisters.” Gilda said with a minuscule nod and a decisive smile. “I’ve plenty... of... of blood, y’see...” Rainbow gritted her teeth as her friends’ words slurred. “I- yes... I can’t wait to see how the other one ended up...” the pegasus forced out the joke, knowing the griffon would appreciate it. She wasn’t disappointed. “H-hah... yesh- yeah... well y’vta pick up her... pieces y’see she... exploded...” Dash simply closed her eyes and nodded. “Dashie...” “Yes?” “Do you love me?” “Yes.” “Be my sister then...” “... it will be my honor.” From a few feet away, Applejack and Trixie watched as Rainbow Dash used the Shadowbolt pin to slash her front leg and pressed it against an open wound in Gilda’s chest. The words they whispered were too quiet for them to hear, but they could see Rainbow Dash listening carefully and nodding from time to time, answering twice, always staring directly into the griffon’s eyes. Finally, she separated the open wounds and gathered her broken sister into her forelegs. It took them a moment to realize that only Rainbow Dash was moving at all, her body shaking violently. They walked up to them until they stood silently behind the pair. Rainbow Dash leaned against the side of the cart, eyes closed tight, teeth clenched as her hooves held Gilda’s body against her; the griffon’s head resting back on the pegasus’ shoulder. They didn’t say anything. Rainbow Dash cried.. o.0.o End Chapter 20 o.0.o A/N: I would really like to thank my many friends who helped me write this chapter and continue to support me. And I say friends because calling them mere ‘editors’ doesn’t do them justice... so, UnderstatedHyperbole, Fifth Alicorn, Stephen Cawking, Magical Trevor, Orpheus, NAGU360, Dragryphon... thank you all for your constant help and patience! And also thank you, readers for your patience and support too! I hope you enjoyed the new chapter! ~WD

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-04-29T04:00:11+00:00

2015-03-29T06:00:49+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 21 By Wanderer D o.o.0.o.o An alicorn stood in the street, watching with an amused smirk as her opponents shuffled nervously. Twilight Sparkle gulped as she took half a step back, wings flaring in alarm. At her side, Twilight Spark grit her teeth nervously. Big Macintosh, still battered and hurt from his battle with the shadow chimera, stepped in front of a trembling Fluttershy protectively. “Well, brainiac, any ideas?” Twilight Spark whispered to Twilight Sparkle. “Yes, I think so, Twi- Spark,” Twilight Sparkle stammered. “Can we decide on a way to call you that is not my name? It feels weird.” Twilight Spark rolled her eyes. “Just call me Spark for now, otherwise we’ll spend too much time arguing about that and end up naming me something stupid, like ‘Dawn’ because I’m your opposite. And we don’t have time for that.” Twilight nodded. “Okay then... perhaps if I- wait, I don't have magic! I don't know what to do!” Twilight Sparkle started to shift from hoof to hoof nervously. “Maybe we can run away?” “Stop panicking!” Spark snapped, then faced the Nightmare Alicorn in front of them. “We have to form a plan...” she muttered. “And keep in mind that we’re the only thing standing in between it and them,” Spark reminded the former unicorn, gesturing to Mac and Fluttershy. “Ah can still fight!” Big Macintosh gasped, his battered muscles trembling in protest as he attempted to puff out his chest. Summer snorted. “Sure you can.” Fluttershy peeked from behind Big Macintosh. “Um... we could hide?" she offered, cringing as the alicorn turned to look at her. “Maybe, if you hadn’t said that aloud,” Summer said, rolling her eyes. “So...” Spark began, narrowing her eyes. “Are you going to kill me or are we just going to keep making small talk?” Summer grinned. “Do you want me to kill you? Because I can all too easily grant your wish.” Spark growled. “You can try! You’ll find me a lot tougher than you might think!” “I doubt that,” Summer snorted. “Between you and the pegasus, there’s not much you can do.” She then gestured at Macintosh with a foreleg, her expression unreadable. “And handsome over there is barely able to stay on his hooves.” After a moment, Fluttershy peeked from behind Big Mac again. “Um... what about me?” Summer stared silently at Fluttershy. The pegasus’ face slowly disappeared behind Big Mac again. “So,” the alicorn coughed. “What’s it going to be? Are you going to fight? Lay down and surrender?” The reply came in the form of a lightning bolt slamming into her. “What?!” Twilight Sparkle cried in shock, staring at Spark. She winced at the blinding light. “Princess Celestia told me never to use that spell unless my life depended on it! We should only use battle-magic as a last resort!” “Well, just what type of situation do you think you’re in, Twilight?” Spark snarled, smacking the back of Twilight’s head with her hoof as her horn summoned a second and third lightning bolt before it became a veritable lightning storm. “I can’t believe you and I used to be the same pony! That is intolerably naive of you!” “Hey! I’m just uncomfortable with it, okay?” Twilight rubbed the back of her head, but stopped when she noticed that Spark’s horn started glowing even brighter. “Wait... why did that-” “Oh, that was excellent!” Summer laughed as the lightning storm stopped. Summer shook her head, smiling sadly. “You even caught me by surprise! But, I’m sorry to say that you were doing it all wrong.” Electricity gathered in large, crackling quantities around her. “Here, let me show you how it’s done!” The alicorn’s cutie mark began to glow brightly. Twilight Sparkle raised a hoof in alarm. “Wait!” She cried. “Wait, I have a question!” “Make it quick!” Summer growled, starting to glow with electric power. “Isn’t there some other way out of this? We don’t have to fight!” Twilight Sparkle said, eyes pleading. Summer blinked. “Don’t be stupid!” Spark snapped. “The hay, Twilight! They’re Nightmare Alicorns brought back to life by the Guardian! You don’t reason with them! What are you trying to do? Make friends?” “I um...” Twilight looked down and scratched the floor with her hoof nervously. “I was thinking they might be family...” Spark returned her stare blankly. “You know,” Twilight became smaller. “Like Princess Luna and Princess- mom are sisters? I thought they might also be part of my family?” “Princess Mom?” Summer asked with a small smirk. “I never heard of her... and you say she’s Luna’s sister?” “She means Celestia, you dimwit!” Spark groaned. “She’s learning how to call her mom!” Summer looked back to Twilight. “Wait, so... you’re saying we’re family?” She narrowed her eyes. “You don’t have a horn, but there is a lot of magic in you...” Twilight shot a quick glance at Spark, who glared back. “Oh...” Summer frowned after a moment, realization finally dawning on her. The pegasus and the unicorn seemed awfully similar. “So that’s how it is...” Summer cleared her throat. “Well then... um, niece... you do know you have to kill the anomaly right?” “The wha-” Spark sputtered. “How dare you call me that, you undead freak?!” Twilight arched an eyebrow. “Is this common practice?” she asked after a moment. “Nightmare Moon said the same thing.” “Oh, it’s happened before.” Summer nodded. “It happened to Spring... She was never quite the same again.” Fluttershy raised her hoof to call attention to herself and wincing the moment it was granted. “Um... sorry... I don’t want to interrupt but... I mean...” She paused. “I guess I do mean to interrupt but... I was wondering... um...” “Out with it!” Summer snapped tiredly. “I- I just wanted to know why you’re being so nice and talking to us instead of killing us?” “Eeyup,” Big Mac echoed the sentiment. Summer sighed, letting the electricity fade into the air. “I have no interest in fighting you... you’re weak.” “I’m what?” Spark’s eyebrow twitched in annoyance. “Weak. As in the opposite of strong,” the alicorn clarified. “I know what the word means!” Spark shouted, glaring at Summer. “I am not weak!” “You are strong in magic,” Summer granted. “But you are not capable enough with it to challenge me... in fact, you are siphoning the magic from Twilight here. You were not extracted out of her as much as... grown out of her, weren’t you?” Twilight Sparkle blinked. “What do you mean by extracted?” Summer chuckled. “That’s what Spring did so long ago, even before she was turned into a Nightmare. She decided to take out all the evil inside of her and cast it aside... what she didn’t realize is that she would end up splitting herself in two and that only one half would have the horn. It was a mess, let me tell you.” “But... why would she do that?!” Twilight asked, appalled. “Well... it was shortly after Winter had become a Nightmare and Celestia, Luna, Spring and I had to take her down...” Summer looked towards the plaza. “Celestia and Luna were not as powerful as they are now... I think at this point in time, either of them could take all four of us at the same time...” her gaze went back to the group. “But back then, we were all roughly equals in power. Spring was so scared that she might be next that she decided to purge all of the evil from herself and unwittingly created a unicorn that was, well, completely evil... Darkness Void.” Twilight Sparkle gasped. “Darkness Void?!” “You... know of her?” Summer asked, surprised. “That happened several hundred years before I was turned into a Nightmare.” “I... read about her; she was already a legend when Starswirl the Bearded was just a colt.” “Meaning that it is completely irrelevant right now,” Spark interjected, ignoring the sour glare she earned from Twilight. Spark, instead, glared at Summer. “Well, if you’re not fighting us, what now?” Summer smiled ferally. “Now I find a stronger opponent to fight! Somepony particularly vicious.” o.0.o With a mighty push of magic, Nightmare Moon broke free of the Guardian's telekinetic hold. The Guardian roared in fury as Celestia followed her sister's lead and released herself from his grasp. “Guardian, this is your last chance!” Celestia called. “Give up now or-” She stopped in surprise as a sphere of dark-blue magic, enveloped in black lightning, shot past her and slammed into the Guardian's face, making it rear back. “Don't waste your time arguing with this monster!” Nightmare Moon snapped. “Look at what it just did! Celestia, you are too soft!” Celestia gritted her teeth. “And you are too eager to fight!” Both sisters flew out of the way as a huge claw, large enough to catch both of them at the same time, attempted to do just that. “We will settle this later,” Celestia sighed. “This creature has indeed crossed the line.” Her eyes lit up with a blinding white light. Nightmare Moon flapped back frantically as the sky was pierced by a white column of light coming straight from the heavens. It struck the invisible barrier that had encased the city, but soon forced its way past it. The Guardian howled in rage and pain as the scorching energy of the Sun washed over it. Its mental screams made both Princesses wince in pain. Celestia narrowed her eyes as she slowly let out her breath and the light subsided. “That was-” Nightmare Moon never finished her sentence as a huge chunk of red-hot rock slammed into her. Both crashed noisily against a building, which immediately fell on top of her. Celestia stared in shock as the Guardian, charred black by the column of heat, waded its way out of a pool of molten rock. “That will not be enough to defeat me!” the Guardian growled, arms raised as its multiple eyes shone with malevolent red energy. The molten rock around him flowed into the air for a second, the heat alone making the air around him shimmer. It then shot out, faster than the eye could see, towards Celestia. Weaving and banking under the serpentine molten rock, Princess Celestia thought frantically of her next move. But as the bright red lava coiled around her, she knew she could only concentrate on dodging for now. She turned to her left, but the way was already barred by the molten rock. She hesitated for a split second, which was enough for the Guardian to crush her with all the lava it could pile on her. The molten rock splashed down across the plaza, burning away the remains of the gallows and washing over stone-turned ponies. The Guardian watched, a grin cracking the scorched flesh around its muzzle, as Celestia stood slowly, her legs shaking as the lava slowly dripped down around her body. “I-” she gasped. “I will not succumb to something like this!” Her body glowed as the rock superheated around her and dripped onto the floor. When she released her spell, her coat was singed, but the damage was considerably less than what the Guardian had received. A sudden blast of dark energy slammed into the guardian’s chin, snapping its gargantuan head back. The crackling ball of black magic faded to reveal a slightly disheveled Nightmare Moon, glaring angrily at the creature. “You should have stayed hidden, Guardian,” Nightmare Moon growled. “You aren’t even half as competent in direct combat!” The Guardian slowly lowered its head, the charred skin falling away to reveal untouched scales beneath. Nightmare Moon rubbed her temple exasperatedly. “You have got to be kidding me.” She darted out of the way, barely avoiding a swiping claw, and landed next to Celestia, who eyed the Guardian warily. “When I cut the strands he had attached to both of us, his abilities should have been brought down a peg or two...” Nightmare Moon muttered. “Take heart, sister...” Celestia glared at the creature. “We are causing damage. He’s just playing with us, trying to make us think that our efforts are for naught.” Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed to glare at the monstrosity. “Then let us make him regret his audacity.” Both alicorns shot into the air, circling around the Guardian from different directions, one leaving a trail of pure light, the other of sheer darkness. They flew and spun around the behemoth several times before pulling away and, in the process, tightening the trails around him. The creature roared in pain as the twin trails burned its arms, chest and back. With nary an effort, its arms broke free, smashing the unsuspecting Celestia onto the hard ground. “Sister!” Nightmare Moon shouted in surprise. She barely dodged the Guardian’s other claw as it swiped at her. Creating a lance of pure black energy, she shot it straight through the Guardian’s claw. She took advantage of the Guardian’s pained roar to charge him, driving her horn through its scaly hide as a searing hot blast behind her alerted Nightmare Moon of her sister blasting her way free of the creature’s grasp. “Fool!” Nightmare Moon challenged as her horn blasted pure destructive nergy into the Guardian’s body. “You are no match for us! Even if you regenerate, you take far more damage than we do!” The Guardian responded to her taunts by grabbing Nightmare Moon with one of its injured claws. The blood dripping from it coagulated into tendrils that wrapped around the alicorn and squeezed. Nightmare Moon shouted in a mingle of pain and surprise as she felt the magic being leeched out of her by the Guardian. “Luna!” Celestia shouted, a beam of white light shot from her horn, slicing through the tendrils. The moment Nightmare Moon felt the drain stop, she created a force-field around her body that slowly expanded, forcing the claw open wide enough for her to fly out just before the Guardian slammed his palms together. “That...” Nightmare Moon panted, “that was close...” “What happened?” Celestia asked, panting as well. “It seemed like you had suddenly lost the will to fight for a moment!” Nightmare Moon shook her head as she followed her sister out of the Guardian’s reach. “He did something... he started absorbing my energy! The Princesses gasped as the Guardian’s laughter echoed in their minds. “But-” Nightmare Moon gasped. “How?!” “Foolish Princess, I established another link to your souls when I touched you,” the Guardian’s voice taunted. “... you will now die, and feed me...” “We... we must break the link!” Nightmare Moon growled as she crashed on the hard floor. Celestia landed next to her and fell promptly to her knees. “But... how?” The Guardian chuckled in their minds as it slithered up to them. “You can’t. At least, not before I drain you completely.” o.0.o “I hate the fact that she’s watching us. She could attack anytime she wanted to,” Spark growled, keeping her eyes ahead. “Well, it seems she really doesn’t want to kill us,” Twilight mused. “I wonder why that is? How come Nightmare Moon and Summer can control themselves and the others can’t?” “Who cares?” Spark snorted. Her eyebrow rose as she noticed a new sight. “Hey, isn’t that one of the Wonderbolts?” Twilight smiled, waving her hoof. “Soarin’!” The Wonderbolt jumped when he heard his name, and he and the two unicorns with him looked at the group in surprise. “I’m glad you made it, Soarin’!” Twilight sighed in relief. “When we all got separated I feared the worst!” “Well, I managed to catch Mr. Golden Cross and Paper Craft here,” Soarin’ said, motioning at the two unicorns. “We were wondering what to do now...” “We should get everypony together and go help my mother,” Twilight said after a moment. “She might need the Elements of Harmony to stop the Guardian, and that won’t happen if we’re all over the place.” “That’s assuming everypony survived, which is a pretty far stretch,” Spark muttered. “Um,” Fluttershy peeked out from behind Big Macintosh. “Maybe we should keep going? It can’t be a good idea to stay in one place... I think...” “The Shadowbolt Commander is right,” Soarin’ somehow said with a straight face. “We should move along.” “Yeah, let’s get going, sis,” Spark snorted. “Wait... I hear something!” Twilight exclaimed, raising her hoof. “What do you think it is?” Fluttershy asked, now hiding behind Twilight. “I’m not sure...” Twilight said as the group slowed down. “But we should prepare an ambush, just in case.” “Oh, look at you!” Spark smirked. “All brave in the face of danger! It seems I’m rubbing off on you...” “I think it’s a good idea,” Soarin’ muttered. “Why didn’t I think of that?” Big Mac glanced at Golden Cross and Paper Craft. “You two better hide, just in case it’s something dangerous.” “I refuse!” Golden Cross shook his head. “You might need a healer if this turns ugly! You’re barely standing on your own as it is! Let me help!” Twilight and the others exchanged glances, but at a nod from Twilight, Big Mac relented. “Paper Craft, go hide for now,” Soarin’ instructed. The young unicorn was about to reply when he caught the stallion’s eyes. Cringing, he nodded and walked into a nearby alley. Paper Craft stepped into the alley slowly, his eyes searching for hidden enemies. “Celestia...” he muttered as his eyes widened. In front of him stood two statues of two very familiar ponies. “I guess you didn’t make it out in time,” Paper Craft said softly, walking up to the stone effigies of his mother and father. His teeth ground against each other as anger coursed through his veins. A flash of his sister falling, the sound of her neck snapping. His father stepping over her broken lyre. “You deserved it...” he whispered. o.0.o Outside, the group had vacated the main street and waited apprehensively as the noise that Twilight had heard became more obvious. It sounded rickety, followed by scratches of stone against something else. Twilight and Spark looked at each other, ready for action. “Ah keep tellin’ ya, Ah’m worried about Dashie,” Applejack’s voice reached them. “She hasn’t woken up yet since Gilda...” “I know,” Trixie sighed. “But, she’s still recuperating and the emotional stress was probably too much...” “Trixie!” Golden Cross shouted, jumping out of hiding and trotting up to the showmare, who was strapped to a wagon containing Applejack. Twilight and the others also emerged from their hiding spots and slowly approached the mares. “Applejack, are you-” Twilight gasped as she noticed her friend stroking Rainbow Dash’s mane. The cyan pegasus, breathing shallowly and moaning in discomfort, lay next to Gilda. “She ain’t waking up,” Applejack reported, turning to Twilight. “Ah’m sorry, Twi. Ah don’t know what to do other than keep her company... and watching for the dead.” “Oh, Applejack...” Twilight tried to swallow the lump in her throat. A soft glow enveloped Applejack and levitated her out of the wagon. She gasped in surprise when Spark hugged her. “Twilight Spark...” “Just call me Spark... I’m glad you’re okay...” Spark whispered. Applejack sighed and leaned in just a bit, closing her eyes. “Thank you.” Trixie and Golden Cross approached Twilight, who was trying to figure out how Rainbow Dash was doing. “Let me take a look,” the elder unicorn suggested as he stepped onto the wagon. His horn lit up with a soft white light that enveloped Rainbow Dash. Twilight and Trixie hovered over him until the light died down. “Well, she’s okay...” Golden Cross breathed at last. “I cast a couple of healing spells. She’s in no danger of dying anytime soon, but she definitely needs rest. She’s more exhausted than anything. I imagine her battle took a lot of energy out of her and I suspect that the stress of her friend dying was too much for her.” Twilight looked at Trixie. “How did Gilda...” She couldn’t bring herself to say it. Trixie shook her head. “She fought Fall head on... I managed to devise a plan to stop the blasted monster, but Gilda had to get close to her and...” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Twilight, this is as much my fault as hers...” “Now don’t say that!” Applejack rebuked, looking up from her embrace. “Ah was there, Trixie. If you hadn’t done that, and if Gilda hadn’t helped us, we would all be dead, includin’ Gilda and Rainbow. It was just a matter of time before Fall found them.” Trixie turned away until her eyes settled on Paper Craft, who walked out of the alley apparently realizing that there was no danger. “I know you; you’re Lyra’s brother...” She cringed. Yet another failure. Paper Craft nodded. “I never got to thank you for helping me stand up to my parents.” Trixie sighed. “It... it was the least I could do.” “Trixie...” The showmare’s heart skipped a beat as she turned around, her eyes going wide as she saw Big Mac slowly making his way to her. He looked tired and in pain as he limped forward, but his eyes were alight with unbridled happiness. “Macintosh!” Trixie quickly trotted up to him and hugged him, kissing his lips and cheek before embracing him. “You’re okay! Thank Nightmare Moon!” “There’s something I never thought I would hear my child say,” Golden Cross muttered. “Father,” Trixie said, leading Big Mac up to Golden Cross. “This is Big Macintosh, of the Apple family. He... it’s thanks to him that I’m here. He helped me so much... I thought you would like to meet him.” Golden Cross gave Big Macintosh a look. “We met recently.” Big Macintosh fidgeted nervously under the very serious appraisal he received. “So far he’s been a calm and straightforward pony, willing to help, and bears a remarkably strong will,” Golden Cross remembered, looking at his daughter. “I have seen his diligence and love for his work at the market... I couldn’t have picked a better stallion for you if I had tried, Trixie.” Trixie beamed. “Thank-” Fluttershy meeped, drawing everypony’s attention to her as she stared at the grinning face just in front of her. “Don’t worry, little one. It will be your last mistake...” Spring whispered ominously as smoke came from within her mouth. The other ponies froze in surprise. Nopony had seen her arrive. “Well, well, well...” Spring sneered, her hoof tracing Fluttershy’s jaw, enjoying the feeling of the trembling pegasus and the way Fluttershy’s eyes watered with even more tears. “What have we here?” Fluttershy whimpered, paralyzed from fear as the alicorn slowly circled her. Spring looked over Fluttershy’s shoulder at the others. “So, you managed to kill Fall?” she snorted. “That won’t help you... she was deranged; she didn’t know right from left. She would walk into a trap even if it had a large warning sign. Defeating her is no big deal.” “Get away from Fluttershy,” Twilight growled. “Or what?” Spring taunted, whispering into Twilight’s ear. “What could you ever do to me, little pegasus?” Twilight tried to leap at the alicorn, but found herself frozen in place by Spring’s magic. She tried to speak, but the same spell prevented her from talking. She gazed across to Fluttershy, her eyes widening slightly when she noticed her friend was paralyzed with the same spell. “Oh, don’t be too scared,” Spring cooed, nuzzling Twilight’s neck. “That’d be no fun!” “How about you face us like a real alicorn and we show you how scared of you we aren’t?” Spark growled. “Oh, I will,” Spring replied as her horn shone brighter. “Just after I kill-” Suddenly something hit the side of her muzzle, drawing blood and stopping her diatribe. Twilight stumbled forward when the field holding her in place disappeared. Applejack managed to catch Fluttershy. Spring glared as another pegasus, two unicorns, and three fillies came into view. “I wouldn’t do that, dear. You would really regret touching a strand of hair from any of my friend’s heads,” Rarity warned. Her horn shimmered with light as thousands of bright little objects levitated around her. “We’ll see...” Spring said, suddenly disappearing under a cloaking spell. “Won’t we?” she asked as she appeared behind Rarity. The alicorn’s eyes widened and she ducked under a fast kick from the fashionista, and then jumped up to avoid the line of diamonds and gems that followed. Spring ducked suddenly, barely able to dodge the blade of air that slashed where her head had been a moment ago. “Damn,” Spark muttered. “You’ll need to do better than that, little po-” Spring’s gloating was interrupted by somepony slamming hard into her back . She cried out in pain and surprise as she was violently slammed against the floor. “How’s that for a change?” Summer laughed as she landed next to her fallen sister. She looked at the most recent group of ponies. “Hm... you two seem interesting...” She grinned at Rarity and Sweetie Belle, who exchanged a worried glance. “Perhaps after I take care of Spring we can have a good fight...” “Summer!” Twilight walked up to her. “Sweetie Belle is just a filly and Rarity is just...” She hesitated. “Well, a fashion designer last time I checked...” she muttered, frowning at the disheveled state of her friend. “A fashion designer?” Summer asked with a dismissive chuckle. “She’s bathed in Winter’s blood! I felt her battle! It was glorious!” Twilight raised an eyebrow. “Are we talking about the same Rarity?” “Twilight,” Rarity walked up to her. “Why... are you talking with the Nightmare Alicorn that the Guardian brought to life with the intention of her killing us?” “Um...” “Summer!” Spring shouted as she stood up from the small crater she created when she landed. “How dare you!?” Summer grinned. “Well, niece, it’s time for you to go. I have business to attend to.” Twilight stepped back. “Are you sure?” Summer snorted. “Go and save your mom,” she ordered without taking her eyes of off Spring, who was charging some sort of spell. “I owe Spring a favor.” Twilight glanced back at the others. With the addition of Misty, Rarity, Cinnamon, Daisy Sprout and the Crusaders, they all seemed to be together now. A resolute look crossed her face when she heard a distant explosion. “We will... and thank you...” she said as both she and Rarity galloped off towards the others. Summer smirked. “Anything for family. Right, Spring?” “Shut up!” the other alicorn shouted, suddenly disappearing. “And here we go again...” Summer grinned. “Just like so long ago...” “This time it will be different, sister,” Spring spat as she re-appeared just next to Summer. “This time... I will kill you!” o.0.o Checking one last time to see that everypony was in the cart--Golden Cross and Cinnamon having already begun to treat the injured amongst them as best they could--Twilight slowly led the group away from the battling alicorns and towards their ultimate destination: the plaza and the Guardian. “Twilight,” Applejack called as they galloped through the streets, risking a glance behind at the alicorns. “Are you sure we can trust one of them alicorns to help us?” Spark rolled her eyes. “‘Auntie Summer’ is probably having more fun right now than she would fighting most of us...” Her eyes strayed to Rarity, the white unicorn seeming to not pay attention, though the small smile that played across her lips suggested otherwise. “She seemed honest enough...” Twilight commented, flying alongside Applejack. “And the way those two were going at it, I don’t doubt there’s bad blood between them.” “Well, dunno about you gals, but I’m glad we’re not staying to see what happens,” Soarin’ muttered. “I see you’re more comfortable flying now, Twilight.” Twilight lost control and struggled hard to get it back. “Please,” she gasped, “don’t bring it up. I’m trying not to think about it!” Rainbow Dash twitched, her hoof slowly moving away from the covered form in the cart. Fighting back the emotions that swelled within her, she groaned and sat up. She looked at her friend. “That’s how it works, Twilight...” She frowned. “Wait... you’re a pegasus now?” Twilight chuckled nervously. “Um... alicorn... actually. My horn is just on loan right now...” “My horn is staying where it is, thank you very much!” Spark snapped back at them. Applejack looked from Spark to Twilight and back. “What are you going to do?” Twilight sighed and looked away. “I don’t know... I don’t want Spark to die, but everypony keeps telling me that it’s the only way.” “Everypony could be wrong,” Sweetie Belle interjected from where she sat with the other three fillies, having draped a piece of cloth over herself. “A unicorn’s horn can’t be easily destroyed and displays regenerative properties directly influenced by the unicorn’s inherent magic.” “That’s true!” Twilight remembered, suddenly smiling. “We might get out of this if only we can-” “Duck!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “No, only if we-” Twilight was interrupted when she was suddenly yanked her from the air. She landed painfully, barely avoiding the huge piece of wall that had been hurled through the air towards her. Her eyes went wide. “T-thanks Rarity...” “Don’t mention it,” Rarity replied. Rarity and Spark quickly jerked the cart out of the street and around a corner so they see what was happening in the plaza. “The Princesses are having a hard time...” Spark reported after a moment. “I never suspected the Guardian to be that strong... it’s taking a lot of damage, but it shows no sign of even being tired.” Twilight remained silent for a moment. “We need the Elements... they’re the only things I can think of that are strong enough to stop him.” “But how?” Rainbow Dash asked, hopping down from the cart and wincing as she landed. She gave Gilda’s body one last mournful glance before walking up to them. “We don’t have Pinkie Pie with us.” Rarity, who was having a quiet word with Sweetie, glanced up and nodded. “Dash is right, dear. We can’t simply walk up there and try to use them if she’s not here.” “Ah’m afraid she’s right... as much as we’d like to do something to help, Ah really don’t know what we could do.” “Maybe we should just wait?” Fluttershy asked meekly. “Right now, I don’t see any other choice...” Twilight muttered worriedly as she looked back at the battle. “So, we’re doing nothing?” Soarin’ asked, frowning. “There must be something...” Misty thought aloud. “I can fly, I can fight... we should be out there... we need to be out there...” “Don’t tell me you’re chickening out,” Spark sneered at Rarity, who huffed and straightened. “Just because we cannot use the Elements right now doesn’t mean that we cannot kick flank,” Rarity stated. “And Trixie can help too!” Trixie stated, walking up to them. “With our magic we should be able to help... at least a little...” “No!” Daisy Sprout shouted, running up to Trixie and throwing herself around the older mare’s forelegs. “Please, sis... I just got you back! I don’t want anything to happen to you!” Trixie smiled down at Daisy Sprout. “Tri- I know, sis,” she said, kneeling to hug her back. “But I have to do it so that you, dad and mom can be safe.” “I can’t let you go just like that, Trixie,” Golden Cross spoke up, walking up to her alongside Cinnamon. “We lost you once... and you’ve been risking your life since you arrived in Canterlot... how could we just let you face such a monster without us?” Trixie smiled at them and shook her head. “No... you can’t... mom, dad... I love you and I understand what you’re saying... but you cannot just leave Daisy Sprout behind.” Her eyes locked with her father’s. “I will be back...” “And Ah’ll make sure she does,” Big Mac assured them, stepping next to Trixie and smiling at her. “Ah’ll make sure nothin’ happens to her, Mr. Cross.” Golden Cross seemed torn, but his wife's hoof on his shoulder let him know the right choice. He nodded reluctantly, letting out a little sigh of defeat. “You two be careful...” “Sis... are you really going out there with Big Mac?” Apple Bloom asked, looking worriedly at Applejack. “Ah... Ah have no choice, sis... not if Ah want you and the others to be safe.” Applejack sighed, nuzzling her sister. “Now, you, Scootaloo an’ Sweetie Belle behave yerselves, okay? Take care of each other and listen to Mr. Cross and Miss Cinnamon, ya hear?” Apple Bloom sniffed and nodded. “Ah will, sis...” Scootaloo walked up to where Rainbow Dash, Soarin’, Misty and Twilight were talking. “Rainbow Dash?” The cyan pegasus raised an eyebrow at Scootaloo. “Hey, squirt. What’s up?” “I don’t understand what’s happening...” the filly confessed worriedly. “Is Nightmare Moon really a bad mare? Why are you a Shadowbolt?” Rainbow Dash smiled softly, patting the filly’s head. “Things are very complicated... I don’t fully understand everything myself, but... we’ll figure it out once this is all over.” “What we need is a plan...” Twilight said, walking to the middle of the street. “We can’t barge in there just like that and fling everything we have at the Guardian.” “Not to mention all the lava is going to make it very hard to even get close,” Spark pointed out. “Pegasi and unicorns may be able to do something but the others...” “Maybe... maybe we could all cast a spell to cool it down?” Trixie suggested after a moment of thought. “If we all link our magic, we could make a really strong gust of freezing wind.” Rarity and Spark exchanged glances. “For something like that... we would need everypony’s help. Even Sweetie, and Daisy...” Rarity hesitated. “It would be rather risky.” “Would a burst of wind be enough to freeze the ground?” Rainbow Dash asked. “And no offense, but you guys can’t fly. What will you do if the Guardian just sets everything on fire again?” “We’ll throw more cold air at it!” Daisy shouted helpfully from the wagon. “This ain’t gonna work...” Applejack sighed. “We won’t be able to get close enough and-” “That’s it...” Twilight whispered. She looked up at everypony around her. “That’s it! I got it!” “Got what? A plan?” Soarin’ asked as everypony leaned in closer. Twilight smiled and nodded. o.0.o Nightmare Moon’s horn glowed with dark energy as chunks of rock and balls of lava encased in silver and black energy levitated around her. With a roar of anger and power, she sent them flying with as much force as she could muster at the Guardian. But the Guardian merely batted away the projectiles as if they were nothing, despite the obvious damage they had left on its titanic arm. Nightmare Moon dived down to avoid one of her own missiles hitting her on a dangerous rebound. She narrowed her eyes and prepared another spell. “Sister!” Nightmare Moon snapped her head around just in time to see a long tendril of lava about to smash into her, but, suddenly, in a burst of light, there was Celestia, horn flaring as a large force field surrounded the pair. Celestia took a deep breath. “I hate to admit it, Nightmare Moon... but I’m getting tired.” The pair turned to face the Guardian. “It’s odd, but...” Nightmare Moon growled. “I... I think I have faced him before...” “Me too,” Celestia agreed, surprised by the revelation. “But when?” The sound of air being displaced was their only warning. With mighty flaps of their wings, both alicorns were quickly out of the Guardian’s immediate reach, but that didn’t stop him from from ripping more rock from around them and trying to crush them with his far-reaching telekinetic grip. “Sister,” Celestia called. “I don’t know how longer I can keep this up... that... dome the Guardian created... it’s stopping me from recharging my energy... I can reach the sun for an attack... but I cannot draw energy from it!” “It is the same for me!” Nightmare Moon revealed as a bubble of black energy encased her, preventing a lava tendril from spearing through her. “I can barely feel the Moon, much less use my link to it!” “How can it have so much power? What is it?” Celestia growled as she blasted through several attacks to land a point-blank shot of explosive solar energy straight into the Guardian’s chest. The Guardian roared in pain, swatting at the Celestia, who dodged the swipe and came back around for another shot at the beast. It was then that she spotted something on the corner of her eye. The Guardian’s arms flailed around as it noticed the smaller figures flying in fast circles around it. It took a moment for Celestia to recognize them. “The Shadowbolts?! But how?” “Princ- Mom!” a voice shouted far below her. Celestia turned to see Nightmare Moon already landing in front of Twilight, Spark, Rarity and Trixie. She quickly followed while the Guardian attempted to bat at the Shadowbolts. “Twilight!” She nuzzled her long-lost daughter once she had landed. “I’m glad both you and Twilight Spark are okay!” Spark, who had been concentrating on some sort of spell, almost lost her control when she heard that startling admission, but quickly forced herself to carry on, ears perked to listen in. “Mom, we don’t have much time,” Twilight said. “So you have to trust me; I need you and Nightmare Moon to join Rainbow Dash and the others flying around the Guardian, I also need you to cast a cold spell to cool the air behind you as much as you can.” “But-” “No time!” Nightmare Moon shouted, jumping into the air, her horn already aglow. “It’s noticed we’re gone; we‘ll just have to trust your daughter!” Celestia said nothing, but nodded and jumped into the air, her own horn alighting as she cast her spell. Soon, they were flying as fast, if not faster than, the Shadowbolts, their bodies becoming multicolored blurs as they encircled the Guardian. “Is this going to work?” Trixie asked Twilight worriedly as she struggled to follow Misty and Soarin’ with both eyes and magic. “It’d better...” Spark growled. “You’re putting a lot of trust in your ability to predict the Guardian’s reactions!” “We have no other option!” Twilight said and looked behind them. “Golden Cross, Cinnamon, Paper Craft... Daisy... Sweetie... are you ready?” Golden Cross nodded at his wife and the two fillies. “As ready as we’ll ever be.” Twilight nodded back, turning to Trixie, Rarity and Spark. “How are you three holding up?” “We’re holding...” Trixie quipped. “Trixie simply hopes the Guardian does what he’s supposed to!” An angry bellow shook Canterlot. “I think we’re about to find out!” Twilight shouted as the Guardian’s arms rose into the air. o.0.o Celestia gave Nightmare Moon a look. They the tendrils of magic coming from Trixie, Rarity and Twilight Spark’s horns were plainly visible as they used their magic to create a trail of cold air behind Rainbow Dash, Soarin’ and Misty. “Wow, this is one helluva updraft!” Soarin’ laughed as the hot air pushed them up. “I think Twi’s plan might work, after all!” “Didn’t know you two were close enough to call her that!” Misty yelled in reply. “Well, she’s kinda cute as a pegasus!” Soarin’ shouted back. “You do know that her mother is right behind you, right, Soarin’?” Rainbow Dash pointed out. Soarin’ cringed and peeked back at Celestia, who gave him a steady look. He sheepishly concentrated on dodging the Guardian’s arms. The Guardian’s eyes flashed and suddenly Soarin’ found himself dodging as balls of lava and fire were hurled towards them. “It looks like it’s really working!” Misty shouted back. “Come on, everypony! We can do it!” “I think I have an inkling as to what our Twilight is planning, sister!” Nightmare Moon called out as she increased her speed. Celestia, not one to be left behind, pushed herself to fly ever faster. “I do as well... it’s a brilliant plan, and I am very proud of her!” The pegasi and alicorns started flying faster, dropping or pressing upwards in the air to avoid the Guardian's attacks: the swipes of its enormous claws, the hissing balls of lava, and the odd chunk of a building hurtling through the sky. Far below, Rarity, Spark and Trixie started to feel the pressure. “Twilight... we’re reaching our limits!” Trixie growled. “It’s time!” Twilight called. “Get ready, Golden Cross, Cinnamon, you two go to Trixie; Paper Craft, you help Spark; Rarity, will you be okay with just Sweetie and Daisy?” “I’ll be fine, we have practiced magic together before; she knows how it works!” Rarity assured her. “I wish I could be up there...” Scootaloo mourned, watching the pegasi weave around attacks. “I wish I could use my wings for something else other than pushing my scooter!” “It’s okay, Scootaloo,” Fluttershy whispered. “We all wish we could do more...” Big Mac nodded, looking at the fight. “Eeyup.” “Are we gonna make it, big brother?” Apple Bloom asked. Big Macintosh smiled. “Trixie and the others are doing their best.” “And we ain’t just gonna sit here either!” Applejack added. “Once the hay hits the fan we’ll have to cover for the others and make sure nothin’ happens to them.” Apple Bloom nodded as the group watched the unicorns take their places, all touching their horns together. Twilight’s feathers ruffled. She watched Rainbow Dash and the others intently as they got closer and closer. “Okay guys, give Rarity, Trixie and Spark your power, now!” Winds started to whip around the plaza, pushing the hot air behind the cold air the pegasi and alicorns created. “Wait for it...” Twilight warned. “Wait for it...” Suddenly the group of flyers banked down. “NOW!” The magic pushed the currents into their set path with tremendous force, catching up to the flyers. In an explosion of speed, they spiraled around the Guardian; the cold and hot air, propelled by magic and the vortex they had created, following behind. The ponies on the ground braced themselves as a huge tornado formed around the Guardian, feeding off of the magic and thermal forces. It tore apart everything around its edge as the winds buffeted against anything standing. When the tornado hit it, the Guardian roared in anger. With a great cracking sound, the gray dome that surrounded Canterlot broke apart, its magic being absorbed into the tornado funnel. “It’s working! It’s working!” Twilight shouted in glee as the earth shook and the magical energies crackled against each other. The Guardian had already been obscured from view by the violent swirl of wind and magic, its writhing silhouette illuminated only briefly by the intermittent bursts of magical lightning that lashed at the creature. “The magical reactions and the sheer wind should be tearing him apart!” Rarity shouted. The buildings around them shuddered as the roofs were ripped off by the wind, immediately absorbed into the tornado. “Y’all need to be careful! You’re too close!” Applejack shouted over the howling wind. “She’s right!” Twilight shouted as loudly as she could in the hope that her voice would reach the others. “We have to step back!” “I can’t hear you!” Spark shouted back. “We’re too close to it!” “What?!” Twilight looked back over her shoulder as pieces of debris started landing around them. “This is getting dangerous!” she shouted, motioning with her foreleg. “Move back!” The unicorns nodded, slowly stepping back as more and more pieces of the nearby buildings, and even rocks, rained around them. Suddenly, out of the vortex, a huge arm burst through. Cut, bleeding, and being actively torn apart by the forces acting against it, it nevertheless tore a piece of a building and rose. “Scatter!” Rarity shouted, her magic cutting short as she levitated Sweetie and Daisy behind her. She immediately ran to the side, Trixie, Golden Cross and Cinnamon following close by. Twilight dove to the other side of the street, followed by Paper Craft and Spark. Behind them, Applejack took Apple Bloom and Scootaloo to one side while Big Mac and Fluttershy had fled in the other direction. The arm reared and hurled the wall at them. A split-second later, it impacted, veritably bouncing off the ground and raining shards of rock and stone that flew in all directions as it continued its trajectory. Twilight followed its trajectory with horror as her eyes swept towards Applejack, Apple Bloom and Scootaloo, who stood transfixed as the wall bounced into the air towards them. “Applejack! Apple Bloom! Scootaloo!” Twilight shouted, knowing that it was already too late. Applejack held the two fillies close and cringed, closing her eyes as her life seemed to flash in front of her eyes. Her world exploded. From the sidelines, the others suddenly saw a bright flash appear just in front of Applejack and the fillies. A shimmering red shield was thrown up against the impact, only half-formed by the time the wall struck it. The shield cracked beneath the strain, the wall slowed but not stopped by the desperate defense. The shield collapsed, only to be replaced by a smaller one that took the rest of the impact before being crushed by what remained. A dust cloud covered the whole area, obscuring them from sight. “Applejack!” Twilight shouted, her voice echoed by Rarity, as screams of “Scootaloo!” and “Apple Bloom!” echoed around. They ran into the dust cloud, fearing the worst. o.0.o The moment the unicorns stopped their spells, Rainbow Dash, Soarin’ and Misty felt the effect. “What’s happening!?” Soarin’ shouted as they looked down. “The Guardian attacked them somehow!” Rainbow Dash cried out, her eyes on the ponies far below. “We can’t let up!” Celestia interrupted. “I’m as worried as you are, but we need to stop the Guardian!” “But what can we do, your majesty?” Misty asked. “With all due respect, only you and Nightmare Moon could even hope to do any damage!” “Sister,” Nightmare Moon studied the vortex below them. “The Guardian is trapped, but it will free itself soon and regenerate. We need something decisive.” Celestia glanced at Nightmare Moon and nodded slowly. “I know that look, Nightmare Moon... what is it that you have planned?” “We create another tornado... then we’ll feed our power, along with that of the Elements of Harmony, into it and force it to clash with the one below.” “I hate to break it to you, your highness, but there simply aren’t enough of us here to create another tornado, especially now that we don’t have icy contrails or burning rock to fuel it...” Soarin’ ventured, cringing a bit as the Nightmare’s eyes settled on him. “He has a point, princess,” Rainbow Dash admitted. “And we need more than that... we need the Elements of Harmony, which are in the palace...” Celestia shook her head. “After what happened with Discord, I placed a spell on their container so that I can summon them whenever I need them.” “That still doesn’t mean we can use the Elements!” Dash cried. “We need another plan! Without Pinkie Pie we can’t do it!” “Well, why didn’t you say so?” Pinkie asked. Rainbow Dash shot up into the air so fast, all the Princesses and the Shadowbolts were able to see was a rainbow contrail. “Pinkie Pie!” Nightmare Moon smiled at the earth pony sitting inside a hot air balloon. “I take it your operation was successful?” Pinkie smiled as dozens of pegasi rose into the air around them. “I brought them all! Here’s Ponyville!” Nightmare Moon and Celestia exchanged glances. “I think you can summon the Elements, sister,” the Nightmare said. Celestia nodded as Rainbow Dash lowered down to their level, breathing hard. “Pinkie Pie! You’ve got to stop scaring ponies like that! How long have you been here anyway?!” “Oh, ever since the shield went down. I was waiting for the opportune moment!” Pinkie Pie smiled. o.0.o Trying desperately to see through the cloud of dust, Twilight flapped her wings uselessly and coughed in a fruitless attempt to clear the air. “A-Applejack!” she called. “Apple Bloom! Scootaloo! Can you hear me?! Are you okay?!” She searched around her immediate area. “Please tell me you you’re all okay...” “T-Twilight!” “Applejack!” Twilight shouted, flying towards the voice. “You’re alive!” she hugged the orange mare the moment she saw her. “But, where are Applebloom and Scootaloo?” Applejack sighed and pointed behind her. Twilight gasped. “Oh... oh, no...” “Wh- what?” Spark spat blood, trying to ignore the two crying fillies that were watching her with worry and horror. “Don’t- don’t tell me you care, Twilight...” She pushed something towards Twilight Sparkle. The purple pegasus landed softly next to her clone. Half the unicorn’s body was buried under the thrown wall. “Spark... your... your horn...” she whispered, looking down at what the unicorn had pushed towards her. “Your- your body... it’s-” “Useless now,” Spark whispered. “Can’t even feel it.” Applejack stepped past Twilight and knelt facing Spark. “Twilight Spark... Ah- Ah have no words to say that could thank you enough...” she gulped, feeling her eyes start to water. “You saved us... you saved mah sister and Scootaloo...” Twilight Spark’s scowl receded. “I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing...” Her own eyes watered as Applejack nuzzled her. “I don’t want to die,” she whispered. Twilight looked away, closing her eyes as the words hit her like a freight train. She slowly approached Applejack and Spark, leaning down to nuzzle her clone. “I’m sorry I didn’t get to know you better, sis.” Spark chuckled and hiccuped. “Me too, smarty pants.” A magical wind whipped the dust cloud from around them, clearing the view for the others to approach and behold the scene. Nightmare Moon and Princess Celestia landed close to them, levitating Pinkie Pie behind them. “Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy,” the Princess listed. “It’s time! We need to use the Elements now!” “Can you save her?!” Applejack asked Princess Celestia and Nightmare Moon. “I don’t know...” Celestia answered honestly. “We will try our best, but... we need to defeat the Guardian first, Applejack. Only then can we help her.” Applejack gritted her teeth, preparing a retort, when she felt a hoof on her foreleg. Her eyes locked with Spark’s, a resolute look on the other mare’s face. “Go... you’ll only be a few paces away...” Spark choked. “We all need you to be strong. I might not live... but at least... at least you’ll remember me... right?” “We all will,” Applejack cried, leaning close to nuzzle the dying unicorn. “Ah promise.” Spark chuckled weakly. “It’s more than I deserve...” “I’ll do what I can for her,” Golden Cross whispered, stepping forth. “I- I can’t promise I can save her on my own, but-” “Don’t worry,” Spark interrupted. “I’ll still be here when you’re finished with him. Now go kick that monster’s flank.” With a final nod, Applejack turned. Her Element floated up to her, as did the rest for their respective holders. The Guardian roared, arms whipping out from time to time from the vortex, each looking worse than the other. The tornado’s strength increased; the Guardian’s magic feeding more energy into it, but it also started to unravel. “We need to hurry!” The Element of Magic floated ponderously towards Twilight Sparkle, who leaned down and picked up the broken horn with her mouth. Tendrils of magic flared from the horn and the Element of Magic. They encompassed Twilight, who started floating and glowing. High above them, the pegasi from Ponyville sped up, beginning to create a tornado funnel of their own. Celestia raised her head and her horn flashed. Both Princess and Nightmare disappeared, only to reappear mid-flight alongside the pegasi, adding their speed, magic and sheer presence to the tornado, which grew stronger. “Do it already!” Spark shouted, coughing blood as all the Element Bearers took off into the air, encased in the magic of the Elements. They spiraled higher, and a rainbow of energy formed around them. Trixie, Big Macintosh and the others gathered tore their eyes away from the spectacle, scrambling to extract Spark from under the piece of wall. o.0.o Within the rainbow energy, the six mares looked at each other. Twilight Sparkle’s horn glowed with magic. She spread her wings as her mane slowly turned a bit translucent, and purple and pink lights shone within, finally revealing to her friends her appearance as an alicorn. She smiled at her friends. “Thank you for saving me... and thank you for being here.” Pinkie Pie laughed. “Silly Twilight, where else would we be?” “Ah wish things hadn’t gone so badly, Twi,” Applejack said. “But Ah’m glad... oddly enough, that Ah got to meet another side of you.” “And I am glad I don’t have to hide anymore,” Rarity admitted, looking at the others. “I’m sorry I lied, and I promise I will explain.” “I’ll hold you to that,” Rainbow Dash grinned. “We could have had a lot of fun if I knew you could take it!” Rarity rolled her eyes. “Dear, I’d much rather be designing dresses.” The group chuckled. “Girls...” Fluttershy spoke up. “I’m just glad we all made it.” The others smiled. “We all are, sugarcube,” Applejack whispered. “We all are.” “Alright, Princess,” Rainbow Dash teased. “Let’s finish this once and for all!” o.0.o The Guardian’s eyes flashed as it became a bit smaller, sacrificing size so that it could start expanding the eye of the tornado, as the myriad cuts and gashes in its body slowly started to heal. Its eyes scanned around it until it sensed something above. Then they widened in fear as a second tornado loomed above him. A swirl of rainbow energy suddenly whirled around the tornado the Ponyville pegasi had created, changing it completely into chromatic energy. The pegasi and the two Princesses flew out of the vortex as the Elements of Harmony took control of it. The multi-colored tornado shot down towards it as the Guardian opened its fanged mouth to scream in denial. o.0.o Pegasi, Princesses, unicorns and earth ponies cheered as the two tornados collapsed against each other, drowning out the screams of the beast within, sending expanding waves of rainbow energy out and shaking the world around it. The energy washed over all of them, making them feel refreshed. Buildings that were about to collapse were renewed. The stone statues that used to be ponies started glowing. The rock softened into warm coats and the confused ponies of Canterlot stared at each other in confusion, fear and hope. Summer slammed against a wall and groaned painfully, held there by Spring’s magic. “I told you I would take care of you this time!” Spring laughed mockingly. Summer’s eyes slowly opened and looked past her. “Nah... just like last time, sis... I win.” Spring frowned. “What do you mean?” Summer simply smiled as rainbow energy washed over them, turning them into little more than dust. The Elements of Harmony purged the evil within and without the tornado until, with a sudden gust, it dissipated, revealing six ponies standing in front of a large statue of a serpentine creature. “Is... is that Discord?!” Twilight gasped. “No...” Princess Celestia said as she and Nightmare Moon landed next to them. Slowly, the ponies of Canterlot and the new arrivals from Ponyville approached as well to surround the statue. “That is not Discord,” she continued. “His name was Balance.” Nightmare Moon walked up to the statue. “I couldn’t recognize him... he had mutated so much.” She stepped back, alarmed as the statue shuddered and spidering cracks appeared all around it. Celestia and Nightmare Moon spared a glance at one another before facing the statue with grim resolve, just as Twilight, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash prepared themselves for another fight. But the fight never came, the cracks spreading and growing until, with a resounding crunch, the statue collapsed to pieces. Celestia’s shoulders sagged as she let out a deep breath as cheers erupted once more around them all. “It’s over. It’s finally over.” o.0.o The End o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-04-29T05:15:41+00:00

2015-03-29T06:01:08+00:00

The Empty Room By Wanderer D Epilogue “The repairs around the city are going well, Princess,” Lance reported, limping over to her as she overlooked Canterlot from her balcony. He looked at the city. “I have to say that I’m glad Pinkie Pie brought nearly the whole of Ponyville with them. I don’t think we could have been able to make so much progress in a week without their help. Too many were wounded, and even more were traumatized by being turned into stone and back.” “The cost... it was tremendous, Lance,” Princess Celestia whispered without looking at him. “I can’t help but feel that I was foolish and unprepared.” She sighed, and smiled. “Had Night- I mean, Luna-- had she not been so strong, this would have been the end of Equestria.” “My Princess, I-” Celestia shook her head. “We made mistakes and we paid for it. It cost us our memories of my daughter, and the knowledge of Eldritch’s fate... it allowed an insidious enemy to corrupt me, and caused the death of so many innocent ponies during the fight.” She turned to the Captain, tears falling down her cheeks. “How can I face them, Lance, knowing the part I played?” The old warrior sighed. “I don’t know what to say, my Princess... but you have to talk to them. They love you and they have forgiven you; they know you were not yourself... they need you now to be strong.” Celestia closed her eyes and sighed, dreading facing her subjects. “Lead the way, old friend.” o.0.o “My little ponies,” Celestia spoke standing next to a raised platform in the center of the plaza. “We have survived something I wish had never come to pass. It has tried our hearts and conviction; it has stretched hope thin... but we have prevailed.” The pony workers slowed down as they turned to face the Princess and a crowd started to gather. I stand amongst you today because I can no longer hide from my responsibility for the terror which my action brought upon all of you. You have forgiven me... far quicker than I can forgive myself. I am... more indebted to you all than I could ever express in mere words. However, there are those whose lives were sacrificed... whose lives were the price of my freedom. For them, and all those whom we have lost as a result of the Guardian's machinations, and my failure to realize them, we have created this in their honor." Her horn glowed and slowly something started to materialize in the center of the plaza. It was a huge statue. At the very top, in the center was a sorrowful unicorn mare playing the lyre; to her right, a pegasus took off, mirroring a female gryphon on the left, a fierce expression of determination etched plainly on both their faces. The statue extended down into a solid square, where the names of all those who had fallen in battle were written. “The personal cost for each of us is immeasurable. The sacrifices some made...” She closed her eyes. Unnecessary. “We will never truly be able to comprehend... it is to them that we dedicate this statue.” She stepped back as Soarin’ and Misty, accompanied by a heavily bandaged Spitfire, stepped forth, each holding flowers in their mouths, which they carefully left at the base of the statue. Spitfire searched the names on the statue until she found Blizzard’s, her eyes went to the effigy of Blast and she couldn’t look at either much longer. She rested her head against the cold stone as tears slowly dropped from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Blizzard... Blast... you two were the best friends any pony could ask for... I’m so sorry...” Soarin’ nudged her gently and the group started moving away, but not before Misty looked up at the statue of her friend. “We fought well, Blast,” she whispered with a small smile before following the others. Next in line, Rainbow Dash walked up to the statue. She placed three flowers down. “Blizzard, you were one of my heroes, I’ll never forgive myself for my part in what happened... even if I had no control. I’ll always remember your courage.” Her eyes strayed to Blast. “I was your superior officer for this one time... it was a dream come true to work with all of you... too bad it turned into a nightmare.” She took a deep breath and turned to look at the statue of Gilda. “I-” she looked down. “I lost so much time... I’m sorry I pushed you away when we could have figured out things together... thank you, Gilda... we won’t have a chance to be more, but you will always be my sister.” Rainbow Dash slowly walked away, allowing for Nightmare Moon, Celestia and Paper Craft to approach. “Sis...” Paper Craft sighed. “I’m going to miss your visits. It’s been hard, taking care of your things, cleaning up the house... Mom and Dad are gone too...” He looked down. “They were crushed by some crates that collapsed during the Guardian’s attack. It seems that they tried to hide under them and when the Elements of Harmony attacked the Guardian, they landed on top of them.I don’t know what I will do with myself... your music, your smile... they’re gone forever.” He gritted his teeth then took a calming breath. “I’ve been contacted by a couple of your friends... a DJ and a cellist... they’ll drop by during the week to help me out.” He sniffled and turned away. Celestia stepped up to the statue, placing a hoof against the cold surface. “Lyra, Blast, Gilda... I owe you three so much... especially you, Lyra... I will always remember you. I hope to be a better mare thanks to your efforts. You stood up against me, even knowing how it would most likely end. Thank you.” She stepped back and looked at Nightmare Moon. The black alicorn looked at the statue, then back to Celestia, before her eyes turned to all of the gathered ponies, settling on the bearers of the Elements of Harmony for a moment. Turning her back to the statue, she faced them all. “A thousand years ago, I brought war to Equestria,” she began, her voice carrying over the whole assembly. “I held only hatred in my heart for the ponies that ignored the night, whose loyalty seemed only to the sun. I hated that friendship always seemed to be beyond my grasp, reserved for everypony else. I brought horrors, pain, and eventually forced my sister to banish Luna, along with myself, to the moon.” The crowd muttered amongst themselves, several ponies looking a bit distressed. When Nightmare Moon opened her mouth to talk again, they all quieted down, paying rapt attention to her words. Nightmare Moon paced in front of the statue, her hooves echoing in the heavy silence. “After I was defeated again by friendship, I thought myself trapped forever within Princess Luna’s soul... but the Guardian’s attack set me free once more... only this time... this time the spirits of the bearers of the Elements of Harmony were there... and they helped me open my eyes. I saw, for the first time, what a monster I had been so many years ago, the twisted reflection of my sister I had become. I saw, for the first time, what extraordinary bravery lived inside our subjects...” Her eyes settled momentarily on Rarity and Rainbow Dash. “And later, I felt... for the very first time, understanding, respect... and friendship.” She bowed to the flustered mares and rose again. “I have learned so much... and have you all to thank for it.” She looked up over her shoulder at the statue. “I owe much to Lyra as well; she was an inspiration and I can only hope she will be one for all of you as well. Remember her lesson: never surrender to evil. Now- now it’s my time to go away... I must leave you and return your beloved Princess.” Nightmare Moon closed her eyes and let the sun warm her coat before she looked up at the sky. “It’s a beautiful day, Celestia.” Celestia took a step forth, her eyes wide. “Nightmare Moon... I-” “Don’t...” the black alicorn smiled. “I wish... I wish I had known... so long ago, when I could have called you and Luna ‘sisters’...” She chuckled. “Back when it was still possible for me to be a separate being... Take care of my niece. Luna has already promised to do so.” “Wait!” Rainbow Dash stepped forth. “What are you saying... are you... leaving forever?” Nightmare Moon smiled and approached Rainbow Dash, giving her a short, completely unexpected hug. “It was nice knowing you, Rainbow Dash. And a pleasure having you as one of my Shadowbolts.” “Nightmare Moon,” Rarity called, taking a hesitant step forward. “I... thank you, thank you for all the nights when I prayed to the moon for help and you answered.” Nightmare Moon smiled slightly, nodding. She stepped back and closed her eyes. “I’ll miss you,” Rainbow Dash said. “Thank you, for being there for me.” The sounds of movement made Nightmare Moon look up. She took in a shuddering deep breath when she saw every pony in the square bowing to her, including Celestia and the bearers of the Elements. Nightmare Moon nodded and let out a slow breath as a small smile played on her face. Her body slowly became smaller and dark energy seeped out into the daylight, fading under the sun into nothingness until only Luna was left, standing in front of Rainbow Dash with tears in her eyes. “She... she’s gone...” Luna gasped as tears slowly crawled down her cheeks. “I didn’t have to fight... she just- she just left. And... she was so happy and... I am... sad...” “Sister...” Celestia walked up to Luna and hugged her. “She will be remembered from now on as the mare who saved Equestria.” She looked at the statue. “Perhaps an addition can be made.” “A fitting change, from her previous deeds...” Luna commented after a moment, looking up at her sister with a small smile. “Thank you.” Both Princesses stepped back as pony after pony went up to the statue, looking at the engraved names of lost loved ones. “Will Canterlot ever be the same?” Twilight asked, approaching her mother and aunt. Celestia shook her head and nuzzled her daughter. “No. And it should never be the same; we shall never forget the lessons that were so costly to learn.” Twilight nodded, looking at the statue. “Mum... I need to go to the cemetery.” Celestia closed her eyes and nodded. o.0.o Twilight stood alone in front of two graves. “Mom... dad,” she whispered, her body beginning to tremble. “I love you. You both raised me, you supported me, and had it not been for the council... you would both still be here. I don’t know... how we would have dealt with this.” She shook her wings. “But... I wish you could have both been here... I’ll miss you dad, just as much as I miss mom.” She sniffed. “I won’t allow what they turned you into at the end to be my last memory of you...” Slowly, she knelt in front of both graves and cried for a long time. She didn’t stop until she felt somepony hug her. She looked down to see Spike holding on to her foreleg, tears in eyes as well. As she pulled him close and felt Celestia’s wings engulf her in a hug as well, she slowly dried her tears. I’ll miss you both... but you can rest easy... I’m not alone. o.0.o That same night, three alicorns stood around the remains of the being once known as ‘The Guardian’. “Who was Balance?” Twilight asked, looking down and the pieces of stone. “He looked like a draconequus, and for a moment I swore it was Discord.” Celestia sighed. “A long, long time ago, before ponies had learned to write or even developed a real language, the draconequus and alicorns were little more than forces of nature. We were not sentient as we are today, Twilight... I was the energy, magical and mystical that tied the sun to our world and moved it.” “I was the whisper of dreams and hopes that lit the night with stars and moon,” Luna added. “Winter was the force that brought clouds and darkness and cold to the world, while Spring would be the opposing force that would drive her back, and in turn would allow Summer to push the cycle forward for Fall, who would prepare everything for the return of Winter. “Back then, the draconequus were more than we were and at the same time less: they were boundless imagination; concepts without form or purpose. When sentient beings started to discern our existence, giving us names and defining our relationship to them and to the world, their thoughts and hopes shaped us into alicorns... and so they also shaped the myriad little things, snippets of fancy and boundless concepts into beings of amazing power.” “The draconequus,” Twilight whispered. “So... that’s how you, we, came to be?” Celestia nodded. “We were created as infants, because that is also how we were viewed, as beings that simply played without caring for the poor mortals we affected. As time went by and we grew, we all settled into our roles, but also developed problems with each other. How long should the day be? Why couldn’t it be Winter earlier? Why shouldn’t Summer be longer, everypony enjoys Summer!” She chuckled. “Fun times,” Luna agreed. “And into that mess stepped two draconequus. One argued that we should do as we pleased. Fight it out from time to time. Have fun, you know. Shuffle the seasons: Spring, then Winter, then Spring then Summer, then Fall, then Winter, then Fall... Days that lasted for weeks, Nights that extended for months.” She chuckled sadly. “This draconequus called himself Discord.” Celestia sighed. “The other, however, calmly presented his case that we should all decide once and for all how things should work, and we should stick to it. We were free because they were rules we were creating, but we also had duties to those whom had given us shape and sentience.” She looked down at the pieces of stone. “His name, he said, was Balance.” “And of course you listened to him!” Twilight smiled. “After all, it makes the most sense!” Luna snorted. Celestia smiled sheepishly. “Actually... we all pretty much sided with Discord.” “What?! But- but mom! That’s-” “Completely irresponsible?” Celestia laughed. “Yes. But we were little more than toddlers, Twilight. Discord’s option seemed more fun. “Even if it wasn’t right,” Luna quipped. “And so it went that we did what we wanted, with Discord throwing in as much chaos as he could to disrupt the lives of mortals. Balance, for his part, did what he could to control the damage, but it wasn’t enough.” Celestia looked up at the darkening sky. “We had our fun, and hurt countless beings as a result, but eventually we grew tired of it. One day it just wasn’t as fun as it used to be. It could have been any number of things; the nests of the gryphons freezing to death; the way nature started to die around us... we suddenly realized that we had responsibilities. That order was part of who we were, deep inside. And so we searched for Balance to help us.” “He laid down laws to which we all agreed,” Luna chipped in. “And we all tied our magic to him, so that he could slowly guide us into each cycle.” Celestia nodded. “At first. it was hard. Balance had to step in more than once to remind us of our promise, but, as time went by, we all settled into our roles. Even Discord. He became a true creature of mischief, but limited himself to acts that would not hurt more than somepony’s pride at worst. “Balance slowly let us take the reigns of our lives and eventually, we were maintaining the natural order by ourselves. I think... I think that’s when he just, faded away.” Celestia said, her eyes on her sun as it slowly settled in the horizon. “We never knew what happened to him, until now.” “But... why did he became the Guardian? There has to be a reason!” Twilight exclaimed. “And what was he guarding?” “He once said that he was the Guardian of Order and that Discord was the Guardian of Chaos,” Luna answered. “I thought he was just being pretentious, but he might have taken that title very seriously.” She sighed. “My guess is that he felt he was not needed. Once we all knew what had to be done, his purpose was lost. He hid himself, and let himself turn into the creature we fought.” “But...” Twilight shook her head. “That can’t be all there is to it, there must have been something more! We don’t just turn into monsters for no reason! You know that!” “I’m not saying there was no reason other than what I already suspected,” Luna replied, locking eyes with Twilight. “However, that is the best we can do: guess...” “Luna is right, Twilight,” Celestia agreed, nuzzling her daughter. “You have to learn that, sometimes, we can’t ever know what it was that caused something that horrible to happen.” Twilight looked down in frustration. “I want him to be evil... but what you’re telling me is that- all the manipulations, all the murders, turning alicorns into Nightmares, turning my father into a killer... it was caused by a creature that once represented what we want in our lives?” She scratched the floor with her hoof and whispered, “It just doesn’t make sense.” “We can never know why he turned into what he did, Twilight,” Luna sighed. “I wish I could understand why he turned Winter and the others into Nightmares... how he reached me to turn me into one myself, but... I can’t.” “I have a theory,” Celestia said after a moment, Twilight perking up at her mother’s words. “Balance, for all his virtues, always wanted control. That’s why he had us all tie our magic to him so long ago. That’s why he hated Discord, even if he never said it... when the control slowly slipped from his claws, he decided to act in a way to ensure he would always be able to return to it. I think his cult started when we were all still fooling around. I think that, while his initial intentions may have been genuinely good, when we turned our backs on him, feelings of hate, anger and betrayal all festered inside of him, for as much as we were toddlers... so was he. When he was not as necessary in the capacity of being a leader, he hid away and planned his revenge.” Twilight sighed. “But that’s just a theory.” Celestia nodded morosely. “I’m afraid so, Twilight.” Twilight took a deep breath. “I don’t think I’ll be happy with just that.” Celestia chuckled and nuzzled her daughter. “I know, but like I said, Twilight, you have to learn that there will always be things we cannot fully understand.” “I guess,” Twilight rolled her eyes and yawned. She shook her head. “I’m sorry! I just... it’s been a long day and...” “It’s okay, Twilight.” Celestia stretched. “We should go to bed.” Twilight yawned again. “Okay,” she said sleepily as she followed her mother towards the castle. “Are you coming, Luna?” Celestia asked. Luna nodded. “I will be there shortly, sister.” She watched the pair walk away and sighed as everything became quiet. One of the stone pieces shuddered and trembled, starting to roll. Luna’s hoof crunched it into the ground and turned it into dust. Her eyes looked at each piece of Balance and each individual rock was collected by her magic and disintegrated. Slowly, Luna let out a deep breath. “You shall never be a threat to my family again. Goodbye, Balance... and good riddance.” o.0.o "Rainbow Dash stared out at the twinkling lights of the city from her bedroom window in one the castle's many towers. She started when she heard somepony knocking on the door. “Yeah, come in.” The door slowly opened to to admit Spitfire. The Wonderbolt was still heavily bandaged, most of her body still recuperating from having the draconic parts suddenly removed even if it was done by the Elements of Harmony. She closed the door behind her. “Um... hi, Rainbow Dash...” Rainbow Dash smiled at the presence of the Wonderbolt captain. "H-hey..." She paused for a moment to get rid of the frog in her throat. "How are you feeling? Being purged of the Guardian's magic can’t be a good feeling. “It wasn’t...” Spitfire shook her head. “I’m still feeling it.” She gingerly lifted a bandaged wing. “I won’t be able to fly for a while... but at least I’m a pony again...” Rainbow Dash nodded. “Dash... about us... I-” “Don’t worry about it,” Rainbow Dash interrupted, looking out of the window again. “I know it wasn’t the real you... I don’t know if it was the real me either.” Spitfire looked down. “Oh,” she sighed and looked up. “Well... I also wanted to tell you, if you ever want to...” She dropped something on Rainbow Dash’s bed. “We’ll be waiting.” Still staring out the window, Rainbow Dash heard the door close behind her. Slowly, she pressed her head to the cool glass of the closed window, twisting her head to follow the fading light of the sun as it shone on the golden lightning-bolt embroidered on a Wonderbolt uniform. Rainbow Dash sighed and looked longingly at the uniform. “Maybe... maybe after I visit the Gryphon Mountains. Maybe then.” Another knock on the door and another sigh. “Come in.” Fluttershy walked into the room, closing the door gently behind her. “Hey, Fluttershy,” Rainbow Dash gave her friend a half-hearted smile. “How are you doing?” Fluttershy asked, sitting timidly on the bed and looking at the Wonderbolt uniform curiously. “Could be better.” “Do you want to talk about it?” Rainbow Dash looked back at her, rosy eyes shimmering with unshed tears. “I-” Fluttershy stood up and walked up to her, pulling her into a tight hug. “Shh... let it out...” “I-” The tears finally started flowing as Rainbow Dash buried her face in Fluttershy’s mane. “I miss her! I miss her so much! I’ve missed her all this time! She was my best friend for so long and I pushed her away over one fight!” Fluttershy didn’t say anything, choosing to rock gently as Rainbow Dash cried. “I’ll never see her again....” The cyan pegasus sniffled softly, trying to regain her composure. “I wanted to go to the Gryphon Mountains and... I don’t know, let them know she died fighting...” She slowed down a bit. “She would like that, wouldn’t she? You know how gryphons are.” Fluttershy nodded gently. “I think she would.” “Fluttershy?” “Yes?” Fluttershy smiled at Rainbow Dash. “Can you stay here tonight?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I- I could really use a friend.” Fluttershy nodded. “Of course.” Rainbow Dash sighed. “Thank you... let’s... let’s go meet the others and then we can come back... I really have a lot to talk about...” Fluttershy nodded as they stood. “I know, that’s why I’m here.” “Thanks, Fluttershy.” o.0.o “Are you sure you don’t want to stay longer?” Golden Cross asked. “Ah’m mighty grateful for your hospitality,” Applejack thanked as she helped Apple Bloom into the wagon, “but Scootaloo needs to head back home, an’ me, Big Mac and Apple Bloom need to get back to workin’ th’ farm.” “Aww...” Daisy Sprout pouted. “I’ll miss you!” “We’ll miss you too!” Scootaloo promised. “I hope you can visit Ponyville soon!” “Ah’ll be glad to show you the Crusader HQ now that you’re officially one of us!” Trixie coughed. “Well... why don’t you let Daisy come with me to Ponyville? Trixie will take good care of her, Trixie promises.” The fillies all turned to look at Golden Cross and Cinnamon with wide puppy eyes. “Pleeeeaaase?” they chorused so loudly that Golden Cross had to take a step back. “F-fine... go pack!” “Yay!” Daisy shouted excitedly, galloping headlong into her house. Cinnamon turned to look at her eldest daughter. “Trixie, are you sure you don’t want to stay longer?” Trixie smiled. “I’ll be back soon, mom. I just wish to go down to Ponyville for a short time.” Cinnamon hugged her daughter. “Very well. We’ll be waiting.” Trixie nodded, holding her mother close. “I’m ready!” Daisy Sprout announced, walking up to them with a bundle hanging from a stick. Applejack raised an eyebrow. “An’ here Ah thought Ah was th’ only one that did that sorta thing.” “I read about it in a book!” Daisy smiled. “Well, hop on, y’all!” Applejack chuckled as Trixie let go of her mother and went to join Big Macintosh at the front of the wagon. She looked over to a mare with a light pink coat standing next to her. “Ready to learn how to work a farm, Dawn?” “Do I have to talk like you to do it?” Dawn asked as they started walking. “And how do you hold things without magic?” Applejack chuckled. “You’ll learn.” “Hey, Spark, why are you comin’ to the farm again? Don’t you want to stay here with yer sister an’ mom?” Apple Bloom asked. Dawn rolled her eyes. “It’s Dawn now, missy, and nah. Too much stuff going on right now with Twilight and mom. I figure some easy work will give me time to think too.” “Easy?” Applejack laughed. “What can be so hard about kicking trees?” Dawn asked skeptically, raising an eyebrow as the group walked down the street. “It’s not like they kick back or anything.” “Girl, they might not kick back, but you’re in for a surprise if yer thinkin’ it’ll be easy. ‘Fore you know it, you’ll be beggin’ to stop and your body is gonna hurt like hell.” Dawn leaned into Applejack, rubbing gently against the farm mare’s side. “But... I could ask for a massage... right?” Applejack chuckled nervously, looking around with a forced smile. “Uh... maybe...” Golden Cross and Cinnamon watched the group leave with a shared smile. “Honey?” Cinnamon asked. “Yes?” Golden Cross replied, turning to his wife. “Since you’ll be retiring soon... perhaps we should look into finding a quiet place to settle down? Maybe a place like Ponyville?” Golden Cross chuckled. “I was thinking the same thing.” o.0.o Trixie and Big Mac pulled the stagecoach along in silence while Applejack and Dawn trotted behind the wagon and talked the fillies inside. “You okay, Trixie?” Big Macintosh asked, glancing at her. Trixie blinked. “Oh... sorry, I was just thinking,” she sighed. “How much my life has changed. A couple of weeks ago, I didn’t even know I had a sister, I hated my parents, I was trying to rebuild my career while refusing help from anypony that offered to do so... it was crazy.” Big Macintosh nodded pensively. “Eeyup.” “I just never imagined I would, you know, meet Daisy, ask my parents for forgiveness, find new friends, be accepted...” She looked up at him with a subtle grin. “Fall in love.” Big Macintosh smiled with that little smile that told Trixie that he felt terribly self-conscious, but pleased. She snorted. “You’re too cute, Big Macintosh.” The stallion chuckled. “Eeyup, but not as cute as you are when you’re blushin’.” “N-nonesense!” Trixie stammered, blushing furiously. “Trixie never blushes!” “You’re doin’ it now,” Big Macintosh pointed out. “O-only because you keep bringing it up!” Trixie growled. “Quit it!” Big Macintosh chuckled again and nodded, then looked back towards the road. “So, Trixie. What are you goin’ to do about your career?” Trixie looked down as she thought. “I- I need to create a new routine and... learn a few more magic tricks. I was hoping I... could stay in Ponyville for a little while, maybe practice there before I set out on the road again.” “Oh,” Big Mac frowned. “Ah’ve been hoping you’d stay for a long time, Trixie.” Trixie sighed. “I would love to, Big Macintosh... but it’s my dream...” She looked at the buildings they were passing by. “I want to perform on the greatest stages in Equestria. Show my tricks to everypony I can reach, and...” She looked at him. “Have a home to come back to.” Big Mac slowed down a bit as he stared at her. “You mean...” Trixie nodded. “I’d love to someday get a home in Ponyville and spend the rest of my life there... hopefully with the one pony I love.” “Are you asking me to-” “No,” Trixie said interrupted in all seriousness. “I want you to think about what I’ve said. And then I want you to ask yourself if you feel the same. Because, dear Macintosh, as far as I’m concerned, I’ve already said ‘yes.’” o.0.o “Thank you for being there, Prin- Mom...” Twilight corrected herself, shuffling nervously beneath the great white wing wrapped about her.. “It’s the least I could do, Twilight...” Celestia smiled, her eyes studying her daughter for a moment before she looked around Twilight’s old ‘student’ room. I have to say something... this silence is killing me! Celestia thought, looking at Twilight. My daughter... for the longest time I never thought I’d have the chance to have a foal of my own and then... I just hid her away and gave up my memories of her for most of her young life. Even if I was with her, I saw her as my student and protégé... close, but not as a daughter. “Pr- mom... why are you crying?” Twilight asked softly, her voice tinged with concern as she used a hoof to carefully wipe a tear from her mother’s face. “It’s because I’m so happy, Twilight, and so sad,” Celestia explained, leaning into her daughter’s touch. “How much time did I waste in an effort to protect you?” “Mom... we’re going to live for a long time, I think you will be able to make up for a few years,” Twilight joked a bit shakily. “And you were there...” She looked down. “I felt loved, all this time. Even when my parents, my adoptive parents, were still themselves, I felt like you were a mother to me as well. I not only looked up to you, I loved you like I would a parent. Mom... I never knew until a couple of days ago who you really were, but I’ve never felt deprived of your love.” “Oh, Twilight,” Celestia whispered, pulling her daughter close. “I do regret not being your mom all that time... When Luna found the empty room...” She shuddered. “I felt a sense of loss like I never could have imagined I ever would... it felt as if my heart had stopped. I felt like all the will to live had been taken away from me... I had so much trouble com-” she choked up. “Comprehending... when- when I saw your dolls I- oh, I’m so- sorry I...” Twilight leaned in, holding Celestia close as her mother broke into sobs, and barely able to stop herself from joining her, even though she could feel her own tears trailing down her cheeks. “I was deprived of seeing you play with your dolls... of reading to you at night so you could sleep,” the elder alicorn recounted sadly, “of teaching you your ABCs...” “Mom...” Twilight whispered, the word coming more naturally this time. “Mom... you protected me as much as you could. I wish I had been able to be with you and do that... please don’t cry... you’ve taught me so much... and you still teach me so much, every day...” Celestia shook in her daughter’s embrace. “I- I have some memories of that time now, Twilight... if you would like to hear them...” Twilight felt a knot form in her throat and a shiver run down her spine as feelings of anticipation and nostalgia welled up inside her. “I- I would love to, mom...” Celestia nodded and her horn flared with light. The world around the pair went completely white as Celestia’s spell completely engulfed them. The pair were suddenly in the empty room. The door was closed as the rest of the wing was still being repaired, Celestia carefully trotted to the small bookshelf. “When you were just learning to stand up correctly, you decided that you wanted to take one of the books yourself... you really loved this one story, ‘It’s Not a Cold Dark Place’...” “Oh...” Twilight’s eyes lit up. “I remember that story! I would always read it over and over again and ask mom to read it to me at night and-” Twilight flinched, looking up at Celestia. Celestia smiled sadly, not commenting on Twilights outburst. “When you tried to reach it, you stumbled back, and... and you opened your wings and tried to flap them while you were on your back on the floor, you started flopping around and-” She sniffed and choked out a laugh at the same time. “It was the most adorable thing I’ve ever seen!” Twilight smiled as she levitated the Luna and Celestia dolls with her magic and nuzzled them. It felt... right. She opened her eyes and blushed, looking over at her mother, who had a soft smile of her own. “Sorry, I-” “Don’t be,” Celestia said. “You used to pick them up and nuzzle them just like that.” “It’s strange how familiar this room feels, after all this time,” Twilight realized. Celestia nodded. “There are so many little memories... you were sitting right there, next to the toy chest when you said your first word.” Twilight’s eyes shone with interest. “Really? What was it?” Celestia laughed. “Can’t you guess? Your very first word... was ‘book’. And you pointed straight at the bookshelf.” She chuckled. “Your next words were ‘Woona’ and ‘Tia’.” Twilight blinked. “What?” Celestia’s magic levitated the Luna doll. “Woona.” The Celestia doll performed a little pirouette and floated over to Woona. “And Tia.” Twilight blushed, embarrassed. “Oh,” The pair stood in the room in silence, soaking in the little memories and feeling comforted by each other’s presence. Then Twilight slowly walked up to her mother and hugged her again. “I’m sorry I wasn’t here with you,” Twilight whispered. “I can tell how much love went into this room.” Her eyes slowly went around the carefully selected furniture; the tiny table and chairs; the bookshelves; the little net on the corner with several plush toys; the crib with bed sheets folded and tiny pillow... “We’re never getting that lost time back, are we?” Twilight whispered, staring through bleary, tear-streaked eyes at the room. Celestia let out a long sigh. “I’m afraid not, Twilight.” “Mom... I know we have thousands of years to spend together...” Celestia looked at her daughter and nodded mutely. “And I know I'd said I'd be going back to Ponyville... but...” Twilight leaned into the hug. “I’d like to stay for a few weeks, if you don’t mind.” Celestia smiled and chuckled. “Not at all, my beloved daughter, not at all.” “I love you, mom,” Twilight said, closing her eyes. “And I love you, Twilight,” Celestia replied, nuzzling her daughter. o.0.o “Hey! There’s Rarity and Sweetie Belle!” Pinkie Pie shouted as she walked alongside Trixie’s stagecoach, making both Applejack and Dawn jump back in surprise. “Hello, Rarity! Hello, Sweetie!” She waved eagerly at the two unicorns standing just inside the Canterlot Gates. “Pinkie Pie?!” Applejack gasped. “Where in tarnation did you come from?” “Silly, I’ve been here all along!” the pink mare grinned. “I was taking a nap on top of the wagon!” “On top of the-” Dawn stopped when she felt Applejack’s hoof on her shoulder. “Don’t ask, sugarcube, don’t ask. It’s just Pinkie Pie.” “Heeey! I know you!” Pinkie bounced around Dawn, making the mare look at her warily. “You’re Twilight’s evil twin!” “Easy there, Pinkie, she ain’t Spark no more and-” “Yeah, I am,” Dawn interrupted, glaring at Pinkie Pie. “I was lucky the Elements chose to heal me into an earth pony rather than turn me into dust. What about it?” “Are you going to live in Ponyville now?” The Pinkie asked. “That’s the plan,” Applejack confirmed. “She’s gonna be stayin’ at Sweet Apple Acres.” “Sweet!” Pinkie Pie beamed. “That means I get to organize a party! Yay!” “Dear, you might want to make sure you call her Princess Dawn now,” Rarity said as she and Sweetie approached the group. “I’m not a ‘princess’,” Dawn growled venomously. “I’m just lucky to be alive and that my ‘mother’ and biological progenitor decided that I was not worth killing.” “Darling, you’re starting to sound like Twilight even more now!” Rarity teased. “Isn’t that lovely? Are you going to start making lists next?” Dawn gritted her teeth. “Are you looking to change your looks, Rarity? Because you’re halfway there for me to lend you a hoof on that...” “Darling, I’d rather avoid the mess altogheter...” “Alright,” Applejack interrupted, stepping between the two. “That’s enough! There ain’t gonna be no fightin’ now, ya hear? What kind of example are you settin’ fer Sweetie, actin’ like this?” “Eh, I’ve seen worse,” Sweetie shrugged, seeming entirely nonplussed. Rarity shot Sweetie Belle an annoyed look, then rolled her eyes and huffed. “Fine, Applejack, since you insist, I shall put up with this-” “Rarity...” Applejack warned. “Fine,” Rarity looked away. “Hey, Sweetie Belle, ain’tcha getting in?” Scootaloo asked, motioning for the young unicorn to join them. “We got Trixie’s mom and dad to let Daisy Sprout come with us!” Apple Bloom added. Sweetie sighed and looked down, dejected. “I’m sorry, but I have to go with Rarity for a while. I shouldn’t be too long, though! Maybe I’ll make it in time before you come back home, Daisy Sprout!” “Aww...” Scootaloo groaned. “We haven’t seen you all week, what have you been doing?” For a moment Sweetie didn’t reply as she traded glances with Rarity, who arched an eyebrow. Sweetie shrugged and looked back at Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. “Um, training...?” “You mean...” Scootaloo slowly drew an imaginary line across her neck with her hoof, while poking her tongue to the side. “No...” Sweetie said, chuckling nervously. “Just learning a bit more about magic, you know?” “Hey, guys!” Rainbow Dash called as she and Fluttershy flew towards the group. “I see we’re almost all here.” “Almost,” Applejack repeated as Trixie and Big Mac approached. “We’re just missing Twilight.” “Do you think she’ll make it?” Trixie asked. “She must have a lot to talk about with her mother...” She sighed. “I know I did with mine.” “Eeyup,” Big Macintosh agreed, earning an elbow to the ribs from Trixie. “She’ll be here,” Rainbow Dash assured. “Twilight wouldn’t leave us hanging.” A flash of red light melded into Twilight Sparkle, who shook her head. “I really need to learn how to control that power difference...” she muttered, blinking owlishly. “Want to ask me how the weather is in Neighpon?” “Toldja,” Rainbow Dash grinned smugly. “Oh, hi!” Twilight smiled, turning around and pointedly ignoring the guards and passing ponies who bowed to her. “Still nervous about being royalty, Twilight?” Rarity chuckled. “How charming.” Twilight smiled sheepishly. “Well, you know me, I’m ‘Miss can’t-stop-feeling-self-conscious.’” Rainbow Dash shook her head. “You should relax, Twilight. Just do like your mom and be all cool about it!” “That takes more practice than you might think, Rainbow Dash, we can't all be naturals at coolness, Dash” Twilight groaned. “Anyways, I’m glad I made it in time.” “Well, you’d better get used to it, ‘sis’,” Dawn remarked, rolling her eyes. “After all, you’re a princess now.” Twilight glanced at Dawn. “You know, being my sister, you could also-” “No.” Twilight smirked. “I figured as much.” “So,” Applejack said after a moment. “What are your plans, sugarcube?” Twilight sighed, and looked towards the city, where several buildings were still being rebuilt. “I’m staying for a bit longer... I want to be with my mother and aunt Luna for a while.” Rarity nodded. “We thought you might, darling. I think it’s the right thing to do.” “But... you won’t stay stay, right?” Pinkie Pie asked. “I mean, you’re staying, but you’re going to come back to Ponyville eventually, right?” Twilight nodded. “Don’t worry, Pinkie, before you know it, you’ll have librarian and dragon back in Ponyville.” Pinkie Pie smiled. “And then we’ll have a BIG party to celebrate all the new friends that will be there!” “Ah heard that Paper Craft is movin’ over to Lyra’s old place,” Applejack said after a moment of awkward silence. “We should all make sure to give him a hoof. That colt needs some good examples after livin’ all that time with those parents of his.” “Trixie hates to say this but-” Trixie cleared her throat, a bit embarrassed by her slip-up. “But I can’t say I’m saddened by the fact that they were crushed.” “Trixie!” Applejack gasped. “That’s a horrible thing to say!” “You didn’t hear what they said,” Trixie whispered. Applejack sighed. “So, where are you going, Rarity?” Twilight asked into the awkward silence. “We’ll be going north,” Rarity said. “The trip shouldn’t be too hard, but I have several things to attend to.” “You, or Ja-” “Me, Twilight,” Rarity interrupted. “It’s time to put an end to that chapter of my life.” Twilight nodded as she looked at the others. “I guess... I guess this is goodbye for now.” “Only for a short time, sugarcube,” Applejack soothed, giving Twilight a hug. “Me and Fluttershy are going to stay around for a day or so,” Rainbow Dash said. “And then we’ll head for Ponyville... and after that... well, I still have to think about what to do after that...” “Please make sure Angel is okay,” Fluttershy said to Apple Bloom and Scootaloo. “And feed the chickens. Tell them I’ll be back tomorrow.” “Sure thing, Fluttershy!” Apple Bloom exclaimed with a curt salute. “See you soon in Ponyville!” Pinkie Pie shouted, somehow hugging everypony at the same time. “And be ready to party!” “We will,” Twilight smiled as she Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stepped back, allowing the Stage Wagon to roll past. Trixie and Big Mac gave them a nod in goodbye, followed by Applejack and Dawn, who hurried to keep up the pace. Scootaloo, Apple Bloom and Daisy Sprout waved goodbye as the group slowly disappeared into the winding road that led to Ponyville. “Fare-thee-well, Twilight Sparkle,” Rarity said, hugging the alicorn as well. “I’ll see you soon.” “Make sure you do,” Twilight replied. She looked down at Sweetie Belle. “And you take care too, Sweetie Belle.” “I will, Twilight!” Sweetie said happily. “And thank you for the help with the spells!” Twilight grinned. “It was my pleasure.” The two sisters turned around and slowly walked out the gates, leaving Twilight alone with Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy. “Hey, Twilight.” “Yes, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight looked over her shoulder at her friend. “How about we give those wings of yours some more practice?” Twilight smiled in appreciation. “I’d like that.” “Well, let’s go!” Rainbow Dash shouted, jumping into the air. Twilight smiled and looked towards Ponyville, her eyes settling on the wagon being pulled down the winding road. She then looked further to where Rarity and Sweetie were making their way towards their own distant objective. She looked at the city around her and sighed. “And so we move on...” she whispered. “Hey, Twilight! Fluttershy! Are you coming?” Rainbow Dash called, interrupting her musings. Sharing her smile with Fluttershy, Twilight jumped up, following the two pegasi towards the Castle. “Hey!” she shouted, wobbling and losing altitude after a few seconds. “Wait up!” o.0.o The Empty Room o.0.o The End A/N

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-04-29T04:01:01+00:00

2016-01-18T07:50:07+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 21 By Wanderer D Gray skies hung over Canterlot as the dying light cast a deathly pallor over the whole of the city. The brave ponies stood in stunned silence, mulling over their recent accomplishment. They had killed an alicorn in combat. “Well, I must say, that was far easier than I had expected,” Rarity confessed after a moment. “This certainly bodes well for the upcoming fights.” Misty gave her a look. “Are we really going to fight the other Alicorns? There isn’t a safer way to deal with this? Maybe if we go straight for the Guardian we can take them all down in one go?” “Aw, they’re not that tough,” a voice broke in. The group turned to look in surprise at a battered Rainbow Dash, who had spoken from the back of a small cart being pulled by Trixie. Rarity frowned. “Well, I don’t know how well you did, Rainbow Da-” “We lost one of our own,” Applejack interrupted. “Ah would hardly say that was easy.” “Yeah, and it was TOTAL BS!” Gilda shouted. “I HAD that bitch!” “Gilda!” Twilight growled. “You’re supposed to be dead! You can’t just start screaming!” “Oh, stuff it, little Miss Horn and Wings!” Gilda retorted. “At least I didn’t arrive six hours late! And I’ll have you know that Alicorns are perfectly legal PCs!” Twilight snapped, slamming her hoof on the table so hard that it sent cheese puffs and dice flying. “They have a level adjustment of 3!” “Well duh, that’s why you had to sleep it off and be ‘dead’ while we all leveled up!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “And talk about projecting; suddenly you are Celestia’s daughter?” Twilight shook her head. “Oh yeah? Well, how about you, Commander of the Former Wonderbolts?” She proceeded to knock down the little figurines of Soarin’, Misty, Spitfire, Blast and whoever the first one to die was. “H-hey!” Rainbow Dash blushed as she carefully lined them up again. “Don’t ruin the paint job! It took me hours just to get them right!” Lyra sat down at the table, her horn alight as she levitated a soft drink. “What? Is it over already? Did I get resurrected yet?” “The only thing that’s happened is that Rainbow and Gilda started actin’ up... and then Twilight followed suit.” Applejack groaned. “Oh...” Lyra sighed. “I guess I don’t get to make up with Bon-Bon yet...” Applejack sighed. “Speakin’ of which, you two should really get a room.” “The Great and Powowowowow...” Trixie gasped as Big Mac bit her ear, blushing as she squirmed, cuddling even closer to his side. “Big Macintosh!” Applejack snapped. “Haven’t Ah told ya to not get so personal with Trixie in front of others!” Big Mac gave her a look. “Eeyup.” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You don’t care, do ya?” “Nnnoope.” Applejack simply leaned her face on the table. “This is why Ah told y’all that we could invite either Trixie or Big Mac, not both of them!” “Well, if we are not going to do anything, I do have to check on Sweetie Belle,” Rarity stated. "Berry Punch is a dear, but I am still not very comfortable leaving her in charge of my little sister and-” “No! You can’t leave yet!” Pinkie interrupted, “Me and Zecora still have to do our part!” “Other than trading little notes with the DM?” Rainbow Dash growled. “What the hay have you been doing all this time?” “It’s a secreeet~!” Pinkie sang bouncing around the table and barely dodging Gilda’s half-assed attempt at tripping her. “Hey, Dash, let’s leave the twerps and go make out. I have some really cool ideas that will make our night 20% hotter than this lame-o game of yours.” “Um... shouldn’t we, you know... wait a bit?” Fluttershy asked, trying to ignore Trixie’s hoof as the illusionist tried to pull her. “I mean, if you want... it’s just... Luna just went to the restroom and she won’t be happy if we leave...” “What is Luna doing in there anyway?” Lyra asked. “Nopony takes that long in there. Nopony.” “Maybe she passed out? She was drinking a lot of cider...” Applejack looked at the door at the back of the Library with a little worry. “And you saw how Spike was completely knocked out.” Rarity looked at the unconscious dragon. “Oh... poor Spikey, although that does explain why he just suddenly disappeared from the game.” “Aha!” Twilight suddenly shouted, her magic shoving a book between Gilda and Rainbow Dash. She brought it up to the griffon’s face. “See? Alicorns, perfectly good PCs.” “That’s BS and you know it; you just want to be a ‘princess’,” Gilda rolled her eyes, pushing the book down with her claw. “What, wasn’t Cadence marrying your freaking brother enough? Now you want to be a princess too?” “That has nothing to do with it!” Twilight snapped the book closed. “I’m just showing you that I made a perfectly valid character that added a lot of story-telling to the story despite your whining at how cliche it was.” “Your origin story was weak at best and you know it, Sparkles.” Gilda shook her head. “It’s so full of holes that I could fly in and out of it at twice the speed of sound without encountering any sort of resistance in the way.” “Oh, get off my case, as if your little act about how sorry you were and how much you love Rainbow Dash wasn’t projecting yourself even more.” “At least I’m playing myself, dork!” “Well, so am I!” “Dude, you turned your father into Darth Pony; that is not how your life really is.” Gilda retorted. “He was being controlled! I explained it in the backstory!” “You know what, on second thought, I believe you.” Gilda said nodding. Twilight blinked. “You... you do?” “Yes,” Gilda sighed. “The only way a story like yours would ever be considered is if you were Luna’s niece or something, because she wouldn’t accept so much BS from anypony else!” “Everyone ready?” Luna sang, the sound of a flushing toilet announcing her return. Twilight grimaced. “Lu- Princess, should you be wearing... that?” Luna’s eyes went up to the aluminum foil replica of her Nightmare Moon helmet. “Well, of course, Twilight! What else would I use to remind you all who you are dealing with?” “Luna, do we really have to fight all the Alicorns?” Rainbow Dash asked. “It’s getting late, and really, they’re kind of lame.” “They are perfectly good characters!” Luna said. “Why, I remember Winter really used to do that trick with the wave...” “Tch.” Rainbow Dash looked away. “They’re lame. That’s all I have to say. What, you didn’t have enough throwing us at a huge reptilian creature?” “Hey, be grateful she didn’t throw a Tarrasque in the middle,” Twilight said. “We would need very specific items and spells to stop that and-” “Don’t give her ideas, Sparkles!” Gilda shouted, throwing a D12 at Twilight’s forehead. It bounced off the tip of her horn before flashing and disappearing. “Hey! That was my lucky D12!” Lyra shouted. “Meh, you don’t need it, you’re dead!” Gilda gave Lyra a raspberry. “Well, so are you!” “My death was cool!” Gilda proclaimed. “I died fighting a freaking alicorn!” “Which your girlfriend pointed out was lame!” “Well, it was still awesome.” “Well you would have died anyway!” Lyra pointed out. “I would have survived if somepony had paid attention!” she glared at Trixie, who had placed her cape over herself and Big Mac and Fluttershy. The cape shook and both mares giggled. “How did those three end up together again?” Rarity asked Applejack, who groaned without lifting her head of the table. “Big Mac has a thing for strays,” the apple farmer said to the irritation of those that insist her name should be used constantly. “An’ Fluttershy and Big Mac have been an item on an’ off through the years... plus, she’s a pervert.” “Hey, Trixie!” Rainbow Dash hollered. “Pay attention! We’ve just walked into a huge garden with a gazebo!” “Ooo...” Trixie giggled, then poked her head out from under the cape. “Trixie ah... attacks it!” “The gazebo?” “Y-yes!” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Okay, Lyra has a point, if Trixie hadn’t half-assed that die-roll she would probably still be alive.” “See what I mean?” Lyra slammed her hoof on the table. “I demand to be resurrected! Or at least make it so that they thought I was dead but I wasn’t!” “No,” Luna said. “The incompetence of your teammates is no excuse to reset the whole game. Besides, we’re almost done anyway, just two more alicorns and the Guardian and we’re good.” “Why is it called the Guardian, anyway?” Lyra asked. “Did you even think about it when you named him?” “Are we ready to start again?” Luna growled, ignoring Lyra. “I want to get it over with before I have to put down the damned moon!” “Fine, fine...” Gilda sighed and reclined, watching with mild interest as the surviving ponies gathered around the table. “Now, where were we?” Luna asked. “We had just killed Winter... I think it was Twilight’s turn,” Rarity said. “Okay then,” Luna nodded. “Twilight, you and Fluttershy, Spark-” “What, she’s still alive?” Rainbow Dash asked. “That clone has more lives than a cat!” Twilight frowned. “She never was in any danger of dying!” “Well, I did almost kill her... and I would have if Applejack here hadn’t decided her tormentor was a good pony.” Applejack looked up. “Ah just did what ah would’ve done in real life!” “Suuure, and you don’t have a secret crush on Twilight,” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on, she doesn’t!” Lyra interrupted. “Stop shipping ponies around, Rainbow Dash!” “Shipping?” Luna blinked. “It’s when... um... a pony creates a relationship between characters...” Fluttershy explained quietly, poking her head from under Trixies cape. “It’s a fan-fiction expression...” “Fanwhatnow?” Luna shook her head. “Lyra, you write stories?” Lyra blushed. “A little...” “A little? Haven’t you shown the others that huge pile of ‘My Little Human’ fan fics you’ve written?” Gilda chuckled. Lyra cringed. “W-well, you liked them! And besides, Rainbow Dash is co-writing my crossover with Daring-do!” “A crossover between Daring-do and My Little Human?” Twilight asked, shaking her head. “You ponies have too much time.” “Well, excuse us for not writing a weekly friendship report to mom!” “Celestia is not my mom!” Twilight shouted. “Luna, can you please tell them that we are not blood related?” Luna stared at Twilight for a whole minute, then looked down at the table. “So... you and the others are walking down the street when-” “Cupcakes!” Pinkie shouted, setting a whole tray in the middle of the table. “Hey!” Luna shouted, panicking. “Watch the maps! I spent all of last week making them!” Applejack frowned. “Weren’t you re-writing the tax laws and checking them for flaws?” “Ah...” Luna chuckled weakly. “Yeah... that too...” “Anyway,” Twilight sighed and turned to look at Fluttershy. “Fluttershy, we should get going to the castle and... Fluttershy? Are you paying attention?” Fluttershy looked up under the cape, she slowly extracted herself from under it and moved to the table, flipping through a magazine. Then she noticed Twilight was glaring at her. “Oh... sorry, Twilight, were we role-playing again?” “What are you reading?” Twilight’s spell snatched the magazine from the almost protesting Fluttershy’s grasp. “Seriously? ‘Iron Will’s Self-Help Diet’?” Twilight shook her head. “Fluttershy you should know by now that he... huh... I didn’t know that boroboro root was good for that!” her horn shone again and ‘Supernaturals’ floated up to land next to her. She flipped the pages quickly. “It is! Wow, Iron Will does do his research!” “Oh yes,” Fluttershy nodded. “His diets have been very popular lately, and he has different ones for each species that reads his articles.” “My, I never thought that big brute would ever be able to spell his own name, much less write an article!” Rarity said, looking over Twilight’s shoulder. “But I must say, that salad recipe looks delightful! Exactly what a sexy assassin needs in her diet!” “Um, Rarity? That’s your character in the game, you are not really an assassin.” Rainbow Dash pointed out. Rarity stared at Rainbow Dash for a minute before she looked down at the article again. “Oh, my! Berries and nuts! It looks delicious!” “Ladies, if we could please carry on with the game?” Luna sighed. “Come on girls! I’m sure I can write a nice Friendship Report about Role Playing to mo- I mean, Princess Celestia!” “She’s really into it!” Gilda laughed. “Next thing we know Rarity will really think she’s an assassin!” she barked a laugh and then stopped as the two feathers she had styled on top of her face as bangs slowly drifted down to the table in front of her, splitting in half the moment they touched the table. Her eyes slowly looked up to Rarity, who was looking at a small diamond in her hoof, nonchalantly ignoring her. The griffon gulped. Trixie giggled. “Darn it, Big Mac, Ah told ya to stop doing that!” Applejack snapped, throwing an empty bag of apple chips at the couple. “There are other mares here and we don’t want to know what you-” she stopped when she felt a hoof on her shoulder. She looked back at Fluttershy, who was blushing but was shaking her head. “We don’t mind,” Fluttershy said. “But-” “I said, we don’t mind,” the pink-maned pegasus gritted her teeth as she glared at Applejack. “O-okay then...” “This is quickly spiraling out of control,” Twilight said. “Well, thank you for pointing the obvious, Mrs. Sparkle,” Lyra said as she glared from her chair. “What was your first clue? Pinkie Pie walking upside down on the ceiling?” Twilight looked up for a second before looking back at Lyra. “No, she does that relatively often.” “I see...” Lyra sighed. “Hey Lyra!” Pinke shouted from the ceiling. “Look! No hands!” “I KNOW!” “Pinkie! Get down from there! Your part and Zecora’s is almost upon us!” Luna shouted. “Why didn’t Zecora come again?” Rainbow Dash asked. “I thought she was all for tonight’s game.” She picked up a couple of papers. “I mean, she even filled out her character sheet and all...” Luna rolled her eyes. “How should I know? She said she suddenly had an emergency.” “You must know,” Rainbow Dash insisted. “You’re a Goddess!” Luna’s eyes clouded. o.0.o Somewhere Else o.0.o “Quick! Summon the Zords!” The Pink Pony Ranger shouted. The five ponies quickly stepped in line and, balancing on their hind legs, produced a sequence of exaggerated hoof moves and kicks before landing in different positions. Five giant robotic animals jumped out of the recesses of the jungle, exploding into pieces before rearranging themselves into a pony-like robot with three heads. It tried to fight the enemy dragon-mutant but was soon overwhelmed. “What are we going to do!?” The Red Pony Ranger shouted in horror. “Our Zords cannot take it down!” “Fear not, my Red-Robed friend!” A powerful female voice echoed all around them. “For I am here, to take out that fiend!” “It’s the Stripped Pony Ranger!” The Yellow Pony Ranger shouted gleefully. “She’s so cool with her rhymes!” Another Pony Ranger, riding on top of a giant mechanical anthropomorphic zebra with two wicked blades half as big as its own body emerged from the ground, standing valiantly next to the almost-defeated Zord. “Let’s do it!” the Black Pony Ranger shouted. The battle was joined once more. o.0.o “I’d rather not know,” Luna stated firmly. “Now, everypony... and griffon, take your seats, it’s time to continue.” There was a little bit of grumbling but eventually all players were sitting at the table, even Big Mac and Trixie. “Okay, let’s make this fast and we can all go home,” Luna said. “Twilight, as you and the others walk down Canterlot, another of the alicorns appears.” Luna ignored the groans the alicorn’s appearance produced. “Her blue piercing eyes nail you to the spot as her voice booms out, ‘I am Summer, let those who challenge me, step forward!’” Twilight sighed. “I guess we don’t have much of a choice, do we? Who was in my party again?” “Um... me...” Fluttershy said. “And... Twilight Spark... and Big Mac.” “Good,” Twilight said. “This should be okay...” she took a deep breath. “I use my magic to-” “Nuh-uh!” Gilda grinned. “Sorry miss alicorn, but I feel I should remind you that you are a pegasus now!” “Oh, horseapples!” Twilight smacked her face on the table. “Being a pegasus sucks!” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash growled. “You take that back!” “Seriously though, what can you do, other than fly and walk on clouds?” “We can create tornadoes!” Rainbow Dash said. Twilight rolled her eyes. “What, with the help of all the pegasi in Ponyville? I mean what can you do to fight?” “Well, I could create a Sonic Rainboom and punch my way through an alicorn!” Rainbow Dash argued. “Well, I can’t-” “And that’s because you are lame as a pegasus!” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “Just because you suck doesn’t mean real pegasi do!” “Tch. Fine,” Twilight growled. She looked at Luna. “Well, Spark will use her thunderbolt spell on Summer, while I... kick up some rain or something.” “And I assume you’ll buck her like a tree?” Luna asked Big Mac, who nodded. “Eeyup.” “I... I think I’ll stay back and... watch...” Fluttershy winced. “Oh, come on, Flutters!” Lyra groaned. “It’s a game! Nothing can happen to the real you! It’s not like you’re going to face the real Summer anytime soon, right?” Fluttershy meeped and hid under the table while Luna, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Pinkie Pie and Twilight shared uncomfortable looks. “Riiight...” Twilight coughed. “A-anyway...” Luna nodded. “Okay, everypony roll initiative and-” “Hey girls!” Pinkie Pie interrupted. “I’ve managed to compile a video of the game so far! Let’s watch it!” Luna’s eyes widened as she noticed the cameras set up in the Library. “But... how? When?!” she felt a hoof on her own and looked at Twilight, who shook her head. “It’s not worth it, Luna.” A screen dropped from the far wall and the lights dimmed. A light flickered and suddenly they were looking at themselves. Luna was standing on her hind hooves, leaning forward as she eyed Trixie evilly. “‘Yesssss.’ The voice said, once again whispering in her ear and sending shivers up your spine. “I will teach you now.”’ Luna whispered dramatically. “Trixie, you turn around and look up. And up...” Luna said, eyes glistening. “You look up until you can see the face of the Guardian. You stare at it. And then, with quick move giant jaws descend upon you!” Luna slammed her hoof down, making Trixie jump in her seat. “Your screams slowly die away in the immense jungle, with nopony around to hear the crunch of your bones!” “What?!” Trixie jumped from her seat. “That’s total horse-apples! The Great and Powerful Trixie can’t die first thing into the game! It’s unfair!” Luna stared at her, then smiled. “The Guardian then proceeds to belch mightily, before continuing to tear into your body.” “Bu-but! That’s- Oh, come on!” Trixie whined. “You wanted that map...” Rainbow Dash chuckled. “Luna did say it would come with a price!” “Ha! You got killed ten minutes into the game!” Gilda laughed. “Now that is lame!” Trixie glared at her. “Trixie would like to remind the overblown chicken that she was killed by the main bad guy and not a grunt!” “Do you want a piece of me, ‘Tricks’?” “Anytime!” “Girls!” Pinkie suddenly slid between them. “You’re missing the next scene!” o.o.o Luna looked at Trixie. “Trixie, as your wagon approaches Ponyville, you notice a farm nearby. You don’t remember your way that well -since your skill check failed- and there appears to be an old mare sitting on the porch. She notices your wagon.” “Trixie casts a spell using flaming magical powder from her cart to spell out ‘Which way to Ponyville’,” Trixie replied. Luna nodded with a small smile. “The fiery words appear in the air in front of the old mare, she stares in horror as flames sprout out of nowhere and ask her for directions. Her hoof goes to her foreleg, and it seems like it hurts. She gasps and falls back. She’s not breathing.” “WHAT?!” Trixie jumped to her feet, glaring at Luna. “That’s so unfair!” Luna gave her a look. “Congratulations, you just gave Granny Smith a heart-attack. I hope you’re happy.” “But... but-” Trixie’s eyes watered. “I didn’t mean to! I- I grab her shoulders and shake her awake! There must be some mistake! Hey! Granny! Are you okay? You passed out!” Luna rolled her eyes, but made a credible impression of Granny Smith’s voice. “W-what... I... I'm okay... I just had this strange nightmare of a stage wagon that spoke in words made out of fire to me... I thought I was going to have a heart-attack!” she paused. “You also notice that she has left her body behind.” Trixie glared at Luna. “Seriously? She’s a ghost now? How many ghosts are we getting here?!” Luna looked back at Trixie. “She’s waiting for an answer.” “Y-you did? Ah... hehe.” “Ah remember that,” Applejack shook her head. “For shame, Trixie, killing your soon-to-be family members...” Trixie growled, but Fluttershy’s calming hoof on her shoulder helped her relax a little. She raspberry-ed Applejack and cuddled up between Fluttershy and Big Mac. o.o.o “‘This has to be done... if there was a different way...’ He said in a disgustingly soothing tone,” Luna narrated dramatically. “You know who it is now, Twilight...” “I... I stop where I am, ready to fight and prepare my magic!” Twilight replied. “When he sees your horn start to glow with magic he also stops as his own horn lights with energy.” Luna said. “Now, Twilight, roll a sanity check.” “Wow, who IS this guy?” Rainbow Dash asked, her eyes on the small figurines. “He seems kinda cool! Can he really drive Twilight mad with his presence alone?” “We’ll see...” Luna replied. Twilight shook the dice in the air with her magic before releasing them over the table. “43%! I pass!” “Bummer...” Lyra grumbled. “I would have liked to see Twilight go bat-shit crazy! ‘Bring Celestia to my chambers!’ and that kind of stuff!” “I would never say that about mo- Princess Celestia!” Luna cleared her throat. “Twilight, any last words?” Twilight sighed as she turned her attention to the table. “There is only one thing I could say before I unleash my magic to protect not only myself, but my mentor's secret... ‘Daddy... why?’” “WHAT?!” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “That’s- come on! That’s lame! Seriously? I thought Twilight’s dad was cool?!” “Hey, he’s a very nice guy!” Twilight defended. “That doesn’t make him cool!” o.o.o “Don't say it!” Rainbow Dash shouted trying not to laugh and keep a serious face. “She's gone, Rainbow Dash,” Luna said, looking at the pegasus. “No! Don't say that! Twilight Sparkle can't be dead!” Dash shouted before she burst into laughter. “Hey! It’s a serious scene!” Twilight complained. “And I just died!” A gasp made them look to the small purple dragon that had just walked into the room with a bag of cheetos. “It's not true,” he said, running to hold Luna's hooves. “It's not true, right? Y-you're joking.” Luna rolled her eyes. “Yes, she’s dead, she botched her last attack and got killed by her daddy.” Spike gasped. “Wow, that sucks!” Twilight slammed her face on the table. “Tell me about it, now I have to make a new character!” “Hmm... I have some ideas for that...” Luna said. “Twilight, come with me, we have to talk for a bit...” “What did Luna tell you?” Lyra asked, curious. “Well, she told me I could make an evil clone of myself as a character, since she sort of already had Twilight Spark as a possible NPC... the only requirement was that I had to chase after Applejack’s tail.” “An’ that was pretty annoyin’!” Applejack grumbled. “Oh, you liked it and you know it!” Rainbow Dash teased, poking Applejack in the ribs. “Who was it that was telling me just the other night that Twilight had one hell of a plo-mph!” Applejack chuckled nervously, keeping her hoof steady on Rainbow’s mouth. o.o.o I SHALL GO TO CANTERLOT THEN! CAN YOU POINT ME IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, HANDSOME? Trixie leaned seductively onto Big Mac’s shoulder and almost purred. “I-it's that way.” He stammered through his blush, trying to stay in character. THANK YOU Trixie gave him a peck. “Ah uh...” Big Mac looked at Luna. “Ah uh... Ah follow Trixie...” “Big surprise there,” Luna rolled her eyes. o.o.o “B-but it can't be you...” Rainbow Dash stammered. “You died!” “I got better.” Twilight answered, leaning up to the pegasus and whispering in her ear. “Much... better.” Rainbow Dash visibly shivered as her ear twitched from the feel of her friend's breath on it, as much as the feeling of Twilight's coat against hers. “‘Twilight Spark.’ Celestia says then, looking down just slightly. ‘Don't you have something to tell your friends?’” Luna’s voice was eerily similar to when she had been Nightmare Moon. “Spark?” Rarity asked. “But...” “Sparkle was okay,” Twilight interrupted, smirking from across the table. “for a filly... but I am a full grown mare now, as you can see. A better name seemed... appropriate.” Applejack shook her head slowly. “Sugarcube, you can call yourself Twilight Pastel for all Ah care... It's good to have you back.” She nodded at Twilight, then looked at Luna. “Ah give her a hug!” “I lick her neck!” Twilight giggled “Twilight!” “Oh, man!” Gilda laughed. “That was awesome! The look in your face, Applejack! You know what, you’re okay in my book, Sparkles!” Twilight chuckled. “Thanks, I think.” o.o.o “Oh, you know. Basic anatomy, pleasure/pain thresholds, Pavponian Conditioning,” the unicorn spared a glance at Applejack. “Oh... do you think I broke her? But I haven't even started!” she said jokingly, eliciting a snort and a laugh from Rainbow Dash and Spitfire. Applejack visibly shivered as she looked at Twilight, then struggled to stay in character as she looked at Rainbow Dash. “Why... what...” “What’s up, Applejack? Dragon caught your tongue?” Rainbow Dash asked, grinning like an idiot. “Bet you never thought I would betray you, huh?” “Damn it, Rainbow Dash, you explain this to me right now!” Applejack threw a die at the pegasus, who dodged it. “No can do! Dungeon Master’s orders!” Rainbow Dash laughed. “That whole thing with the medallions got a bit convoluted...” Lyra groaned. “Was it really necessary?” “It wasn’t that hard to follow,” Twilight said. “Although I guess how some ponies don’t care much for storytelling and want everything told to them straight out.” “Not me!” Rainbow Dash laughed. “That’s why I love Daring Do, I can never wait to see the ending and figure out all the clues that were there!” “You’re an Egghead now, remember, RD?” Gilda teased. “How about you read me a bedtime story?” “Maaybe...” Rainbow Dash grinned. o.o.o “The guards are approaching, Lyra!” Luna said. “What are you going to do?” Stretching across the table, Lyra grabbed Big Mac. “Quick! Kiss me!” Trixie and Fluttershy looked at each other, shrugged ,and pushed the back of Big Mac’s head suddenly. His eyes went wide as his lips slammed into Lyra’s. The whole table burst into laughter as both ponies quickly scrambled back. “Gah!” Lyra spat. “You taste like apples!” “Why did you shove your tongue into my mouth!?” Big Mac asked, losing his calm composure for once. “I...” Lyra was interrupted by Luna rolling dice. “Uh oh, Lyra... you are not going to like this,” she smiled. “As you look around, trying to figure out if the guards are gone, you notice another female pony looking in your direction with a look of disgust, hurt and betrayal. “Great,” Lyra sighed, falling into character. “Listen, Octy...” “What?” Luna shook her head. “It’s Bon-Bon!” Lyra blinked. “I’m supposed to be dating her? But she’s just my friend!” “Whatever, you’re lovers in this story and you want her to have your baby.” Luna growled. “But... we’re both mares!” “You want her to have your baby, now role play!” Lyra sighed. “Fine. Um... Bon-Bon! No! I can explain!” “So... you’re not dating Bon-Bon?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Um... no?” “Oooh... the readers are gonna be pissed!” Pinkie giggled. “The- what are you talking about?” “Don’t,” Twilight said, shaking her head. “She’s just being Pinkie Pie.” Lyra rolled her eyes. “Aaanyway,” Luna interrupted, her horn glowing. “As interesting at that is, Pinkie, we should get back to playing.” “Aww, but I wanted more scenes made fun of for April Fool’s Day!” Pinkie pouted. “April what?” Luna asked, but then shook her head. “Doesn’t matter, let’s play! Twilight, Fluttershy, Big Mac... an Alicorn stands before you. You quickly remember her name; Summer. She has not attacked, but is observing you in a way that makes you all nervous.” Twilight’s horn lit up as her dice levitated. “Well then, how about we continue with the story!?” The group cheered as they settled down around the table, watching and listening intently as the next step in their adventure developed. Slowly the scene darkened until everything disappeared. … … … ... “Happy April Fool’s Day!” Pinkie Pike suddenly shouts, appearing from the right corner of the screen. “Hope you all liked it! It might not be the end of the story, but look at the bright side! If Wanderer D hadn’t been so lazy, you wouldn’t have had this little look into what was happening behind the scenes!” She smiles and nods. “Well, I have to go! My big return is coming! Bye now and see you... soon, I hope!” o.0.o End TER: AFD o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2012-04-29T04:01:14+00:00

2015-03-29T06:01:50+00:00

Warning! DO NOT READ unless you have either finished reading “The Empty Room” or you have no intention whatsoever in reading it at all (which makes me wonder why you’re here) not only do these notes contain spoilers for EVERYTHING, it will also make more sense if you have read the story. Writing 'The Empty Room' A look at story-telling, derps, plot-devices and musings by Wanderer D Whenever I write a story, I usually also write a “process of writing” side-document with it. Some are pretty in-depth, like the one for Myst and Leaves, or Magic Knight Pokemon, and some are not. I don’t know how long or in-depth this one will be, but I will keep writing it as the story goes, then come back and re-edit. I warn you, dear reader, this is by no means going to be very organized... While I could go for a more formal style, since this is a candid written account of my thoughts I don't think it will be necessary to follow the academic format. Besides, who wants to read that? I don’t. And even if somepony did, I don't want to write it. So, there! If you take a look at the picture above, you might notice that point #6 says “Chapter 1 of 6.” And this is how we begin. THE PLANS On June 15th, 2011, I found myself finishing writing the first chapter of what I thought would be a six-part story. How wrong I was. My first hint should have been the scope of what I was trying to achieve. Just about EVERYTHING in the story had already been planned, except for a couple of details which I will mention below. So, what were my intentions with the story and what was the original plan? Well, I was trying to tell the story of a mother and child that were separated for years and had unknowingly been close to each other, already seeing underneath it all, the strong bonds they had together. (I have issues with adoption, okay? Even if I’ve been over it for a loooooong time, it keeps popping up in my freaking stories... I should talk to a counselor about this.) And I wanted to show that Celestia had been thinking about her sister when she named her daughter “Twilight” thinking of her as the bridge between Day and Night. But really, when you imagine something like this, how can you even not want it to happen? (Image definitely not related to the fic, but kindly allowed to be used as reference by ~theX-plotion) By the end of it, Celestia would have her daughter back, Twilight would be her “true” self and they would be able to live together with Luna and the others as a family. The story was planned out in my mind as follows: * Luna finds a mysterious room right next to Celestia’s chambers. * It turns out that it belongs to Celestia’s daughter, but nopony can remember who she was or even that she existed at all. Twilight Sparkle is Celestia’s daughter. * Celestia herself cast the spell on the room with the aid of her mages to protect twilight from her enemies, hiding the memories in a secret room/vault under the castle. * Celestia’s enemy is The Guardian, an entity that feeds of the pain and fear the existence of Nightmares causes. * Trixie awakens the guardian and gets eaten, but she is somehow tied to the spell in the vault, so she becomes an intangible ghost. * Trixie travels to Canterlot in search of answers, drawn there by the spell. * Celestia gets the help of Twilight and friends to find out what happened, but the Guardian’s followers attack and kill Twilight. * Celestia becomes a Nightmare between the pain of Twi’s death and influence from the Guardian who talks to her through mirrors.Celestia resurrects Twilight, but she is corrupted. She used twisted memories of reports and her own experiences with her daughter to bring an incomplete version back. * Twilight gets resurrected along with Trixie by the memory spell. * Together, with the help of Luna and the Elements, they confront Celestia and evil Twilight, releasing her from the Nightmare. * The Guardian reveals himself, a battle ensues in which not everypony survives... but in the end, the good guys win, even if it was with a heavy cost. As you can see, the story was waaay beyond 6 chapters even without thinking about characterization, conflict, aesthetic, sub-plots, twists, hints, references and new characters. The sad thing is that I should have noticed that from the get go... Chapter 1 is not exactly light, and I’ve written enough stories to recognize a long one from a short one. I should have known that it was going to take more than 6 chapters to tell it... And yes, even more than ten. Poor Seth, I kept sending him stuff like this. By the time I had sent chapter 2 I had already realized that I had to re-think my story. There was so much to tell and I had already opened the proverbial can of worms. The protagonists were beyond a simple, straight-forward resolution, because the story called for more. Thus I sat down and thought about where the story was going. Again, I didn’t want to change the main plot... that was the story I wanted to tell, but I had discovered that I would need to do more to tell it than anticipated. And so, I laid back and told myself the story as I saw it. In that moment, while my mind followed the story, several things became clear. I needed to cement the Guardian’s agents in it. I had to add conflict, figure out how Twilight would die, who would kill her, how many enemies would come into the story... The Guardian Guardian is a creature/villain following the precept that the less you know about it (other than it corrupts and its powerful) the better. It remains behind the scenes, and yet you can sense its presence all along the story, but for most of it you really don't get to see him/it... you just meet his emissaries, sort of like Morden and the Shadows in B5. This allows you to do a lot with this sort of villain because, being behind the scenes and knowing much more than the reader, his influence and apparent knowledge is increased tenfold by little details at the right time. This is a technique used in Code Geass by Lelouch at the very beginning of the series. The Council of Nightmares ...was born right then and there, including the back-story about the medallions, as I reasoned how they would add members to their group. How they would be hidden and betray those they loved. And with that, Midnight (Twilight Sparkle’s adoptive father) and Spitfire came to the forefront. These two would be good antagonists. I could play a bit with the fandom’s support for a Spitfire-Rainbow Dash relationship and really mess up Twilight by having her own father attack her, lowering her defences and kill her. Yes, it sounds evil and I felt like a bastard for doing it, but it worked. Then the logical conclusion that Nightmare-Celestia would not be driven by the same boring idea of keeping the sun up all the time. Luna had wanted appreciation and recognition and love when she had gone Nightmare... but Celestia’s interests were not the same. Celestia was turning Nightmare out of a desire to keep her family protected, and that included Luna and Twilight. Thus the idea of Twilight Spark evolved. There were several key elements to this character. Concept art by the awesome Crimson Valor, who made my day when he drew this! First: She was childish. The reason behind this being that she was based on Celestia’s fondest memories of Twilight, which were her younger years. This also made her cruel and unable to understand how much she was hurting others. Second: She was powerful. For obvious reasons. Third: She had a crush on Applejack due to Celestia misreading a Friendship Report. The evil twist made this “crush” an obsession to the point of harassment, but, despite a lot of ponies out there thinking it, not rape. Fourth: She would only have the memories that Celestia knew about, causing some memory lapses and a bit of confusion. Twilight Spark gained a lot of popularity to my surprise (and secret delight) and her interactions with Applejack were both funny and disturbing, making it very interesting to write. This could have deviated into clop-fiction at any point, but I managed to stay with the story. So, how to get Luna in on it? Well, Nightmare Flare knew that her sister would not go along with this unless she did something drastic, like returning the Nightmare to life then giving her the same amount of control over the celestial bodies. The reasoning behind this is that NMF’s objective was to her family, no more, no less. She had no interest in the celestial bodies themselves, so, giving Nightmare Moon something like that was not much of a problem. However, Luna had already been there, she would not fall as easily and so, the little remnants of the Elements helped her remain mostly herself. The Nightmare affected and changed her, but she did not overwhelm Luna as she had before, the Elements allowed her to become a true amalgam of both ponies. At this point I was debating what to do with Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy and Rarity. Since Celestia would see them as a danger, she would not allow the Elements to survive. But I had plans for Rarity already. My mind had thought upon a certain comic by Exploding Guy I had seen before of Rarity using her magic to shoot arrows... I deviated from The Empty Room to give some thought to that... I love Rarity, so I wanted her to have a cool, active part in the story that when it was revealed would create a reaction. Thus, with that image in mind, I thought up Jade. Rarity the Assassin’s background is a story that I have yet to write, but I know how and why she got to be that and it allowed me to use her in The Empty Room. I wondered how she would use a dagger and as I thought about assassins I started thinking about Azrael, from the Batman comic books, and I remembered that he had these cool blades that would pop out of his armbands, and gave her those (sans the flames), thinking how clever I was and how cool assassin-ponies were and how Jade was the only one so far! Mwahahaha. (Then, on a fateful 16th of July, literally month to the day after TER was published in EqD, Brotherhood of the Moon came out showing me that yes, it was indeed cool and that there were a lot of stories with pony assassins to be told. Plus... Rainbow Dash assassin? Awesome!) As her background was created, Jade took a step into the front-line. Nightmare Moon would acquire her loyalty, first by manipulating her devotion to her friends and her need to distance her assassin persona from Rarity the Fashionista, and then by slowly proving that she actually had everypony’s best interests at heart. It was interesting to see how as readers slowly realized Jade was Rarity, her popularity grew and also their respect for her. Before, she was (supposedly) just an OC (Which was accused of skirting on being Mary Sue Really? I mean, for the most part she did... well, nothing!) but once it became mostly clear she was one of the mane cast, that turned into complaints on how it wasn’t possible and demands for explanations... never mind that since she was keeping the secret from just about everypony, those explanations would not be forthcoming. Seriously, you don’t have to explain the origin of Every. Single. Thing. in a story! Regardless, I always thought it was blatantly obvious who she was after Sweetie Belle defended this mysterious mare. Then again, I knew all along so... Nightmare Moon herself was a challenge to settle into a single entity. I imagined Luna as being playful at times but secretive about her thoughts as well as slightly resentful that she was still feared because of Nightmare Moon. I wanted her to be the Nightmare but have the others see that she was not a monster... (And on a fateful 18th of July Past Sins came up dealing with *almost* the exact same thing, go figure. At least by then I had established my NMM and Pen Stroke’s approach was completely different than mine. And I am really thankful that Dragryphon’s NMM is also completely different than mine given how scarily similar some ideas we had were!) She’s all-seriousness when we meet her, but as her restraints were removed by her change, she was able to let go a bit and let her humor surface. Luna was (ironically) also able to start relating to other ponies while in this guise, but she also another plan... My portrayal of this mare would get several interesting comments, including: “I swear, NMM shows all the concern/emotion of an exasperated supervisor sometimes.” ~UnderstatedHyperbole (While editing) With NMM, the Guardian, The Council, NMF and Jade established, I went into full sub-plot mode. Trixie’s story became more involved. I could not simply have her turn up in Canterlot, thus I turned her trip into a journey of self-discovery, and my conduit to achieve that was... you guessed it: Big Macintosh. The title of this non-fic-related piece is “Something Unexpected” which was exactly what happened. This image was created by MikeTheUser with no relationship to the story and shamelessly used here (with permission) What I did not expect was the Trixie-Big Mac (Trimac? Trixmac? MacTrix? Matrix? Trixmax? Macxie?) relationship that flourished out of it. It was a welcome surprise, to be honest. The process of those two communicating and delving into Trixie’s mind helped me really get to know her and actually like her, I started reading more Trixie fics due to that and enjoyed more stories than I would otherwise have read. Although The Empty Room itself wasn’t intended as a shipping fic, the way those two got together was through a life of its own and I was there to just put words to it. Look! Actual fan art of Trixie’s and Big Mac’s trip to Canterlot! This was created by the talented BIGCCV Would it have ever happened without Trixie dying? Probably not. However, as I pondered the idea of Trixie’s personality, trip, romance and eventual resuscitation, I discovered her family. A stern (but loving) father, a caring mother and most importantly, the little sister she never knew. While I didn’t know how that would turn out, the idea was already embedded in my head. The result was better than I expected. The rebels was another thing that popped up in my musings, creating a slightly more complicated plot since it became 3 groups acting instead of two; The Nightmares, The Council/Guardian and The Rebel Alliance. The Rebel Alliance got a lot of comments about suspension of disbelief... to you, who claims that it was too much I remind you... the original story had a comedy tag, and although I asked Seth to remove it because it was not as strong as the Grimdark, I always intended to write this story with little comedic snippets. Lyra was a character I wanted to use for a while, I just didn’t have a story exclusively for her, although I had thought about her life being what I described in my story... kinda sad, made better by her leaving Canterlot and meeting/living with Bon-Bon. She was a tragic pony from the beginning. I knew she was going to die playing Mime’s theme. It was just too perfect. (Why, you ask? Well... Saint Seiya, I’m not afraid to admit, has got more manly tears out of me than any other anime/movie/TV series/song/anything; from the battle between Seiya and Shiryu, to the Crystal Saint, to just about EVERYONE in Sanctuary, the awesomeness that was the Asgard Saga and all of Hades: Sanctuary, especially Shaka Virgo’s death which was amazing beyond description.) If I could make use of the amazing music and reference to give more punch to Lyra’s last moments, I would use it! And Mime’s tragic story lent itself to this. I was fortunate enough to have heard WhiteveilHarp’s rendition of Mime’s Harp (Although it’s really a Lyre) and immediately thought of her as the reference material. I loved working with Lyra, which was a surprise, since I had absolutely no idea what type of pony she would be in my story. I failed her, I think, when I didn’t explore her more. I based her personality off of my own impressions from the show and what fics I had read where I liked her portrayal, but my duty should have been to really bring her best and worst out more, especially because of how important she became to the story. I didn’t enjoy killing Bon-Bon, but it had to be done to bring out a more dark and resolute Lyra. There has been some debate as to whether it should have happened and on whether somepony would have saved her from her fate. I don’t think so, and let me explain why: First, if we go by the belief that pony lives are pretty much as happy-go-lucky as they are in the show, the thought of betraying somepony and that resulting in an execution is something so alien and horrifying that Bon-Bon would not be ready, psychologically or even socially, to confront. The guild would drive her crazy, and without understanding of how to deal properly with such harsh emotions, well... letting go of everything seems like the most simple solution. We don’t have to be happy about it, and maybe she could have acted differently, but, well... she didn’t. Now... about somepony saving her. Who? Let’s be completely and brutally honest. Who would save her? Who would be paying more than passing attention? Who would have the spontaneous reaction to jump after her or use magic when something so unthinkable happens? Have you ever had a gun pointed at your head? I have. At first, you’re not even afraid, your brain can’t process what is happening to the degree of performing appropriate action. It’s not until the gun is taken away and you’re not in danger that it actually hits you. If it has happened enough times, or you have special training, well then that’s another story. But let’s say, for argument’s sake that all the ponies in Equestria somehow have the presence of mind to act immediately under normal circumstances. Well... these were not normal circumstances. 1) The sky was stuck in a permanent eclipse. 2) They had, not one, but TWO Nightmares running around. 3) Ponies had been murdered that morning. 4) All the mares of a certain age were being rounded up and taken to the castle. So... who would be paying real attention to the goings of a distraught mare? Really? Enough to know what she was about to do? Enough to call the attention of somepony who could do something? No. Sorry, but no. And then, there were Lyra’s parents... gods, her parents! This is one of the moments where a more in-depth Lyra would have made the whole story better, not only because the readers would have connected even more to her, but the buildup would have improved the story considerably. It was also one of the few times that Nightmare Moon completely used somepony knowing that their chances of survival would be minimal at best. It is the most cold-hearted decision she made in the entire fic, and something that haunts her in the Epilogue (and further). REFERENCES There were several references made through the story, here’s a list of them and what they were referencing. Chapter 1: * Celestia’s line when she starts crying without knowing the reason was slightly inspired by Mia’s reaction to Tsukasa giving her the “Aromatic Grass” in .Hack//Unison Chapter 2: *Mort, of course, I borrowed with permission from “Mort takes a Holiday” by Anonymous Materials. Chapter 3: * Spike was dreaming he was Boromir, from “The Lord of the Rings”. This was a recurring dream for a long time, as evidenced by the guards saying that the “ghost of a general” haunted the library. * The unicorn foal, Six, was a reference to “The Sixth Sense” Chapter 4: * The whole chapter is written with the intention of making the reader think about Twilight, foreshadowing her death.Pinkie Pie is singing “In the Land of Twilight” by Yuki Kajiura from the series “.Hack” Chapter 7: * “Talking is a Free Action” is a reference to the D&D rule, as well as the TvTrope Chapter 8: * “Pavponian Conditioning” a poorly ponyfied version of Pavlovian Conditioning. Chapter 13: * I took the idea of hoof-language from the fanfic “Claro de Luna”And yes, the Rebel Alliance was a direct reference to Star Wars Chapter 14: * “it is better to live on your hooves than die on your knees. Which is what would have happened to you.” is an adaptation of a quote from the novel “Catch-22” Chapter 17: * The colt with the black speckled yellow bandanna is of course Ryoga Hibiki, who got lost again and ended up ponyfied in Equestria. We all knew it was going to happen, that guy is worse than Sweetie Belle when it comes to dimensional hopping. * Eldritch’s name is of course, completely intentional as to the character being a mage, and also as a slight nod to Lovecraft’s fondness of the word. Chapter 18: * “Solar-Flaring Orgasms of Celestia!” is one of Little Pip’s many awesome curses in the story “Fallout: Equestria” * The melody that Lyra plays to break through Nightmare Moon’s defences and reach Celestia is “Mime’s Requiem”, from the Anime “Saint Seiya”; it was an attack which he used to strangle/cut his enemies. Chapter 19: * Slight reference to the idea of “Princess Molestia”: “W-what is it about Nightmare Flare and turning ponies into perverts?” * Magic Missiles: Dungeons and Dragons! Chapter 20: * If you look hard enough you’ll see the link to “The Sweetie Chronicles: Fragments': Chapter 18. (I guess that's a spoiler, huh?) * Gilda’s fight directly references “Lethal Weapon 2” * I didn’t do a good job at describing the place, but the area where Jade and Co. land was inspired by “The Crossroads” from “The Cat Returns” Chapter 21: * Pinkie Pie’s arrival with Ponyville in tow was intended as a reference to Gandalf’s arrival at the battle at Helm’s Deep in how it was presented, as well as, in a small way, Mimi’s and Joe’s last minute arrival with a tag-along-army in the last episode of Digimon Adventure... however... balloon. * Fluttershy channels Willow from “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” The Epilogue It was surprisingly easy to write, in a way. I knew exactly what needed to happen, what each strand and plot I had to bring to a close; what to leave vague and what needed complete closure. I think, overall, it was a very good ending. Some might disagree, some others will want some questions answered more clearly, I guess. But, that’s the story, and like Twilight learned, we cannot always know everything with complete certainty. It was certainly bittersweet to write and each word just made me feel more nostalgic and grateful for all that happened with this story. I hope, that you, reader, found it entertaining and even engaging. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly All stories have things that the writer believes he/she did well (regardless of what others might think), things that the writer thinks should have been better and finally, things that the writer realized were completely stupid to do. In hindsight, this is what I believe is appropriate for each category: The Good (Or rather to me it will be “what worked”, the readers can make up their mind on what parts were actually good!) * Overall TER has helped me leap into better writing. Yeah, it’s not my best story but damned if it wasn’t done with intensive care for the most part. Not to mention that it’s thanks to TER that I’ve gotten back into my writing habit at all, and thanks to TER that I’ve really made friends in the Brony Community. * I think one of the few claims I can make with a some certainty is that I managed to really get most readers to strongly react to what I write. There were manly tears, cries of outrage, some hatred, some loving, and a lot of ‘what a twist!’ thrown in there. Regardless of the reaction it was one in relation to what I wrote. * If anything, I think that I was successful also in crafting the endings to really make the readers want to read more. Since this story is updated anything from a few weeks to a couple of months, I feel that writing each chapter end as you would in a running series in a newspaper back in the 20s is the right approach. If you don’t leave your readers wanting more, why would they return? * It also proved that Editors are a must. * Twists work. They really do, especially if they are not really that random. If you look at the story, every twist has a reason behind it, from RD’s sudden “betrayal” to Trixie’s death/revival. Some, if not most could be predicted in some way, I think, but what made them work really well is that when I wrote each chapter, I allowed for the twist to happen at the end of it, therefore creating a cliffhanger and giving it more strength than if it had happened in the middle of the story... The Bad * Chapters 1 and 2: They need to be better. They are not by any means worthy of being called “Purple Prose” but they are, I think, needlessly obtuse. I could have worked them much better, but I also blame (in part) my original plans of making the story a 6 chapter deal, as I was cramming way too much into very short chapters. * The summary: It can be a bit misleading, and although it captures the attention of the possible reader, it also doesn’t give much information that might help understand what you’re getting into. However, this is not entirely a bad thing as it probably piqued the interest of some readers that might not have otherwise taken a look! The Ugly: * Those damned Alicorns (Winter and Co.). Honestly, I should have found a better way to do Jade’s reveal, Gilda’s last moments and give NMM & Celly time to fight the Guardian. While Winter and Fall were relatively interesting, I had lost all inclination to write about Summer and Spring by the time I needed to. Let’s face the truth of it, they were an ill-conceived plot device that turned around and shot me in the face. If/when I do a rewrite, I’m definitely removing them or changing their roles completely. It’s one of those early concepts that I planned for a while, even putting the seed of them in Midnight’s narration of the Guardian’s involvement with the world for centuries, but when the time came, I didn’t have the presence of mind to ditch it. It would have worked too, we had the information that the Guardian had messed up some Alicorns before, and they had been all but forgotten, it was a bit of background world-building that should have stayed as such. I guess I also allowed myself to be influenced by the cliched “One more boss before the final battle.” The only thing I achieved was dragging things longer than they had to and making myself really not want to write TER for a while. So yeah, the last few delays? *Points hoof at Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall.* INFLUENCES So, what influences did I have that really affected how TER was written? Some of them were from before I even dreamt about writing it, and some directly affected my story as I wrote it. I don’t remember all the influences I had for this, but, off the top of my mind... 1: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic: It’s almost needless to mention. Where would this story be without this wonderful series? Nowhere, that’s where. This series, who we all love is full of so many details and character development that is fertile ground for fanfics to be born. 2: Babylon 5 - Yes, I always bring it up, ALWAYS I mean, I can talk about other stuff, but B5 is always present as an influence in just about everything I write, for better or worse. Why? Well, so many things! Characters, plot, secrets, JMS coined the term WHAM Episode... the scale! The freaking scale of the story! I will always think of B5 as one of the best pieces of storytelling out on TV. It might look/feel a bit dated now if you’ve never watched it, but hell, it was the very first TV show to have CGI as a constant part of the series, it won so many awards, changed how shows on tv would be forever more... let me put it this way for those of you that doubt me: Yes, while it is unlikely that B5 would exist without Star Trek, shows like Firefly, ST: DS9*, Lost, Heroes, Andromeda, Walking Dead and many others would definitely *not* exist without B5 having paved the way. *While it is a contended piece of discussion, it has pretty much been established by the cast of DS9 that they all know B5 was the original idea. I am not putting down DS9; I loved it! I am just saying, without B5, it wouldn’t exist. 3: Fan Fiction: “Well, duh!” you might say. But, I might as well list it. Yes, fan fiction was an influence into writing this. There were a lot of works out there that got me thinking I could write a FIM story. I have already mentioned Sunset, but I should also mention Fo:E when it comes to Pony fics... I hadn’t read it when I started, I think I got to chapter 10 before I sat down and started reading it, but man, Kkat’s story was a pleasure to read and inspired me to write, even if it didn’t directly affect the story save for a couple of quotes... honestly, I read so many of them that I forget what was first and what wasn’t ^_^ Solar Flare/What Could have Been/Deep Dark: Dragryphon and I had chatted from time to time in both her story and mine on the google chat thingy. But it wasn’t until we started pre-reading for each other that we actually discussed what the hell was planned for each of our stories. Oh, my. We had very, very similar ideas and were going to pull them off in very, very different ways. To be honest, working on Deep Dark really got me thinking and ultimately affected TER. While there was nothing wrong with some important factors being similar, I realized that certain elements were not working correctly and could/should be changed, without really affecting the final outcome. Details, such as the nature of the Guardian... while my original idea was pretty much the same as Dragryphon’s, I soon realized that my villain was really not up to the task. Especially given my claims as to its nature, vs the actual capacity to perform tasks related to said nature. And so, I changed who the Guardian was, for the better, I think. It makes more sense than what I had originally intended him to be, so, thanks Dragryphon! XD 4: My Editors and Pre-readers: Stephen Cawking started helping me from roughly February 2011 NotAGoodUsername360 and Understated_Hyperbole joined in August, while Magical Trevor and Orpheus did on September 2011. Fifth Alicorn and Dragryphon joined the crew in October and well, the rest is history. I cannot imagine writing a long story without these guys. I really owe them a lot, from how much I’ve improved (they all have their unique ways of chewing me out for something) to how better the story is told... I keep thanking them, but I don’t feel like I have done so enough. Thanks guys. IN CONCLUSION These are my ramblings and thoughts about the whole thing. I briefly considered writing a small section counter-arguing some criticisms, but well... everypony is entitled to their opinion, right? True, some comments were hurtful, but the majority were positive, and even out of those “bad” comments I’ve learned a few things. (One of which is that TER needs an overhaul.) Although I would like to point out to those that think I just grabbed a list of popular characters and threw them in for my convenience, that it’s not true. They all had a role to perform. :P So, there. Anyway, I hope you had a mildly amusing time reading these notes, and thank you all for reading “The Empty Room”! ~WD

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2013-12-30T15:22:02+00:00

2014-01-07T16:04:55+00:00

Back in June, 2011, Noble Cause was one of the EqD pre-readers that didn't hate the story. Like I mention in this BLOG, those were different times and the type of theme and tag combination made everyone doubtful about whether or not that could be put together or not. And rightly so; Comedy/Adventure/Grimdark is not something you find that often now either. But Noble pushed it and helped it pass because he saw something he liked in it, and I am very grateful for that chance he gave me. DualThrone is someone I've had the pleasure to get to know better after she started writing an unofficial, and frankly epic, well... epic-continuation to the TER universe. Her amazing World-Building and her way with words made me love her work, and our conversations and disagreements made me deeply respect her as a very smart woman and accomplished writer. I came to The Empty Room quite a few months ago, after it'd already been finished. Mostly, I came to it because I'd come to appreciate the author apart from his work, and always thought that it was very appropriate that his user icon looks so cheerful. But as the saying goes, I came for the author's reputation and stayed for the fun times. When an author kicks things off by killing a named character, you know you're in for something epic, whether an epic bullet train to literary hell or an epic piece of fiction; this thing delivered epic of the second kind. It had everything I could have wanted in a story, and that's why I finished it and said to myself, "Dual, if Wanderer says yes, you could write something really good in this AU." As you might be able to tell from the fact that Game of Worlds topped 100,000 words and the guy with a banhammer didn't hunt me down, Wanderer said yes. There's a lot that happens here, and you're not going to like everything because let's face it, no one ever likes everything their favorite author writes, even if you'd sacrifice your firstborn in that author's name. But this has everything you could ask for from a well-made work: good characters, surprise twists, every death has meaning, and every canon character remains who they are while bearing the unique touch of the author that's using them. I admired this work enough to write an unofficial sequel with the blessing of its author... and I really think you'll admire it too. Happy trails, gallant reader! ~DualThrone The Empty Room’ was one of the first stories that really grabbed me in this fandom, not just as an Equestria Daily pre-reader, but as someone that loves a good mystery. It really had me wondering just what was going to happen next, or what new twist was going to be revealed in the next chapter, and I greatly enjoyed the full ride from beginning to end. This is part of my ‘go back and read’ list, which happens to be rather short indeed. I can only hope that it appeals to you as well as it has me. - Noble Cause, Equestria Daily pre-reader

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2013-12-30T15:22:25+00:00

2014-01-11T06:44:36+00:00

You might want to check this out if you've read this before: TER Announcement The Empty Room By Wanderer D Chapter 1: The Empty Room o.0.o The hall had been quiet for almost half an hour before the door was pushed open once more and Luna walked in. Again. The two Earth Pony Guards standing on either side of Princess Celestia's room glanced at each other before looking at the creaking door as it slowly closed behind her. Princess Luna stepped into the hallway again, barely sparing them a glance, or giving any indication of her intentions, despite this being the sixth time that night she had gone through the exact same routine. Just as before, she walked towards them, only to stop a few paces away to stand right in front of a blank wall, gazing at it with unusual intensity. The two guards exchanged looks again. When one was about to speak, the other one shook his head. Grumbling a bit, the first guard settled back to his post, both pretending aloof disinterest while they surreptitiously observed the recently re-instated Princess. After a few moments of study, Luna started pacing, keeping her sight on the wall. The two guards followed her with their eyes, getting more and more nervous as she would stop and stare, muttering to herself before resuming her pacing. “Hey,” one of them started to whisper to the other from the side of his muzzle, “do you think she's going ma—” “Damn it all!” Luna suddenly roared, stomping her hooves on the floor hard enough to crack the stone under them and making the two guards jump in fright. The ensuing crash alerted Luna to what happened and she sheepishly watched a helmet roll past her. “Eh... hehe... sorry.” The pair looked at her bewildered until the door behind them creaked open and Princess Celestia walked out of her room, eyes heavy with sleep. “Luna?” She shook her head, blinking owlishly. Her eyes slowly opened as she became more and more awake, and finally settled on the two guards who were still holding on to each other and blushing so hard their coats looked as red as a tomato. She arched an eyebrow and the two hastily separated to stand at their posts at either side of her door. Still looking a bit embarrassed, Luna levitated the helmet that had rolled past her earlier. “Sorry sister,” she said, trying to place the helmet correctly on the nervous guard’s head. “What happened?” Celestia asked, trying to stifle a yawn. “It's very early, Luna.” Luna sighed. “I know, I know, it's just... there is something amiss.” Her hoof swept in the direction of the empty hall. “I know I haven't been here for a thousand years, but... didn’t you design a room right next to yours when we were thinking of having Canterlot Castle built?” Celestia blinked. “What? I don't remember any rooms next to mine.” “But... I'm sure of it,” Luna said, making her way to where she thought it should be, right in front of the wall she had been staring at earlier. “Did you redesign the layout we worked on back home while I was gone?” “No...” Celestia said, walking up to her. “But, Luna, are you sure you're not confusing this hall with one in the old castle?” Luna shook her head. “I distinctly remember there being a room right here. You must consider, sister, that while I was trapped in the moon, almost no time passed for me…” Her voice softened a little. “It was mostly the Nightmare that lived through the lonely exile.” Her eyes returned to the wall and her voice followed suit, until it was back to full strength. “I can almost see the door. I’m sure of it.” Celestia turned and stared at the wall. Her eyes narrowed. She peered closer. Her left eyebrow twitched and then curved inquisitively. “No... I don't think there ever was anything there, Luna.” Luna groaned. “I feel something here, sister! Truly!” Celestia blinked, looking at her sister's stern expression. “I can see that, Luna, but there is nothing there.” Luna groaned and, exasperated, glanced towards Celestia’s room. “You two, guards. Come here.” The guards looked dubious, but a Royal Order was, after all, a Royal Order. There was a reason the words were always capitalized. “Yes, your highness?” one asked. “Look over here and tell me what you see,” Luna ordered, pointing at the blank wall. The guard stared at it. “I see... a wall, your highness” “Me too,” the other added, then, as if suddenly gaining comprehension he smiled triumphantly. “I also see granite blocks, making the wall.” When it looked like Luna was seriously considering kicking the guard in the face so hard he would meet the celestial body named after her, Celestia felt like she had to interrupt. “Luna, there is nothing there, really. You must be confused,” Celestia said kindly. “Maybe you're tired. It’s been a lot of work, catching up with history, taxes, and the new ways of ruling.” “Sister,” Luna grumbled. “Look at them. Guards. Look at where I am pointing.” Celestia decided to humor her sister. After a moment, she frowned. “My loyal guards, please, look to where my sister is pointing.” Both of the guards looked up, confused. “We are, your majesty.” Celestia looked at Luna, who had a smug smile on her face. “I see,” she whispered, eyes widening in surprise. “There is some sort of compulsion-spell making them not look at the spot you are telling them about.” “Not only them,” Luna said after a moment of hesitation. “You as well, sister.” “What?!” Celestia reared up, taking several steps back to stare at Luna. “But... that can't be! The only other pony that could cast such a spell is you!” Luna nodded. “And I didn't,” she said, before glancing at the wall. “I am sure the door is there, so, if you'll excuse me...” She quickly turned around and using her considerable strength kicked the wall with all the power her hind legs could muster. The sound of snapping wood filled the hall, and for a moment, Celestia thought that she had seen something. She concentrated harder as her sister kicked a second time. ‘There!’ Just as her sister's kick had connected with the invisible door, a mirror-like sheen had flashed right in front of her eyes, just for a second. Concentrating her magic she waited for her sister's third kick and cast the strongest dispel she could conjure quickly enough. The spell and the damage to the door were too much for the illusion trying to protect it. With a crack that shook the hall, the spell broke into ephemeral, crystal-like pieces that were visible to the naked eye for a moment before evaporating into nothing amidst the broken pieces of a once-black-lacquered door. A pulse of energy flowed from within the room, before disappearing completely, making both princesses frown with worry. The guards standing behind them stared in surprise at the sudden appearance of a room where there used to be nothing but blank wall, but to their credit they recovered immediately, unsheathing their swords and approaching it carefully. “Wait,” Luna ordered. “My sister and I will go first. We don't know if there is any more magic in there that might affect you.” The guards looked slightly nervous at the prospect, and fell back after Celestia herself nodded. “My sister is right. No doubt others have felt the energy being released and heard the ruckus. Guard the entrance to the hall,” she said looking to the one on the left. Her eyes fell on the remaining guard. “Summon Captain Lance immediately.” When both nodded and left to perform their duties, Celestia and Luna slowly made their way to the door and carefully kicked in the last pieces of the strong wooden door before walking inside, their magic illuminating the inside. “W-what does this mean?” Luna gasped, looking around in wonder and some measure of horror as her eyes turned to her sister. Celestia had sank to her knees, tears flowing freely as she looked around the room. “I don't know but-I, I can't stop crying...” Her hooves came to her eyes; she was confused and scared, but even worse, there was a horrible, sinking feeling inside of her, as if something very important had suddenly gone missing. ‘No,’ Celestia thought, ‘It’s been missing for a long time, I just never noticed…’ Luna was shaken by her sister’s obvious pain and fear. She hadn't seen anything of the like since she had turned into Nightmare Moon a thousand years ago. ‘How things have changed, she thought. When I turned, I felt nothing but disgust at Celestia’s pain and loss, and now… her thoughts trailed off, unwilling to ponder her dark past any longer. She opted to make her way slowly around the room, avoiding the small hoof-carved bookshelf, the little table, the wooden blocks... until she stood in front of an empty white crib standing next to a small cabinet filled with tiny dresses and baubles. The room still had the feel of magic in it, and whatever that spell from before had been, it had preserved everything just like it had been the night or day the room had been closed and hidden. From the lack of dust and the perfect state of the items around, down to the sense of loss. On the sheets of the crib she could even see the wrinkles around a small empty space, making it the absence inside even more obvious. Next to a small pillow lay two small dolls, one of which, with a pang of sudden, nostalgic pain, she recognized as herself; the other one was, of course, a doll in the likeness of Celestia. She looked back at her sister, who was looking at the room grasping for understanding, head turning to and fro, searching for clues, tears still streaming out of her eyes. “There must be something!” Celestia whispered desperately. “Some object, some sign... why was this hidden? Why does it hurt so much, Luna?” She looked at her sister, eyes wide. Luna cringed, there was so much pain in those eyes. She had to ask. She hated to ask, but she had to. It was the elephant in the room: the question that would break her sister, but also, perhaps, help her think. Maybe even nudge her memories and allow her to remember some detail they had to have missed so far. “Sister…” Luna spoke up, drawing those hurting purple-pink irises to her. “Did you ever have a filly?” o.0.o The Great and Powerful Trixie growled, looking at the map she was levitating for the umptheenth time. She had followed the directions on it perfectly! Trixie looked around her, trying to figure out her position through the dense vegetation of the deep forest, and finally admitted to herself she was lost. Very lost. Completely, utterly, absolutely, undeniably, definitely lost. She was so lost her compass was not even trying to point North anymore. It had given up on her. Just like all her fans. The Great and Powerful Trixie also admitted that she had no idea what to do now, but promised herself that if she ever saw the Earth Pony that had sold her the useless map in her hooves, The Great and Powerful Trixie would make the bastard pay! Oh yes. And he would pay soooo hard. Because nopony humiliated or scammed The Great and Powerful Trixie and lived to tell the tale… unscathed. A treacherous voice inside Trixie's head, however, reminded her that she was so lost that it would be pretty much impossible to meet the pony in question ever again. Trixie, however, quenched that thought with so much force she passed out. o.0.o When Trixie woke up again, she had a splitting headache. It was also nighttime. “Might as well try to figure something out before Trixie has another… incident,” Trixie muttered, casting a quick cantrip to tell the time. About two hours away from dawn. She then remembered that she also had a cantrip spell to know which direction she was facing. Her horn glowing with magic, she concentrated—only for her magic to fail and shower her in sparks. “Yaaaah!” The Great and Powerful Trixie squeaked in surprise. “What the hay? What the hay?!” she shouted at the top of her lungs. “A silly compass, Trixie can understand! But a spell!? A spell?! What, in the name of Tartarus, is going on here?!” A soft, rumbling growl quieted The Great and Powerful Trixie, who looked around fearfully, turning in place, trying to find its origin. “Who dares?” a deep, hissing voice made its way towards Trixie, echoing around her. “Who dares awaken the Guardian?” Trixie blinked, then looked down at the map on the ground, where a circled red “X” marked a spot in the middle of nowhere with the words “Temple of the Guardian” scribbled next to it. “Oh.” Who knew? The Earth Pony that sold her the map had actually given her what she wanted. The Great and Powerful Trixie mentally removed him from the list of ponies that would suffer her wrath. A slithering sound around her snapped her back to the present. “I await your answer, little pony...” the voice hissed in her ear. Fearfully, she turned around but there was nopony there. Her eyes roamed the silent forest and she tried to speak, but faltered. Taking a deep breath, she straightened up, looking defiantly into the darkness between the trees. “The Great and Powerful Trixie has awakened you, Guardian. I made my way here through challenges that would have made any other pony shrink in fear! Facing dangers that none but The Great and Powerful Trixie would have been able to overcome!” “And what does 'The Great and Powerful' Trixie want with The Guardian?” Trixie frowned. The Guardian had said her name in a way that sounded... condescending. But no, no, it couldn't be. The Great and Powerful Trixie would never be treated condescendingly. She was the only one that deserved to look down on others. “Guardian! I, The Great and Powerful Trixie, have come here to learn from you the ancient Magicks of Equestria!” A low rumble shook her and she looked around confused until she understood. The Guardian was laughing! At her! Trixie mentally added him to the list of ponies or whatever it was, that would suffer her wrath. “Little pony...” the voice hissed, amused. “Little, little, pony.” The Guardian chuckled. “Do you know who it is you have awakened?” “Well, duh,” The Great and Powerful Trixie snorted. “The Guardian. You said so yourself.” Mist slowly started to gather around her hooves. “Yes,” the voice said. “But did it ever occur to you to wonder... the Guardian of what, exactly?” Trixie opened her mouth to answer, but then slowly closed it. She had not, in fact, wondered what the Guardian she was looking for actually guarded. “Uh... Trixie guessed you guard great power?” she ventured. There was a pause. “Well... Yes, I do,” the voice said eventually. “But, that is not all... I possess great power, true, but it is not for poniessss to learn to use.” “Dammit,” Trixie swore adding the stupid earth pony to her mental list again. “Are you sure?” she asked hopefully. “Trixie had heard that you had vast knowledge. Surely you can teach Trixie something?” There was silence again. This time though, even the slithering and rustling around her had quieted down to nothing, and a sense of dread slowly started to descend on her. The Great and Powerful Trixie shifted nervously, asking herself if this had been a good idea after all. The Guardian spoke. “Yes. I suppose there is something I could teach you, oh Great and Powerful Trixie.” “Really?!” Trixie smiled genuinely, fears forgotten. “Trixie can’t wait to learn something to prove to everypony that The Great and Powerful Trixie is not somepony to mock!” Trixie debated whether or not to take the earth pony and the Guardian off of her list, but decided to wait until she learned the new magic. If it was cool and powerful, she would take them off; if not... well... they didn't need to know anyway until she exacted her revenge. “Yes,” the voice said, once again whispering in her ear and sending shivers up her spine. “I will teach you now… the one knowledge ponies can learn from me. The knowledge of fear.” Slowly, The Great and Powerful Trixie turned around and looked up. And up. Until she could see the face of the Guardian. For a moment she stared at... it. And then, like a snapping whip, the Guardian’s jaws descended on Trixie. Her screams echoed in the jungle, scaring the wildlife until, finally, they quieted down. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle jumped in her bed when Spike belched loud enough to wake her up. On the way down she completely missed the mattress and crashed next to the still-snoring baby dragon. “Oww...” she moaned, giving the sleeping reptile a glare that slowly melted away when he grumbled in his sleep and turned. She chuckled. ‘Really. Who could stay angry at such a cute— Her thoughts were interrupted when a scroll bumped her just behind her horn, making her go cross-eyed for a second. Shaking her head, she levitated the scroll with her magic, noticing that the seal was not Princess Celestia's, having a silver moon on it instead of the usual golden sun symbol. “I've never received mail from Princess Luna...” she whispered, opening the scroll. “Explains the late hour, though,” she chuckled, noticing that it was still dark outside. When she was about to read the scroll, the door to her balcony was kicked in. “What the...” Twilight shot to her feet. With a flash of her horn the candles in the room were ignited. “Rainbow Dash?! What are you doing here at this time of night?!” Breathing heavy, Rainbow Dash looked at her and shook her head. “Twilight,” she gasped, “it’s not... nighttime!” Twilight blinked. “Dash, you are clearly mistaken. Just look outside. The moon's still up.” “I know that!” Rainbow Dash snapped, having finally regained her breath. “But it should have been gone by now! Everypony's in a panic!” “What?” Twilight walked to a small water clock she had received as a present from Princess Celestia. She stared. It was eight AM. “But that's...” “Everyone is starting to think that Nightmare Moon has returned!” Rainbow Dash said, and in the distance, Twilight could finally hear the confused shouting. Remembering the scroll at the mention of Luna's alter-ego, Twilight quickly returned to it and read as fast as she could. Rainbow Dash paced around as she observed her friend. “Twilight?” she asked as the unicorn's hold of the scroll ended abruptly. The piece of parchment fell to the floor next to the still snoring Spike. “Are you okay? You look pale.” “I-I need to go to Canterlot,” she said shaking her head, still in shock. “The Princesses need me. Immediately. They've already sent the chariot.” “What?!” Dash's eyes followed her friend as she started packing things with her magic, still obviously in a daze as she was trying to pack Spike, bed and all, into her bag. “But... if the moon is out... it has to be Luna! You can't go there!” “Dash!” Twilight said, her magic twisting Spike upside down and trying to force him into the bag. “Princess Celestia can't bring the sun up! They need me there!” “Then you are not goin' alone, sugarcube,” a very distinct voice said from the entrance to her room. The pair turned around to see Applejack, flanked by Rarity and Fluttershy standing at attention with Pinkie Pie bouncing behind them. “Y’all didn’t think we would not head straight here when the sun didn’t rise, did you?” Applejack asked with a smirk. “Why, Ah don’t think any of us ever doubted you’d head straight out into the night, looking for Princess Celestia.” “And really, darling,” Rarity quipped. “Who in their right mind would pass a chance to visit Canterlot?” Twilight’s hyperventilating slowed down as she felt her fears fade and the feeling of security and unity with her friends strengthened. She nodded, smiling a bit shakily but with more confidence than before. “I-thank you... please go get ready, I need to finish packing and write back to Princess Luna.” The others nodded and prepared to leave, but were interrupted by Twilight’s urgent voice. “Girls… please hurry.” o.0.o End Chapter 1 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2014-01-11T06:41:14+00:00

2014-02-01T04:33:27+00:00

The Empty Room By Wanderer D Chapter 2: In the Wake of the Guardian “Hey!” The Guardian looked around, but he refused to look at her. “I said, ‘hey’!” The Great and Powerful Trixie shouted at the unheeding creature. “Look at me you-you… reptile!” The Guardian, however, ignored her, choosing instead to ponder the night sky. Trixie growled. Nopony, or rather, nolizard ignored the Great and Powerful Trixie! “Oh! You. Are. Going. To. Pay! RIGHT NOW!” Her horn flared with magic, taking hold of a trio of sizeable boulders nearby. With a smirk, Trixie attempted to levitate them and throw them at the Guardian, but her smile died when the spell simply fizzled into nothing. Trixie blinked, confused, before her eyes narrowed in contempt. “You stupid Guardian! Stop stealing the magic of The Great and Powerful Trixie!” She stomped up to the huge creature and kicked him as hard as she could with her hind legs. However, her hooves met no resistance and she lost her balance. Trixie landed in a heap and twisted around to glare at the creature as he slithered away. “How dare you dodge Trixie’s kick?” She hollered. “And what the hay was that? You were supposed to teach Trixie something! And all you did was scare Trixie half to death!” She paused. “N-not that The Great and Powerful Trixie was even remotely scared to begin with! But it was a good attempt! Trixie will give you that!” The Guardian did not turn around, instead heading into the forest. “Hey! Stop ignoring Trixie!” Trixie insisted. A small, nasal voice spoke on her right: "He's not ignoring you..." “Waaah!” Trixie jumped several feet into the air and landed horn pointed toward the cloaked pony that had startled her so. Her eyes followed the cloak up to the skull hidden under its hood. Two burning red dots fixed on her under a strangely shaped, suspiciously sharp-looking horn. “Who the hay are you, and why are your skin and muscles missing?” The skeletal pony regarded her as if she were dense. But before he could reply, she interrupted him: “And what the hay do you mean that he wasn't ignoring me? Trixie was shouting at him and even kicked him!” The cloaked pony sighed. “He wasn't ignoring you. Look around.” For the first time since awakening, Trixie looked around the small clearing. “Well, what is it you want me to see? I mean there's a lot of red around, and blue…hair...” Trixie shook her head. It couldn’t be. In a panic she looked at herself and sighed in relief when she noticed her mane seemed to be in perfect condition. Then she noticed something that made her tremble to the core of her being. “I-is that...” she stammered, looking slightly green. “Yes,” the cloaked pony said. “But...” She motioned with her hooves at her own face, which was currently still in one piece. Unlike… the other one. “Let's just say that the Guardian did not just try to scare you.” “Oh.” The Great and Powerful Trixie grew confused as she floated off the ground and began glowing softly, wisps of light floating out of her and disappearing into the night. “Wha-what's happening?” The skeletal pony might have shrugged. It was hard to tell, with his body covered in that black cloak. “Nothing. You are going beyond; as your ties to this world are broken one by one, you will begin the next journey.” Trixie fell silent. It seemed so… sad. She let herself drift up, thinking about everything she could have done differently. Seeing that his charge was well on her way, Mort nodded to himself and turned to go to his next appointment. Maybe soon he would get an interesting pony. Like that drummer. Or maybe a lead singer? He could get more autographs that way. Trixie looked at the world below her. From her vantage, now that she was floating over the treetops, she could now make out the lights of a distant city and the shape of the Guardian snaking in that direction. It was a city she would never be able to perform at. Ever. All those ponies that would be deprived of her greatness… it was too much! The revenge she wouldn’t be able to enact… the lights around her body died as she grew angry. “Oh, hay no,” she growled. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is not going quietly after becoming lunch for an overgrown snake!” Her ethereal form solidified as she slowly floated down to ground level. When her hooves touched the jungle floor, Trixie concentrated. After a few moments, the slightly-chewed magician's hat lifted from the ground. Trixie grinned. It seemed like such a small feat when compared what she could do before… but it was a step forward. She would get her revenge yet! o.0.o The sentries outside Celestia’s hall, opened the doors just enough for their fellow guard to gallop in, quickly closing them behind to avoid revealing anything to the curious nobles and servants that were wandering outside. “Princess Luna!” the guard called out, slowing down as he approached the mysterious room. Luna slowly emerged from the room, a frown crossing her countenance before she turned to stare at the guard, watching him shuffle uncomfortably in place. “I thought I ordered the hall closed to anypony and everything but the most important of matters.” She calmly walked up to the terrified guard. “What could be so important as to make you burst into the hall without even knocking?” “Uh...” He took a deep breath. “Twilight Sparkle and her friends are here. You asked us to let you know immediately as soon as their chariot landed and uh... there is no other way to reach you than to walk into the hall, your highness since you blocked all sorts of magical scrying and communication.” Luna stared impassively at the guard, not saying a word. He cast a glance at the exit, calculating how quickly he could get there and estimating just how much time he had before he would be blasted into pieces. “Oh.” Luna blinked and nodded. “So I did. Well done, guard. Bring Twilight Sparkle here, alone, and have her friends tended to.” She turned around to head back into the room. “At once your highness...” he hesitated, drawing Luna’s attention back to him. “Yes?” Luna asked, tilting her head a little. “Um... how is Princess Celestia feeling? We are all worried about her.” Luna sighed wearily. “What is your name, guard?” The guard stood straighter. “Ebon Rain, your highness.” “She will recuperate, Ebon Rain… tell everypony that the sun will soon return to its daily routine” Ebon Rain nodded and left immediately, leaving Luna alone in the hall with her thoughts. o.0.o Twilight Sparkle walked slowly through Canterlot, with her friends following her a few steps behind. Around them ponies of all types argued amongst themselves over who was responsible for the current situation. It was too soon after Luna’s return, and the legend of the Mare in the Moon was clearly still fresh in the minds of ponies. “I’m sure Princess Celestia is just ill,” a cream-colored mare reassured her husband. “I heard at work that Princess Luna turned into the Nightmare again,” he countered, looking around fearfully. “She was away for a thousand years and she’s back and she doesn’t want revenge?” Twilight encountered similar discussions along the way, mostly centered on Luna’s role in keeping the sun from rising. “My, it seems ponies are rather quick to presume,” Rarity observed. Twilight sighed. “I wish they wouldn’t talk about Princess Luna like that,” she said. “Well...” Dash muttered from where she hovered. “You have to admit it looks kinda suspicious. The last time something like this happened it was her fault, y’know?” Twilight nodded, frowning. “But that was more than a thousand years ago! And we freed her from the Nightmare! There’s no way Princess Luna would fall back into it just like that!” “Um… Princess Luna doesn’t really have any reason to be jealous anymore, does she?” Fluttershy ventured. “I mean,” she scratched the floor, not making eye-contact. “She’s been pretty happy with the nightlife and—” “Fluttershy’s right!” Pinkie Pie interrupted. “With all the parties and nightclubs and discotheques, and vampony-cults, there's no way she'd feel like nopony likes her nights!" “Guessin’ ain’t gonna get us anywhere,” Applejack stated. “Let's hurry up and meet with the Princess. Then we'll find out what's really happenin’.” A group of guards approached them. “Lady Twilight,” one of them said, saluting curtly. “Ebon Rain!” Twilight Sparkle looked expectantly at the guard. “Can you tell us what’s going on?” The black-coated unicorn shook his head ruefully. “I’m afraid not, Lady Twilight. It’s classified at the moment. Princesses Luna is in a meeting with Princess Celestia and Captain Lance… they require your presence there, in private.” “Now, hold on an apple-pickin’ minute!” Applejack said, stepping up to Ebon Rain and leaning in to look him in the eye. “All of us here are friends of the princesses. We should be able to go with her.” Ebon Rain sighed. “Princess Luna is pleased you are all here as well. But she has requested to meet with Lady Twilight in private. I imagine you will find out what's happening after that... maybe even with the rest of us.” “None of you know what's happening?” Twilight asked, earning several shaking heads from Ebon Rain and the other guards in reply. “I'm afraid not, milady,” Ebon Rain said gruffly. “The only pony besides the princesses that knows at this time is Captain Lance.” Twilight Sparkle blinked. “I see...” She turned to look at her friends. “This sounds very serious, girls, so please let me go first; I promise that if I can tell you anything, I will.” She looked pleadingly at the others. Her friends all smile back in encouragement. “Aw, don't worry about it, Twilight!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I'm sure we can find something fun to do in the meantime! It's Canterlot!” Rarity nodded. “She's right, my dear. Please go ahead. Perhaps Spike can show us around?” “Come to think of it... where is Spike?” Twilight asked, looking around. o.0.o In another part of the castle, in Twilight's old room, a powerful snore shook her bags. o.0.o “He must’ve stayed in the Library, Ah guess,” Applejack said, while Rainbow Dash tried to stifle a giggle. “Don't worry,” Ebon Rain spoke up. “Princess Luna asked that you were tended to for the duration of your stay. We have already assigned you rooms, and we’ll be happy to show you around the castle.” “Sounds good to me!” Pinkie Pie said. “Very well then.” Twilight smiled at Ebon Rain. “ Would you mind showing my friends around? I can find my way to the princesses, and I’d like somepony I know to stay with them.” Ebon Rain smiled. “Of course, milady, but let Shining Star and Stalwart Shield escort you to the princesses in my stead.” At the mention of their names, two of the guards stepped and escorted Twilight away, leaving others behind with Ebon Rain and a few other guards. “Hey, wasn't it funny how Twilight flinched every time they called her Lady Twilight?” Dash asked the others. “Yes... it was very strange... I think... maybe,” said Fluttershy, who noticed the guards had traded looks when Rainbow Dash asked her question. No one else, except for Rarity, seemed to have caught on, either. “Yeah, since when has she been Lady Twilight?” Applejack chuckled. “Why, they make her sound like some prissy noble!” Ebon Rain opened his mouth, but Rarity was faster. “Oh, dear.” She sighed, her hoof massaging her temple. “You really don't know, do you?” “Know what?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Well... I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,” Rarity said after a moment. “But you didn’t honestly think that Twilight Sparkle was a common unicorn?” “Well duh!” Pinkie Pie piped up. “Of course not, silly! She's the Element of Magic!” The guards traded glances, but a quick look from Ebon Rain stopped them from commenting. “No, no…” Rarity shook her head. “What I mean is... you didn't think she was a... common unicorn, dear.” “Sugarcube, Ah think Pinkie Pie already pointed out that there ain’t nothin’ common about Twilight Sparkle,” Applejack said gently. “If anything, she’s the opposite.” The unicorn whirled around to face away from the group. “Argh! How crude can...” Rarity grumbled incoherently to herself for a few seconds, then, taking a deep, calming breath and forcing a smile, she turned to face the others again. “Allow me to spell it out for you... she is not a commoner, she’s a N-o-b-l-e.” “Oh, we knew that,” Rainbow Dash said. Rarity and the guards blinked. “You did?” “Yes! We know she is a loyal, noble, quirky egghead,” Dash listed. Rarity gritted her teeth. “Not noble that way! NOBLE capital 'N'!” “Ooooooooh...” The collective light of understanding in their eyes was at that moment as beautiful as any gem she'd ever found. “Wait... so she's rich?” Rainbow Dash asked and then grew excited. “Wow! And she probably knows a lot of influential and famous ponies right? So she might actually know one of the Wonderbolts! That makes her like... twenty- no, thirty percent cooler!” “Is that true?” Applejack asked Ebon Rain, who nodded. “But how did you know?” Pinkie Pie asked Rarity, who blinked in surprise. “Well, she grew up in Canterlot, she could afford going to the most prestigious university in all of Equestria, she was selected to be Princess Celestia's personal student—” “Wait! But that was because she really impressed her when she applied to start!” Rainbow Dash interrupted. “She told us herself!” “Well, yes. That is true,” Rarity nodded. “But one cannot apply to Princess Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns if one is a commoner.” “Oh my...” a new voice said. “Did you hear that?” The group observed a pair of unicorns that strutted up to them. “I believe I saw these five walk through the hall in the company of Twilight Sparkle. Could they be her servants?” one of them said. The other peered at them closely. “They are not dressed as hoofmaidens... and I have never seen them in Canterlot before.” “Hey! Who are you calling a servant? We’re Twilight's friends!” Rainbow Dash retorted, glaring at the unicorn. “And for your information we have been here before! We were invited to the Grand Galloping Gala.” “My, how… brash.” The unicorn sneered at the pegasus. “And the way you address her... ugh. It’s positively unfathomable that a pony of her breeding would associate with a pony that did not know their proper position.” The other unicorn looked Pinkie Pie up and down. “Just look at the state of this mane and such a classless pedigree. So obviously... inferior. Why don't you return to whatever backwater you came from?” She turned to the guards. “Guards, please escort them out.” Dash was about to reply but Ebon Rain stepped in front of her. “I am afraid, Lady Glitter Horn, that these five ladies are esteemed guests of not only Lady Twilight Sparkle, but also personal friends of Princesses Celestia and Luna.” Glitter Horn looked at them with scorn. “I don't know why the princesses would bother with this... rabble.” “Come now, dear,” the other unicorn said, sniffing rudely. “Let us be away from them.” “Please do,” Rarity spoke up, waving her hoof dismissively. The pair of unicorns stopped in their tracks, turning around to stare at Rarity. “I cannot tolerate the blatant murder of style that they both have succeeded at, wouldn’t you say, darling?” Rarity quipped, smiling conspiratorially to a nearby noble, who smiled shakily. Glitter Horn rounded on Rarity. “How dare you? I will have you know that this is an exclusive—” “Passive Design, yes,” Rarity interrupted, sniffing dismissively and turning her nose up. “I noticed it was his lackluster work immediately, but felt it would be impolite to bring it up until you decided to share your thoughts with us. Given that you pretend sophistication, I believe it is my personal duty to correct your… error.” “These are the highest quality dresses in Canterlot! How would you even begin to kno—” “Fluttershy, dear,” Rarity interrupted once more, levitating the hem of one of the dresses. “These two ladies have obviously gone out of their way in their desperate bid for relevance. What do you notice here?” “Um…” Fluttershy glanced at the dresses and shrunk away, noticing that other nobles had stopped to observe and were whispering to each other. ”Um... I t-think, um... that... uh... the details... I dunno if I should—” “Why, you’re absolutely right!” Rarity gasped, letting the fabric fall as if it were rotten. “The details on the dress are all machine sewn,” she hissed. “Why, these are not designer clothes at all! They are the common result of mass-production!” There rose a gasp from the crowd, and more than one noble pony seemed close to fainting. The two unicorn ladies stared, wide-eyed, at all the ponies around them, feeling their judging glances. “Well, you know what you should do, dearies,” Rarity offered kindly, smiling at the pair in a decidedly vicious manner. “Go find yourselves better clothes if you want to socialize with the elite. Certainly you wouldn’t want anypony to confuse you with… poseurs.” The pair took a couple of steps back before turning around and galloping away to the dismissive and mocking laughter of other nobles. Rainbow Dash stared at Rarity in awe. “That. Was. Awesome!” “That was horrible!” Fluttershy spoke up, glaring at Rarity. “I would never expect you to be so… so cruel!” “Well, that was one type of character assassination I haven’t seen in a while,” a familiar, yet unexpected voice said, making the whole group turn around. “It's only character assassination if the victim has character to assassinate, Lyra, dear,” Rarity responded, smiling at the unicorn. "Still, not what I was expecting from a fashion designer." “There are a few things that assassins and designers have in common,” Rarity responded, smiling at the unicorn. “A sharp edge and an eye for detail being two of them.” Lyra smirked. “Well I wouldn’t take it that personally, Rarity. Glitter is just as her name suggests: pretty, but useless.” Her eyes narrowed, turning to look in the direction of the departed ponies before settling on her demure friend. “I am sorry, Fluttershy, but I cannot stand by and lift not a hoof while a pair of upper-crust leeches insult my friends.” She huffed and flipped her mane. “Besides,” she said after a moment. “Those dresses were so last season.” Fluttershy frowned but looked away, whispering. “I still feel you shouldn’t have.” “Now, what Ah would like to know is what you’re doin’ here, Lyra,” Applejack spoke up, shaking her head at her friend’s shenanigans. She looked at Lyra in confusion, the mint-green unicorn smiling shyly. “Last Ah saw you, y’all were downtown in Ponyville.” “Well... I have family here in Canterlot and I attended the University here along with Twilight Sparkle... and those two,” Lyra replied, waving her hoof in the general direction Glitter had gone. “They were not, as a matter of fact, the sharpest knives in the drawer.” “Well, how about that,” Applejack chuckled. “Ah’m sorry, Lyra, Ah just never mistook you for a prissy noble.” Lyra smiled. “It's okay. If it’s fine with the guards, I could take you on a tour of the palace.” The guards looked at each other until, eventually, Ebon Rain shrugged. “We have to keep you company, but we can give you some space.” “Sounds good to me!” Applejack said with a smile. “Lead the way, Lyra! Or should Ah say, Lady Lyra?” “Just Lyra will be fine,” the unicorn replied, bemused as she started walking. “This way. Let me show you the gardens first. I’m sure you’ll love them! I used to play the lyre there everyday after class.” “Did you and Twilight have to deal with those two idiots while you were studying?” Rainbow Dash asked as they walked. “Sadly so,” Lyra said, grinning. “But it was more tolerable than you might think! They might have been bullies, even then, but it was always amusing to see the simple concepts go right over their heads.” “Maybe all they needed was somepony to give them a hug,” Fluttershy offered. “Sugarcube, Ah’d rather hug a viper.” Applejack snorted. Their escorts had to stifle snorts of their own. It wouldn’t do for certain nobles to see them act so casually. o.0.o Twilight followed the guards through the palace, trying to keep calm. Although she knew her way around perfectly well, she had to maintain a certain profile while she was here—she couldn’t rush through the castle shouting Celestia’s name. She sighed. Things were so much easier in Ponyville. When they finally reached the halls that led to Celestia’s quarters, the guard stepped to the side of the door and nodded to the sentries. The pair, after ensuring nopony was trying to follow in Twilight’s wake, nodded back and opened the door just enough for her to get through. “Please, go ahead, Lady Twilight.” She nodded and walked in. The first pony she saw was Captain Lance, waiting outside a door she had never seen before. The old, grizzled guard still looked stalwart, like he did as far back as Twilight could remember. Although she had not lived all her life in the palace, she had seen the guards plenty of times during parades in Canterlot, and Lance had always marched proudly at the front of the guard, bigger and tougher than the rest of the younger troops. “Twilight Sparkle!” he chuckled as she rushed up to him and nuzzled him. “It’s been too long! How are things in Ponyville?” “They’re great!” Twilight said, smiling. Her smile slid away a little and she stammered, “I-I'm sure you've read the reports about the Ursa Minor and other little problems, but I assure you, those are few and far between.” The old unicorn chuckled. “Well, you can tell me about that later; right now we have a more important matter at hoof.” “What happened?” Twilight asked. “Everypony has been so secretive about it! Even Luna's letter was vague at best.” “That is because only Captain Lance, Tia, and I know what's going on,” Princess Luna said, walking out of the mysterious room. “And we all trust you to use very careful judgment if you tell anypony about this.” Twilight Sparkle nodded soberly, reigning in her curiosity. “Is Princess Celestia okay?” “Follow me.” Luna started walking towards the strange new room. “And see for yourself.” Twilight followed Princess Luna into the mysterious room, where her eyes immediately settled on the lone pony huddled in the middle. “Princess!” Twilight ran to nuzzle and hug her mentor, taking note of the sorry state Princess Celestia was in. “What happened?” For her part, Celestia rested her chin on her student's shoulder. She had visibly perked up by the welcome addition to the ponies around her. “I'm sorry, Twilight... I know I should be out there but I couldn’t. Not-not after seeing this.” Stirred by that comment, Twilight Sparkle finally turned around to look at the room itself. Any words that she could have said stuck in her throat as her mind quickly connected the dots and came to the obvious conclusion. “B-but... how is this possible?” “We don't know,” Luna confessed. “Somepony of considerable power cast a spell so potent that everypony in the palace that might have known about it forgot about this room, and, if anypony even knew about my sister’s filly... they forgot about her too.” Twilight Sparkle looked at her mentor, curled up in the center of the empty room, staring longingly at the crib and the books and the dolls. Princess Celestia would levitate the dolls up, hesitate and slowly lower them down into the crib again, almost as if she was afraid of taking them out of their sacred space. She loved Princess Celestia with all her heart, she was in more than one way like a second mother. Twilight had spent more time with the Princess than with her real parents, after all. Celestia had been the one solid pillar in her life when Twilight’s mother had passed away soon after Twilight’s admission into Celestia’s school, stepping in after her father had secluded himself in grief, unable to see to his daughter. To see her like this, deprived of the happiness that a foal of her own would have brought her... and to make her forget even having had one... it was horrible. “Who would do something like this?” she asked quietly, but the other three in the room could feel the cold anger in her voice. “Who would take—” She couldn't say it. “Again, we don't know,” Luna said, her own voice angry, “but we intend to find out. Between the three of us we are three of the most knowledgeable ponies in magic. If we study the spells here, we should be able to gain some clues.” “And I will conduct my own investigation,” Lance said standing at the entrance. “I only need a time-frame.” “Twenty years,” Twilight said, drawing the attention of the three ponies. “It should be close to twenty years ago. Princess' Celestia's filly should be a young mare about my age by now.” “Not that I doubt you have a solid explanation for your calculation...” Luna began. “But how can you be so certain?” Twilight Sparkle walked towards the small bookshelf containing foal books. “Here... this rhyme book was first published around twenty years ago.” She smiled sheepishly. “I had a copy myself at home, before I moved into the castle.” Lance chuckled and Luna smiled. “I am glad I immediately thought of you, Twilight Sparkle.” “You couldn't have kept me away...” Twilight said with a sad smile of her own. “Not when my mentor needs me.” Luna sighed. “Speaking of which.” She walked towards her sister. “Tia, you must rise. My moon has been in the sky for far too long; our subjects and friends need you to be strong. Concentrate... between us we can solve this and find your filly, but we can’t keep all of Equestria in a panic.” Slowly Princess Celestia looked up, first at her sister, who had a warm, comforting smile on her face. Her eyes strayed to Lance, who nodded at her, his face tired but understanding. Finally, her eyes sought out Twilight's. There she found strength, in the eyes of the one filly in her many years of life she had considered as close as possible to a daughter. If anypony could find her lost daughter, it was Twilight. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath and stood with purpose. She was tired from the tears, the lack of sleep, and the ever-present sting of the new found loss. But, for her sister, her loyal captain, her faithful student, her subjects and... her daughter, wherever she might be, she could not simply lay there and do nothing. When she opened her eyes, she was ready. “Let's raise the sun, my dear sister.” Luna smiled and nodded. “I’ll stay...” Twilight said, looking around. “I feel the magic in this room. I think I can start making sense of what happened here while both of you put Equestria at ease... and rest.” Both princesses nodded and walked out of the room, leaving Captain Lance and Twilight Sparkle behind. “I will leave some guards outside the hall.” Captain Lance said, the old unicorn looking around the room one last time. “Is there anything you need?” Twilight shook her head. “I think I have it covered for now. Thank you, Captain.” Lance chuckled, drawing her attention. “You have been hanging around the Princesses too much, my dear Twilight. You almost sound like them.” Twilight blushed. “I'm sorry, Captain. I—” The old unicorn shook his head. “No. Don't be. I'm glad to have lived to see you become the self-assured young mare you are today. I'll take my leave for now, my Lady.” o.0.o The lights of the city attracted the Guardian to the edge of the river that separated it from the forest. His head reared up and turned north, towards the distant mountains, where Canterlot was located. His eyes narrowed, and a growl escaped his throat. “She escaped the Nightmare…” He pondered in silence before looking back to the closer city. From the protection of the trees, he watched as the ponies in the city looked nervous, casting looks to the night sky. “But, then, where is the sun?” A murmur drew his attention back to the sky as the night turned to dawn and then midday in mere minutes. As he turned, he absently used a claw to dig at something stuck between his fangs. He glared at it, then snorted, flicking the saliva-soaked cape of the formerly Great and Powerful Trixie into the river, where it was swept away by the current. He withdrew back into the forest, ignoring Trixie who glared at his receding form. “I think I will need help,” she sighed. Concentrating hard, her horn glowed, and soon a small breeze pushed her hat towards the city of Baltimare. There was only one pony she could think of that would even give her the time of day. It didn’t sit well with Trixie to receive help from her once more, but what choice did she have? o.0.o End Chapter 2 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2014-02-05T15:52:24+00:00

2014-02-23T06:11:49+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 3: Forgotten Love By Wanderer D Lyra had taken great joy in explaining how time had changed Canterlot, and had pointed out several little details as they went from one place to the other, highlighting how previous generations differentiated from each other. By mid-afternoon, when Lyra had left for home and promised to see them the next day, the five ponies had a good idea of the layout of the castle grounds and the surrounding area. All in all, they had spent a very nice morning with their unexpected tour guide, and all of them were looking forward to seeing her again. “Well, Ah don’t know about you girls, but Ah’m starvin’!” Applejack wheezed, sitting down on a bench in the castle gardens. Ebon Rain nodded at the other three guards and they spread around the area, keeping an eye on the group. Ebon then had a quick word with a mare overseeing the gardens, and soon the group was being tended by castle servants. “I am quite hungry, yes,” Rarity agreed, smiling gratefully at the ponies who brought a small table and topped it with a repast consisting of fruits, vegetables and drinks for all five mares. “It was very nice of Lyra to show us around the palace.”A small smile played on Fluttershy's lips as she turned to her friends. “I very much enjoyed looking at all the wild animals they have living on the grounds.” She sat next to Rarity, glancing hungrily at the table. “Yeah, yeah.” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. “It was cool and all, but I didn’t get to see any of the Wonderbolts!” She looked at the others with mild annoyance. “This is Canterlot! We should have seen at least one of them!” “I’m sure you’ll get your chance to meet with them again, Rainbow Dash,” Rarity called. “For now you should eat something, dear. We still have the rest of the day to visit all the interesting places around here.” Rainbow Dash’s stomach rumbled and she sat down, looking sheepish. It didn’t take long for her to start wolfing down food. “Still,” she managed to say between bites, “I bet there’s more to do here than just looking at history.” “Yes!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “I bet I could throw the bestest party ever for Princess Celestia in this garden!” The idea seemed to perk up everypony, guards included. “But it has to be big!” Pinkie Pie continued, prancing around. “I have to get cupcakes and streamersanddanglersandcakeanddrinksandhotsauceand...” She only stopped when she turned and found herself muzzle to muzzle with Fluttershy. “But... you would have to make sure the party didn't disturb the animals,” Fluttershy said. “Um… t-they weren’t too friendly the last time I was here, but… we still shouldn’t bother them too much…” “Yeah, yeah, parties are good, but I want to do something now!” Rainbow Dash shot into the air, looking around and thinking until something seemed to click. “Hey! You know what? This place is old!” Rainbow Dash said. “You don’t say...” Applejack deadpanned. Dash gave her a look. “It has been around since even before Nightmare Moon appeared! That's like, thousands of years!” She grinned devilishly. “I bet there’s ghosts here!” Applejack shifted a little, looking nervous. “Oh, Dash, don't be silly.” Rarity laughed, fluffing her mane with a hoof. “There are no such things as ghosts! Next thing you'll say is that humans are real.” “Hey!” Rainbow Dash glared at her. “I never said I believed in humans! I stopped believing in fairy tales like that when I was a little filly!” “But you still believe in ghosts, dear.” “Hey now, Ah don't know about humans, but ghosts are as real as this table right here,” Applejack broke in, tapping her hoof on the table and producing audible knocks. “No, they’re not,” Rarity insisted. “But humans are,” Pinkie said with a giggle. “I met one just before we came here today.” Her friends slowly turned to look at her, while the guards tried valiantly not to stare. “He was very strange! No hooves, and they don't have wings!” Pinkie Pie continued, looking slightly confused. “I always thought they would have wings.” “Now, Pinkie Pie,” Applejack ventured after a moment. “Don't go making up stories, okay?” “But it happened!” Pinkie Pie declared, bouncing around the table with a grin on her face as she talked. “When I said ‘hi’ he stared at me, then said something about 'self insertion was a low he was not going to hit' and then...” “And then?” Rainbow Dash asked, leaning in, interested in the story despite herself. “He imploded!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “Twice!” Applejack and Rarity smacked their hooves against their faces and groaned, there was a crash behind them and a helm rolled past Fluttershy. Rainbow Dash smiled. “Really?! That's awesome! If I implode I want to do it twice! NO! Thrice!” the pegasus declared. “There's no way I'm losing to a human!” “Um...” Fluttershy drew their attention. “What is 'self-insertion'?” “Well... Ah don't rightly know... but it sure sounds painful.” Applejack said, raising an eyebrow. “Why are we talking about this?” Rarity asked, giving the others a wary look. “This conversation is turning ridiculous!” “Oh! Because of the ghosts!” Dash jumped and turned to one of the guards. “Hey, you!” She pointed her hoof in Ebon Rain’s direction. “Are there any ghosts in the castle?” As the guard who had face-hooved his helmet off sheepishly walked to pick it up, the other guards exchanged nervous glances. Ebon Rain forced an uneasy smile. “Uh... there used to be one in the library tower, but it disappeared a year ago.” “It's gone? Aww.” Rainbow Dash sighed, but looked up hopefully. “So... what did that ghost do? Was it scary?” “Well...” Ebon Rain shuffled in place when everypony's attention focused on him. “It was usually late at night... when everything was calm, and even after Lady Twilight had gone to sleep... when we did our rounds... we would hear a voice, but whenever we investigated there was nopony there!” “I remember hearing that the voice was that of a capable general, still commanding his troops from beyond the grave!,” another guard said. “It freaked us out... we thought there really was a battle happening.” “Hm... that does sounds suspicious.” Rainbow Dash said. “I wonder what happened to it?” o.0.o “One does not simply walk into Mordor!” Spike bellowed as he rolled out of Twilight's bag. He wheezed when he hit the floor belly first. Standing up groggily, he shook his head and rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Uh? Wha—where am I?” He looked around Twilight’s room in the castle, blinking in confusion until he spotted the calendar. It was the same day as when he and Twilight had gone looking for books about the Elements of Harmony so long ago. “Oh, sweet Celestia! I'm in Twilight's room back in Canterlot!” He gasped. This—this can only mean one thing!” He fell on his rump, eyes wide. “I-I must have dreamt the whole thing! We never went to Ponyville!” Spike stared at the wall, letting his brain sort things out. “But then... I never met Rainbow Dash! Or Pinkie Pie! Or Fluttershy! Or even Applejack! But most importantly... I never met Rarity!” His claws clenched into fists as he shot up to his feet, shaking them futilely at the sky beyond the ceiling. “Noooooooooooo! They were all figments of my imagination!” After a few moments of staring at the gray ceiling, he sighed. “Although I must say that my imagination gave Rarity very, very nice flanks.” He smiled at the vivid image his mind conjured up, until he realized, again, where he was. “Why does this always happen to me?” he groaned. o.0.o “Hmm...” Twilight Sparkle hummed as her horn shone in different shades of red and purple. “Interesting.” Next to her, a hovering quill and scroll quickly took notes as she examined the room inch by inch. She stopped when she reached the bookshelf. Her eyes studied the shelves full of foal books, lovingly chosen by her mentor for her daughter, who never had the chance to lay next to Celestia and listen to the kind alicorn read the stories contained within those pages. The covers blurred, and she sniffed, unable to stop her eyes getting teary to the point she had to close them and take deep, shuddering breaths. She gave herself a few minutes before sighing. When the Princesses left, she had felt anger and horror at what had happened. She had stopped several times while moving about the room, when her hoof had hit a toy in the floor, or the mobile made with little effigies of ponies, stars, the sun and the moon had chimed at her passing. Now… all she felt was sorrow. She had tried to detach herself from it, a little, at least, to be able to do her job... but there was so much forgotten love in this one room. Twilight looked at the crib with the two dolls in it, a mental image forming of Princess Celestia's kind smile as she leaned in to wish her filly a good night while levitating the Luna plushie. When she turned and noticed the wooden blocks in the corner, she could almost hear childish laughter and the gentle and warm chuckles of an amused Princess Celestia. Twilight took a deep breath and concentrated. She was not going to fail her mentor. Especially after the Princess had gone back to her duties leaving Twilight with the trust of something so important. She had to find out what had happened here. o.0.o Luna lay in her bed thinking. She had tossed the sheets off of her, unable to even contemplate sleeping. ‘I should be asleep,’ she thought, ‘especially if I want nighttime to fall in time, but...’ She sighed. 'So many things have changed since I returned from my exile,’ She mused. 'All the faces I knew are gone… Islands that had been there when she had controlled the night so many centuries ago were gone now. Like Celestia, there had been some temples built in her honor by devoted subjects as a sign of love and appreciation, and Luna had wasted no time in trying to find them and grace whoever still worshipped her with a visit. Most of those temples were gone, except for a few that had mysteriously been kept clean, although she had been unnerved to find an effigy of Nightmare Moon rather than the Moon or Stars that were traditionally used to represent her. She had felt both dread and loss. No doubt ponies that had worshiped her benevolent side had been shunned away, and as time has passed, she had felt the prayers to the Night dwindle and fade, until few individuals would mutter a word or prayer to the Moon or the Night. Buried beneath the Nightmare, Luna had relished hearing those once-in-a-hundred years chances to somehow bless those souls, and she had eagerly sent them her blessings, even if it through the Nightmare. Before long, she had been turned into a dark deity, patron of thieves, assassins and darkness-inclined ponies. Not all of them were inherently evil, and while sometimes using her powers for evil hurt, it was still a sort of love for her soul, and it had kept her alive, even if she felt saddened by the use they were given. Still, none of that was as shocking and saddening as what she had found out today. She sighed once more. Today felt like it had been a whole week of stress. As much as her sadness had accumulated, change hadn’t seem that important or even immediate until today. 'My sister, Princess Celestia, starting a family?’ Luna snorted. A week ago she would have laughed if somepony brought it up as a possibility. There had to be a limit to attachment, after all. They were immortal. Whomever they married, whatever fillies or colts they produced would pass away eventually, while they remained. That didn't mean they had to be aloof, or unkind, or even feel superior—hard lessons that she needed to face after breaking free of Nightmare Moon—but it meant that if they didn't draw a line, they would be miserable. And misery had brought so many horrible things with it. 'But you didn’t let that stop you, did you sister. Luna turned on her side, looking at the doors to her chambers. 'Not only did you allow love into your life, you allowed yourself to have a filly… only to be denied even her memory.’ Luna felt bitter tears forming as she considered what it would have been like being an aunt. If there had been more family, somepony to keep close and teach about the stars and the moon and those places invisible to normal pony eyes, would she had transformed into a monster? Even as Nightmare Moon, she knew, she would have been touched by the existence of more family. ‘Somepony that would not judge me, maybe even... love me unconditionally. She closed her eyes. 'Are we doomed to live alone? Or to fade away like the others, so long ago, before the written word even existed?’ she thought morosely. 'Who could have done this? Who would even dare?’ Luna finally pulled herself out of bed and trotted to the window, where she could look at the ponies walking down the streets, completely oblivious to her thoughts and feelings. o.0.o 'A filly. I had a filly.’ Celestia felt so much joy at the thought of that... that there was a young mare, out there that was brought to this world through her. 'And yet, she was taken from me. The sense of loss had been overwhelming: the years and happiness that she had been deprived from sharing with her daughter felt like stab wounds directly into her soul... but when Twilight Sparkle had walked in, she had suddenly felt like she knew what if felt like to care for a filly as if she was her own daughter. 'When I find her, I will apologize for not being there for her. I will show her everything she missed, share with her all I know… I’ll spend every second I can with her, and nopony will ever take her away from me again.’ But for now... she had to hold court. As the latest petitioner started speaking, Celestia's mind drifted back to her faithful student, wondering what she had discovered so far. Perhaps she would see her daugher soon. o.0.o A slightly chewed-up blue magician's hat rolled down the street, pushed by a breeze until it bumped to a stop next to the wheels of a blue stage wagon. Trixie stopped next to it, panting. It had taken considerable concentration to get the hat to her stage wagon, but The Great and Powerful Trixie was a magician of the highest order, after all. “Finally! Trixie would like to rest, but the sooner Trixie reaches Ponyville, the better.” With another burst of air, her hat fell into the driver's seat and she made her way to the front to slip inside the harness. Ducking her head, she slid forward. When she didn't feel the harness resting on her back, she leaned forward even more, until she had to quickly get her hooves into position to avoid falling face-first into the road. “What the hay?” Growling she looked back, ready to kick something when she realized that part of the harness was inside her body. She looked at it for a few seconds before she remembered. “Ah... I forgot. I'm a ghost.” She sighed. “Okay Trixie, there's no need to panic,” she said after a moment. “Deep breaths, deep breaths. Am I even breathing?” The Great and Powerful Trixie shook her head free of annoying, mortal thoughts, and began to walk in circles around her stage wagon. “Okay, what does Trixie know about ghosts?” She thought for a moment. “Well... ghosts are ethereal. That means they... we... cannot really touch normal objects; however, according to Magister Crowley, magical objects can be moved and touched by spirits. That’s how fetishes are created. Ohhh... Trixie hates magical theory.” Her eyes narrowed. “But now is not the time...” She looked at her stage wagon, considering. The old stage wagon—which had been destroyed in Ponyville—had been enchanted to produce several magical effects on demand, something she hadn't gotten around to casting on this one. She had needed special and expensive ingredients and she hadn't been too keen on getting them herself. Her father had only sent her enough bits for buying a new stage wagon, but that was it. Sure, she had enchanted some items herself, but they were all useless for now. Trixie briefly considered going inside and throwing around whatever enchanted items she had in a fit of rage, but the sound of hooves on cobblestone stopped her. “Now dear, you see? This... Great and Powerful Trixie, is not in her stage wagon right now. I'm sure we'll hear about it when she starts her show, and I promise you I will bring you over to watch.” It was two unicorns. A mare and her colt. Trixie grimaced and tried to ignore them, concentrating instead on what to do. “But mom, why don't we ask her? She's right there,” the little colt asked, pointing a hoof at Trixie. Trixie blinked. “Huh?” “Now, Six, don't start this again... there's no-pony there.” “But mooom.” Six? Trixie shook her head, wondering, 'Who names their colt ‘Six’?' “Look dear, if you promise not to touch anything, you can stay here and look at the stage wagon. Just look, don’t touch. I’m sure if the Great and Powerful Trixie were here she wouldn’t appreciate some mischievous colt touching her things, right?” The colt looked at Trixie, doubt filling his eyes, but The Great and Powerful Trixie was already on her knees, hooves clapped together and nodding desperately for him to agree. “I-I guess...” he said. “Good. I'll be right back.” Six's mother went into the store, leaving him with Trixie, who was giving him a thankful smile. “Thank you! Thank you! You see, Trixie really needs your help! Can you do something very, very simple for Trixie?” Six nodded slowly. “Are you really the Great and Powerful Trixie?” “Yes, yes I am!” Trixie said, striking a pose. “Trixie guesses you are a fan?” Six nodded, shyly. “Well then, The Great and Powerful Trixie will give you an autograph if you do that small favor her! Do you know how to perform the basic spell runes?” When the colt nodded for the third time, Trixie had to hold herself from shouting in glee. “Well, Trixie needs you to scratch one of the magic runes onto my stage wagon...” “Uh... but my mom said not to touch it...” “Silly, that's Trixie’s stage wagon, right?” “Right…” “And Trixie is giving you permission to touch it, right?” “Right!” “Then it’s fine if Trixie lets you, right?” “I... guess.” He approached the stage wagon. “Where do you want it?” “Anywhere will be fine,” Trixie said, finally noticing the colt's cutie mark. An eye with a small number 6 in the middle. 'Huh. How odd.' “So, Six...” she started as he carefully scratched the paint on her stage wagon with his glowing horn, drawing a basic magic rune for ease of movement. “What did your mom mean when she said you shouldn't 'start this again'?” The colt didn't answer immediately, waiting until he was done drawing. The magic in his horn died, and for a moment nothing seemed to happen, then suddenly the stage wagon seemed to glow for the barest of seconds. Trixie nodded happily. “Well done, Six!” Six, looked around, then motioned for Trixie to get closer. Curious, she leaned forward. “Well... I have a problem, and that's why my mom was saying that thing about not doing it again... it hasn't made me very popular with other ponies my age,” he confided. Trixie blinked. “Well, what is this problem?” “I see dead ponies.” Six said, eyes very wide. “And they don’t know they’re dead!” Trixie snorted. “Well, it’s not like it feels much different, you know?” Six blinked. “You mean you know? But... aren’t you going to stick around and see me through a journey of self-discovery to find my purpose in life by helping those lost souls in desperate need to find peace and continue on to the next world, only to leave me sad, bitter and alone once you realize you too are dead?” Trixie laughed. “Oh, silly colt. The Great and Powerful Trixie has better things to do. Here...” her horn shining, she slid one of several pictures of herself signed in magical-glitter from within her stage wagon. “There you go. Go find more dead ponies, now, okay?” She tried to pat him in the head, but her hoof went through it in a very disturbing way, so she chuckled nervously and jumped on top of her stage wagon. “Bye-bye now!” With a sudden lurch the stage wagon rolled forward, leaving a thoroughly confused colt behind. o.0.o In a dark room with six slightly glowing circles and one column of light in the middle, several ponies had gathered. Obscured by cloaks and shadows, they nickered and shuffled in place, until one stepped into the light. “Brothers and sisters... both the Princesses are acting strange... they are weak.” The pony’s voice echoed in the room, her tone one of smug victory. There was a moment of animated whispering, but the pony in the middle stamped her hoof on the floor, drawing their attention. “I have seen signs that the Guardian has awakened. The time to strike approaches swiftly... be vigilant. We will find what makes them weak and we will bring night eternal again to Equestria. The Nightmare will live again!” “The Nightmare will live again!” the others echoed. “Those who stand in our way, shall fall!” she called. “The Nightmare will live again!” the others replied. The little light in the room allowed the gathered ponies to see a small smile in her muzzle. o.0.o End Chapter 3 o.0.o

Wanderer D

53

Cutie Mark Crusaders,Main 6,Nightmare Moon,Princess Celestia,Trixie,Adventure,Dark,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

The Empty Room

An ancient enemy; a family secret; a plot to overthrow the Princesses...

complete

<p>Luna discovers something hidden from Celestia for twenty years, now, with emotions running high, she enlists the help of the Mane 6... but what seemed to be a single mystery, soon reveals a darker and much more complicated plot that will soon decide the fate of Equestria.</p><p>Check out the <a href="http://bit.ly/EmptyRoomTropes" rel="nofollow">Empty Room TV Tropes Page</a> (Warning: Spoilers!)</p><p>Revised chapters edits and proofing (with many thanks) by: lammy, Trevor, Nick Nack, Fifth Alicorn</p>

teen

2014-03-25T03:06:35+00:00

2014-03-26T15:18:53+00:00

The Empty Room Chapter 4: As Twilight Fades By Wanderer D An old pony rocked in her chair, watching the end of the day pass her by. It had been an odd day. The sun had not come up until mid afternoon, but at least the twilight seemed to be on time. She chuckled to herself. It had worried a lot of ponies when the lack of sunlight had gone on and on, but for her, well, it was nice to see something out of the ordinary for once in her old age. And this was certainly out of the ordinary. Some things never changed in the end. As dawn gave birth to the day, so would twilight die to make way for the night. She heard a squeak. It hadn’t come from her rocking chair. Slowly, she stopped rocking. Until everything was silent. And then she heard the squeak again. Looking around, she spotted a stage wagon on the road. It was empty, and nopony was hitched to it. How strange… she thought. I never saw anypony pull that here. She looked the other way and heard another squeak. Looking back, she stared hard at the stage wagon. Was it closer than before? Her eyes widened when the stage wagon turned her way, giving her the unpleasant feeling that it was looking at her. It slowly started rolling towards her, and she could feel her heart racing. The ponyless stage wagon finally ground to a stop just before the steps to her home. A small window at the side of the stage wagon opened and a strange, fine powder floated out before it ignited into blazing words that hung in the air. WHICH WAY TO PONYVILLE? She felt pain above her left hoof... and everything went black. o.0.o “Hey! Granny!” The old pony opened her eyes and groaned. “W-what...” “Are you okay?" the voice asked. "You passed out.” “I-I'm okay,” she assured the stranger who helped her up. Funny. Her legs didn't hurt so much now. “I just had this strange nightmare about a stage wagon that spoke in words made of fire to me... I thought I was going to have a heart-attack!” “Y-you did?” the mare stammered. “Ah... hehe. Fancy that.” The old pony looked at the young unicorn helping her up. She had a soft blue coat and a magic wand with pixie dust as a cutie mark. “Yes... I must have fallen out of my chair!” she chuckled. “Oh... well.” Trixie cleared her throat. “T-trixie needs to know how to get to Ponyville from here, if you don't mind?” “Not at all!” the old mare said, smiling at the odd way the pony spoke. “It's west of here, a mere few hours on the road for a fit, young mare like you. Just walk that way and you'll arrive just after sunset.” “Well, thank you!” The Great and Powerful Trixie replied with a conflicted smile. “Trixie...Trixie should get going... you know, beat the traffic and all that jazz.” The old mare gave Trixie a confused look and then let her eyes wander around. There was nopony in the area. “If you say so.” “Thanks again!” Trixie called as she jumped atop a familiar-looking stage wagon. Her horn glowed and soon the stage wagon lurched westwards. “Young mares these days.” The old mare chuckled. She turned around to take a seat again, but her hooves tripped on a strange silvery line. She shouted in surprise as she stumbled and fell forward, eyes widening as she realized she was falling towards herself! “Uh...” The old mare took a gasping breath and shook her head as she opened her eyes. “That was strange...” She looked around, feeling that she should remember something. After a moment, she shrugged it off. Everypony else would already be inside. She could smell the food her daughter was preparing. “Hm...” she carefully lifted herself up, bones hurting again, but she didn’t mind at all. “Mom!” a voice called from inside. “Dinner's ready!” “I'm coming, dear!” she called back, heading towards the door. She felt unusually happy to be alive. o.0.o Spike walked morosely through the castle grounds. “Why me? Really? This happens to me all the time!” the baby dragon growled. “I mean, it's weird enough to dream that I am someone else altogether heading armies into battle, but to dream a whole year of living in Ponyville only to find out I never visited? That's harsh!” he blinked. “Although I guess that explains why sometimes it felt so... episodic.” He waved absentmindedly at a couple of guards as he passed them, eyes glued to the floor. “And then to dream of perfection herself, the most beautiful pony to grace Equestria only to have her be a figment of my imagination? Could there be a crueler fate?” He sighed. “Well, at least I still have Twilight... I'd better go find her...” He looked around and hummed. “I wonder where she is? She usually wakes me up before leaving and its almost the end of the day!” He thought for a second. “I guess I’ll try the library.” o.0.o “Why did we let them talk us into this?” one guard asked. “Because somepony decided to spill the story of the crypt,” another guard muttered venomously, glaring at Ebon Rain, who trudged ahead sheepishly at the fore of the group beside Applejack and Rainbow Dash. “So, this crypt here has been around since before Canterlot was built?” Applejack whistled. “Why isn't it part of the tours?” Ebon Rain nodded, smiling uneasily, and well aware of the pointed looks the other guards were giving him. “The Crypt is old, and part of a system of tunnels that run under the mountain,” he explained. “It can be dangerous for the general public, so most citizens of Canterlot have no idea it’s even there or, if they do, it’s been closed for as long as anypony can remember.” “Nopony knows why it was closed in the first place, but being near for prolonged periods of time has made some unicorns experience visions and cases or paranoia. Some said they saw ghosts.” He glanced at the mares around him. “I hope you understand that the only reason you’re being allowed to take a look is because you are guests of Princesses Celestia and Luna.” “Are you really so sure this is a good idea?” Rarity looked around nervously, ears twitching. “Aw, come on, Rarity!” Rainbow Dash smirked. “There's no such thing as ghosts, right? Why are you scared?” “I— I am not scared, Rainbow Dash.” Rarity said. “I simply do not want to get my coat dirty in a dreadful old crypt!” She snorted and grimaced. “Besides… other than mother and father… I don’t think there are any ghosts I would like to meet.” “W-we could go someplace else you know... if you want to, that is... maybe,” Fluttershy suggested. Rainbow Dash smiled at her friend. “Don't worry, Fluttershy, I'll make sure nothing happens to you.” Fluttershy lowered her head, looking away as she followed the others. “I don't know if you can...” she whispered. “Hey! If there are ghosts in there, can we invite them over to Ponyville?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Think about it!” she said, eyes growing wide with excitement. “We could have a party that would never, ever die!” “Sometimes, Pinkie Pie, you really scare me,” Applejack deadpanned. “Just remember: ‘giggle at the ghosties!’” Pinkie Pie replied merrily. She bounced around the group as they approached a large pair of copper doors embedded into the mountainside. “What the hay is that supposed to mean?” one guard muttered to another, only to be elbowed into silence. The closer they got, the more oppressive the air became until all the ponies were trotting quietly with lowered heads. Their hooves clopping on the hard stone became the only sound around, echoing against the walls of rock around them. As the colors of twilight filled the sky above, Pinkie Pie hummed an old lullaby to herself. In the relative silence, the hummed song carried to the ears of everypony nearby and, just its eerie echo had worked them to their last collective nerve and Rarity had turned to snap at Pinkie Pie... “WHAT WAS THAT?!” Rainbow Dash shouted, pointing her hoof at the nearby cliffs. “Eeeeeeeeeee!!!!” Rainbow Dash's shout was followed by a shrill scream that made everypony cringe. It carried on until Applejack snapped a hoof over Rarity's mouth, shutting her up. Pushing the hoof out of her face, Rarity glared at the pegasus. “Don't you ever,” she gasped “do that again!” “But I saw somepony!” Dash exclaimed, flying back defensively under the disgruntled visage of her friend. “Over there! By the rocks!” A couple of the guards trotted over to where Rainbow Dash was pointing and looked around, but shook their heads when they found nothing. “Listen... it's gettin’ a bit late and Ah’d rather not be here at night,” Applejack said. “So, let's take a look, see if we hear anythin’, and then we can get back to the castle.” “Aww... scaaaaared?” Rainbow Dash taunted, conveniently ignoring the guards’ raised eyebrows. “Very.” Fluttershy nodded. “Nah,” Applejack declared. “Ah just know that Twilight is goin’ to be looking for us, and we can’t talk to her while we’re here.” “Whatever,” Rainbow Dash said. “Well, anyway, let's... Pinkie Pie!” Said pink pony was already at the large gates, looking inside. “Hey look, everypony! The gates are open!” At that, Ebon Rain tensed and with a swift, curt motion had all guards stand around the group protectively. They raised their weapons and looked around warily. Seeing their reaction, Applejack looked over at Pinkie Pie. “Pinkie Pie... come over here.” “Aww... but I can hear a voice!” she said excitedly. “I'll just take a look-see!” She turned words into action and jumped through the gates before anyone could stop her. “Darn it! Pinkie Pie!” Applejack shouted as the whole group galloped towards the gates. They were ajar, barely leaving enough space for a pony to slide through. The guards immediately pushed the doors open and, as the dimming light illuminated the large chamber, they immediately spotted Pinkie Pie, standing still, looking at something just beyond their sight. “Pinkie Pie?” Rarity asked. The pink pony slowly turned around. She was not smiling. In fact, small tears had welled in her eyes as she stepped back, letting everyone see what she had found. Outside, a shadowy figure observed them, then melted into the mists. o.0.o Princess Celestia sat on her throne, her mind lost in thoughts of what had transpired. Her connection with the sun told her the day would soon be over— that she would be free to join her faithful student in her diligent search for clues. She wanted to help, and she should have been doing so, instead of sitting placidly and pretending that nothing had happened for the benefit of a gathering of snobbish nobles. Duty took precedence, however. Her needs and problems were secondary to the betterment of Equestrian society, and certainly secondary to the governing of her lands. And yet, as she sat there, listening to a noble drone on and on about building regulations being broken by a group of builders who had exceeded the imposed limit—by less than half a meter, she observed—while building a house for the elderly, and how this was clearly an offense that required the immediate attention of the court because it prevented said noble from spotting his favorite store from his window… she had to question whether she was deluding herself in thinking that this was a duty to her country. Were she able, she would have exiled the selfish noble from Canterlot. She snorted. She was able to, technically. She had the power. If she didn’t care… if she acted as they expected her to act, he would be standing on the border to the Northern Wastelands wondering why his hooves were so suddenly yet quite firmly entrenched in ice. Something must have shown through, because at that moment the noble hesitated in a moment of unaristocratic lucidity. “I-is there anything wrong, your highness?” Everything. Celestia forced a smile. Didn’t you notice I took all morning to raise the sun? Didn’t you notice that I was distressed? Taking a deep, calming breath, she nodded. “Everything is fine, my little pony. Please continue.” The noble nodded, quickly dismissing whatever he had noticed as he continued his rant about the mediocre work of the builders and demanded the architect be punished and his licence revoked. My child is out there, and you are wasting my time asking me to take down a retirement home because of something so stupidly— She was interrupted by a scraping sound. It took a moment for Celestia to notice that everypony had gone quiet and that the sound itself was the result of her hoof digging onto the marble floor and scraping it in frustration. The noble gulped at the gesture and nearly passed out when the doors banged open to reveal Luna flanked by several guards. Celestia looked from her hoof to her sister in surprise. “Sister! We must talk at once!” Luna declared, turning to all gathered nobles. “Alone!” o.0.o The court had been adjourned immediately and all the nobles had been escorted out amid protests of their serious business being interrupted. “Sister, Lance has vanished,” Luna said urgently. “This servant,” she motioned with her head to an extremely uncomfortable looking pony, “Went to his quarters to find him, and found the whole place ransacked. Whatever Lance had been working on has been taken but, it was clear there had been a fight and... he also found blood in the room.” She gave Celestia a steady, grim look. Before Celestia could even speak, the door to the court room slammed open once more as a pegasus crashed through it and rolled on the floor, sliding to a halt in front of her. Several guards rushed towards the pegasus, surrounding her and pointing their lances at her neck. “Rainbow Dash!” Celestia exclaimed, motioning for the guards to stand down. “What is the meaning of this?!” “Princess!” Dash looked up in panic. “Princess! We found Captain Lance! Where’s Twilight?!” Princess Celestia felt her blood run cold as she exchanged concerned looks with Luna. As if to answer their sudden realization, the castle shook with an explosion. “Go!” Luna exclaimed. “I'll bring up the moon and join you shortly... there's no need to worry the rest of our subjects even more.” Celestia shot her sister a grateful look then flew out of the room. Rainbow Dash immediately went after her. Her parting words echoing in the hall. “Send a doctor to the Crypt!” o.0.o Although she would never consider herself as beautiful or as awe-inspiring as her eponym, Twilight Sparkle did allow herself a little vanity and ego-stroking when she thought about just what her name meant in the grand scope of things. The point where the day ended and the night began, where they would both blend together and create the purple that had inspired her mother to name her, so many years ago. The little maternal reminder however, made her wince, thinking again of her mentor. Twilight shook her head. I can’t allow myself to be distracted! There’s so much to do! And she had discovered so much already! She glanced at the neat stack of papers. She had suspicions already as to what had happened, but still... not who or why or even how. Even if she could reconstruct the whole situation, without those key elements her information would prove interesting... but not useful. “Gah. Writing a thesis on the mating habits of defribulation swamp leeches would be easier. And they're asexual!” She sighed. It didn't help that the atmosphere in the room just got her down. “Well, I think I have done as much as I could here,” she muttered, stretching a little. She heard a thump out in the hall and frowned. She had requested to be left alone with the evidence. She carefully made her way through the room and looked out into the hallway. There was nopony there. Shaking her head in annoyance, she turned and was about to walk back inside when a creaking sound made her look towards the entrance. She sighed in relief when she saw it was one of the guards, peeking in, probably to check what the sound had been. Her relief turned into a horrified gasp when the guard slumped forward and fell, unmoving, on the floor. Twilight couldn’t even move when the body was kicked out of the way by a pony in a dark cloak, who dumped the other guard on top of the first. From where she was, she couldn’t tell if the guards were alive or not, but what she could tell was that the cloaked figure had definitely noticed her. “How convenient,” the hooded pony said in a disturbingly familiar voice, walking almost casually towards Twilight after closing the door behind him. “And yet, it saves some time... here I thought we might have to look for you somewhere else.” His interest seemed piqued by the room she had just walked out of. “And what do we have here? Is this what has our dear Princess all bothered? Is this why the sun did not come up as it should have earlier today?” “That’s none of your business!” Twilight snapped, shaking her fear away. Her horn glowed and a magical barrier appeared at the entrance of the room, shimmering slightly. The magical shield darkened until nopony could look inside and know what was there. “That was not a smart move, Twilight” the pony said gravely. “I recognize that spell... and we both know that the only way to get that shield down is to have you remove it willingly... or by killing you.” Twilight gulped. “T-that's not true, there are other ways.” “True,” The pony said, stopping a few feet from her. “But I don't have the time to break through it when the easiest and most effective way is to kill you... and since I was going to do that anyway...” A chill running down her spine, Twilight took a couple of steps back again, lowering her ears as the cloaked pony followed her down the hall. “Who are you?” she asked. “You sound familiar but... nopony I know would willingly hurt others like you did!” The pony seemed to falter for a moment, and Twilight thought for a second she might have a chance to avoid a fight, but her hopes were dashed when he resumed walking. “I'm sorry, Twilight.” Twilight Sparkle felt tears forming in her eyes, and her heart skip a beat. Why? Who was this unicorn who sounded so familiar and seemed to know her so well? Had some part of her recognized him? Is that why she was crying? Or was it because she was scared? No. She realized, eyes watering. It’s because I know this pony... that's why it hurts. She glanced at him, concentrated on his voice... “This has to be done.” The unicorn sounded as if he were trying to convince himself as much as declaring an indisputable fact. “If there was a different way...” his voice had turned soothing again, but in a manner that seemed so fake, that it disgusted her. Blinking away tears, she gritted her teeth and stopped where she was. The pony obligingly stopped in front of her. As her horn flared with magic, her opponent’s did likewise, illuminating his face. By then, she had realized who it was. The sense of betrayal could reach no further... there were no words to describe what she felt. No words to justify what was happening and who was doing it. There was only one thing she could say before she could unleash her magic to protect not only herself, but her mentor's secret as well. It came out as barely a whisper. “Daddy... why?” o.0.o End Chapter 4 o.0.o

Grif

55

Lyra,Twilight Sparkle,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Lyrical Musings

complete

<p>Lyra, unknown to her friends, is obsessed with Twilight Sparkle. So much so that she is willing to do anything to win her love. Originally inspired by the madness of pony threads.</p>

everyone

2012-03-25T16:11:55+00:00

2012-03-25T16:11:55+00:00

“Sanity is a madness put to good uses” ~ Famous Philosopher, CR 937. Ironically, put to death for madness soon after. Lyrical Musings Lyra was positive she was mad. Nay, she was probably insane by now. But, by golly, she never felt better. “Lyra... you can make Twilight yours. Forever. She just needs the right encouragement,” a metallic voice squeaked in her left ear. The source of the voice was a crude robot-doll fashioned out of clay with a little painted on face. The doll sat comfortably on her left shoulder. Lyra had dubbed him Mr. Druid Droid. For no reason other than he resembled a robot, and he was dressed in druidic garments. Or so she thought. Her memory was fuzzy these days. “You’re ever so right Mr Druid Droid,” Lyra replied in a sing song voice. She fondled a doll in her hooves. It was an exact replica of the purple unicorn known as Twilight Sparkle. Better known as the personal student of Princess Celestia. It was carved out of the best pinewood she could find. If one were to examine it closely, it was clear it was the work of many loving hours, complete with the star-shaped cutie mark Twilight sported. “Lyra, I’m so ashamed of you,” another voice spoke in her right ear. “If you want Twilight to love you, you are going to have to let her do so on her own accord.” Lyra sighed. It was Baron Awesome again. The kaiser-wearing, monocled falcon. Why couldn’t the avian see? Twilight would never accept her if she didn’t use force. All those years of failure in magic school taught her that. Yet, for all her bitterness, Lyra could see the falcon’s point. What chance has she in a relationship if it was only one way? “But Baron Awesome... I don’t know any other way,” the mint green unicorn said pleadingly. “Lyra, it is no excuse and you know it. True love does not come from the excessive application of rope and dubious means of inviting ponies to dinner,” the falcon gently chided. “But-but-but... the robot told me it’ll work.” Lyra was in near tears. “And it will. Do not listen to this sorry excuse of a bird.” Mr Druid Droid retorted harshly. “Where has his advice got you huh? All those years in magic school and what do you have to show for it? Nothing.” His voice rose in intensity and pitch. “Nothing at all.” “I don’t quite remember it that way. I do believe our dear Lyra was thwarted by a number of... unfortunate incidents while trying to court the mare,” the falcon replied, unperturbed by the raised voice. “Excuses. All you can do is give excuses,” the droid sneered. “I tell you what will work. Direct action. Make her confess-” “ENOUGH!” Lyra screamed at the two. “Sweetie? Are you in the attic again?” came the soft voice of Bon-Bon. Lyra blinked as both Baron Awesome and Mr Druid Droid disappeared. She opened the attic trapdoor and peered down into the hallway. Bon-Bon was standing at the foot of the stairs, looking at the mint green unicorn expectantly. “Ah, there you are Lyra. Are you playing with your dolls again?” Bon-Bon tapped her hooves in annoyance. Lyra just flashed a guilty smile, masking her irritation at being interrupted. “Yeah... you know me. I need to let off steam sometimes.” “Sweetheart, sometimes I think you spend too much time up there,” the beige earth pony huffed, before going on her way to the kitchen. Lyra heaved a sigh of relief. Nopony must know her most secret place ever. The unicorn closed the trapdoor gently and put the Twilight doll back in its original position, amongst all the other dolls of Twilight she had arranged on the shelf. She took her time adjusting the position just right, making sure the mane fell exactly the right way, the eyes facing the correct direction. Satisfied, she glanced at all the surreptitious photos she had taken of Twilight over the years, arranged and pasted neatly on a board behind the dolls. Twilight dancing during the prom. Twilight busy with her books in the library. Twilight going out with her disgusting new friends in Ponyville. As her eyes wandered over the photos, she spotted a horrible oversight. One of Twilight’s friends’ face was not properly decorated. That will never do. She quickly took out a marker pen and covered the offending face with angry black ink. There, much better. Lyra smiled creepily as she recapped the pen. Her mood much improved, Lyra opened the trapdoor and skipped downstairs to join Bon-Bon. It was time to put her plan into action. *** It was yet another sunny day in Ponyville. The sky was shining, the weather warm and the ponies happily going about their business in Ponyville. Except one. One, who was on a mission. One, who was currently buying baked goods in Sugarcube Corner. “Thanks, Pinkie, these cupcakes are perfect!” Lyra gushed, as she lifted the tray of garishly coloured cupcakes from the counter. Oh, these would do nicely indeed. “Those are my best yet!” the pink earth pony replied happily. “I sure hope you’ll enjoy them.” “Oh yes. These are for a friend,” Lyra mumbled in response, before carefully trotting out the door, with the cupcakes in mouth. That part of the plan done, Lyra skipped back to her house happily, ready to enact the next phase of her masterplan. As she passed the library (where the oh-so-adorable Twilight lived), she heard a familiar voice addressing her. “Tsk tsk, Lyra. I really expected better of you. Sleeping drugs now?” Lyra narrowed her eyes. Baron Awesome. How did he get here? And outside her secret place too. He never appeared outside her secret place. She stared at the curiously hatted falcon, who was adjusting his monocle nonchalantly. “What are you doing here?” Lyra hissed. “Dear Lyra, I’m always with you. Although me being out here was a pleasant surprise. It was so long since I got to see the sunshine,” the falcon replied. “Well, go back to wherever you came from, you feathered freak,” Lyra hissed back, a little louder this time. The falcon folded his wings into a comical bow. “As you wish my lady.” “Lyra? Are you alright?” Spike’s voice spoke up behind the unicorn. Lyra’s eyes widened in panic and hurriedly turned to face the dragon. “Oh, I’m fine. Just making a delivery,” Lyra stammered. “Who were you talking to?” Spike quizzed, an eyebrow raised. Lyra glanced back at the tree branch. Baron Awesome was gone. Sneaky bastard. She turned back to find Spike staring at her with a curious expression. “Nopony. Just... practising... a speech. Yeah,” Lyra replied, a guilty smile pasted on her face. Spike gave her a quizzical look, obviously not buying a word. Fortunately, he didn’t press the issue either. “Yeah, whatever... Just don’t spill the cupcakes over the windows or something. I just cleaned it this morning.” He waved off the unicorn and slammed the library door. Lyra sighed with relief. That pesky dragon could have ruined everything. She’ll have to take... extra steps to ensure he’s out of the way. Lifting her tray of cupcakes, she continued on her way. *** The photo shop was normally quite empty in the afternoon. Which was why Lyra usually stopped by the shop in the waning hours of the day. The mint green unicorn flashed a charming smile at the shopkeeper, Photo Flash (not related into any way to Photo Finish) as she entered the shop. The maroon unicorn smiled back and said, “Oh hi, Lyra. The usual?” “Yes, please,” Lyra replied, taking out a roll of film and placing it on the table. “Just a second.” Photo Flash took off her glasses and scooped the film roll with her magic. She then trotted off into the adjoining room to process the order. Since it took some time to develop her photos, Lyra decided to amuse herself by examining the various sample photos of other celebrity stallion and mares on display. None were up to the standards she came to expect though. After a couple of minutes, the shopkeeper trotted back out with a bulging envelope and the film roll. “That’ll be twenty bits,” Photo Flash said, as she set down the envelope on the counter. Then glancing around, she leaned over the counter and asked in a lower voice, “Who’s the mare in the picture?” Lyra almost bit her tongue off in anger. Not because she was discovered. Oh, no that was a distant second to what was burning in her mind. How the hay this pony not know about the most famous pony in town?! Lyra looked at Photo Flash impassively, silently fuming underneath. “Oh, she’s only the most famous pony in Ponyville. You know... Twilight Sparkle?” Photo Flash looked surprised. “Oh, the new librarian? Sorry, never actually met her before.” Lyra felt her left eye twitch at the shopkeeper’s ignorance. How dare she insult her Twilight like that? “Librarian? Librarian?! She’s no mere librarian.” Lyra stood up to the shopkeeper and pushed her face against her snout, her eyes glaring into the shopkeeper’s blue-irised eyes. “She’s Twilight Sparkle, personal student of Princess Celestia. The hero of Equestria! Vanquisher of Nightmare Moon! You. Will. Pay. Her. Proper. Respect.” “Uh.. okay... okay. I get it... Please... let me go?” Photo Flash pleaded. Lyra blinked and looked down. She had her forehooves on the mare’s chest, who lay pinned behind the counter. Lyra slowly eased the pressure off the mare and stood back. She watched as the shopkeeper slowly got to her feet, and flashed an apologetic grin. “Sorry... I get carried away at times.” Photo Flash did not reply, and instead backed away to the furthest corner of the shop. Realising Photo Flash was still looking at her with fear, she decided it was time to leave. Lyra mumbled her thanks and put the required bits in the counter, before galloping out of the store with her prize. *** “Lyra, are you sure this is fine?” the self-titled fashion extraordinaire of Ponyville asked worriedly. Lyra hid her irritation behind a mask of cheerfulness. Of course it was fine. Why did she even order it in the first place if it was not? “Yes, Rarity. It’s perfect,” Lyra replied in a cheery voice. “But... it’s so...” Rarity made a face, “... garish. The shape, the colour. It’s like a walking fashion disaster.” And to anypony with a sense of fashion, it undeniably would be. The black satin dress was expertly sewn, no doubt. The low cut of the dress was extremely revealing, designed to excite and leave little to the imagination. But the entire thing screamed... goth. And goth was already two seasons out of vogue. “I like it,” Lyra said simply. She watched as the white unicorn expression’s alternated between disgust and resignation. Finally, Rarity sighed, and took off her glasses. “The customer is always right I suppose. Thirty bits.” “Thank you,” Lyra said sweetly and placed the bits on the table. She levitated the black dress off the table and began trotting out of the door. She froze when she saw Mr. Druid Droid sitting casually at the door frame, whistling a filly-hood lullaby. A very well-known lullaby. Twilight Twilight Little Star~ “I see you been busy. Don’t forget the ropes.” The robot swung his legs rhythmically in sync with his tune. How I wonder what you are~ “Lyra, are you feeling under the weather? You look pale.” Rarity’s voice floated from behind. Up above the world so high~ “I’m fine, Rarity,” her own voice seemed distant, almost as if she was in another plane. She put a hoof to her forehead, suddenly feeling a touch dizzy. Will you love me like I do~ “Lyra...? Lyra?! Oh my stars, Lyra!” Rarity’s voice faintly echoed in her mind. The mint green unicorn found herself swaying on her feet, her vision blurring. Twilight Twilight Little Star~ The last thing Lyra saw was the floor rising up to greet her. How I wish you love me! *** Lyra slowly swam back into consciousness. The first thing she noticed was the faint voices at the edges of her senses. The sounds were too garbled to make out any meaningful words though. She tried opening her eyes. No dice. The unicorn lay there for an indeterminate amount of time, the different voices fading in and out like the waves on the beach. She could do nothing to respond. Nothing at all. Eventually though, her addled mind recovered sufficiently to be able to interpret the voices speaking nearby. The resident nurse, Nurse Redhart reporting on her condition. Bon-Bon visiting and saying get-betters and whatnot. Miscellaneous ponies with well-wishes. Once, she swore she heard Twilight visited her. Unfortunately, that detestable Applejack pulled her away just as she said her well wishes. Something about the Rainbow Dash getting herself in a mess again. Bah, it was probably an excuse to draw her dear Twilight away from her. And one fine night, Lyra finally found the strength to open her eyes. The blurry view of the room swam into focus. White. Sterile white. She was in a sterile white room. Ponyville Hospital. Was she really that sick? Lyra glanced all around. Her bedside table was filled to the brim with gifts of all sorts. A few balloons were tied to end of her bed for good measure. Lyra sighed. She felt fine now, if only a little weak from her prolonged stay in bed. She push herself into a sitting position. No dice again. She couldn’t even bring herself to sit properly. Lyra let out a long sigh. She glanced again at the nearest gift. Muffins. Huh, probably Ditzy’s present. That mailpony had an unhealthy obsession for muffins. If not for that tiny hooded masked gray pony on top, she would have... Hooded masked gray pony? She did a double take. Still there. And it was waving at her. Waving. If she had the strength, she would have screamed and ran to the corner of the room. As it were, she could only raise her hoof weakly and mumble, “Get away from me...” The masked pony looked hurt and laid his head low. “Goodness Lyra, now you made him sad,” Baron Awesome said. Lyra turned an eye on the bird. He was perched on one of the balloons, somehow managing to balance himself on top despite the gentle wobble of the ballon. “Who the hay is he?” Lyra managed to croak. “Don’t you recognise him? He’s Metal Mask,” the falcon replied in a surprised tone. He held up his monocle and started polishing it. ”He helps out around in the attic. Of course, you were too busy plotting to seduce Twilight to notice him puttering around.” “Right...” “Bah, why are we wasting time here?” the rough voice of Mr. Druid Droid barked. The robot was sitting cross legged on the lap of the bed. Huh, Lyra didn’t notice him sneaking in. “We should be plotting on how to implement the next stage of our master plan.” As he spoke, Lyra watched the gray pony walking over to the robot and giving him a solid thump on the head. Metal Mask jabbed a hoof at the unicorn. “Oh right. You fleshly beings are so weak,” the droid huffed. “Not my fault I had a dizzy spell and ended up in the hospital,” Lyra replied defensively. “Lyra my dear, you spent an inordinate amount of time enacting this dubiously crafted plan of yours. Skipping that night time meal for the past week don’t look to be too healthy,” Baron Awesome casually remarked. “... the patient is awake? I hear voices,” a muffled voice came from the room door. Lyra eyes widened in panic as she tried to stuff herself back into bed. They mustn’t see her like this. The door slid open just as Lyra managed to cover herself with the blanket and close her eyes. “Huh. She’s asleep. I swore I heard somepony speaking,” a mare said, probably the nurse. “Probably sleeptalking again. She’s been doing it a lot lately,” came the laconic reply. “I guess.” *** Lyra was found to be fit and healthy enough to discharge from the hospital three days after that. Just a bad case of poor diet and overwork, the doctorpony reassured. She reminded Lyra to feed herself at least three times a day, lest the same thing happen again. Lyra was sure the doctor was looking at her funny. Whatever. For Lyra’s part, she was anxious to get away from the hospital and put her plan back into motion before it got delayed any further. Being in the hospital for one week was a setback. Unfortunately, Bon-Bon was there to escort her back home. She listened with a bored expression as Bon-Bon prattled on about the daily gossip that gets circulated around town, nodding at all the right places to fake her interest. One piece of news that actually piqued her was that the news that Twilight somehow managed to find herself dragged to Cloudsdale. Where the ever noisy Rainbow Dash managed to conjure up another Sonic Rainboom. Lyra’s expression darkened at the thought. That mare was probably trying to steal Twilight for herself. She was going to have to... take care of that little problem as well. “Lyra? Sweetie? Why are you hitting that bench?” Bon-Bon asked, a worried look on her face. Lyra blinked and looked down on her hooves. She was gripping a sharp rock. Facing a bench, covered with dents. Bench... that was sky-blue. The colour of Rainbow Dash. Lyra dropped the rock she was holding and pasted a fake smile on her face. “Heh heh. Just testing my strength,” she said, keeping the smile firmly attached. “Really, Lyra. Defacing public property is not the way to go about doing so. You could have just pulled one of those hay carts.” Bon-Bon chided gently. “Now let’s get back home. I already prepared dinner.” Bon-Bon nudged Lyra forward in the flank. “Oh, and that horrible dress you were buying from Rarity? I left it somewhere in your room. I really have no idea why you bought that dreadful thing.” Lyra just smiled at that little tidbit of information. Perfect. *** “What’cha need mah ropes for, Lyra?” Applejack inquired with a quizzical expression. “It’s... for a special friend,” Lyra replied. Well, it was half-true. It was for a very special friend indeed. “Lyra, you really don’t think these ropes are a tad excessive for what you have in mind?” Baron Awesome piped up from behind. “Shut... up.” Lyra hissed. The falcon was starting to be annoying. “What’s that, sugarcube?” the orange mare asked, an eyebrow raised. “Nothing. Really. I’ll just be off now.” Lyra flashed her most charming smile and took off before the apple farmer could pepper her with more awkward questions. “Just don’t forget to return it! Ah need it for mah rodeo lessons next week!” Applejack called. She scratched her head as she watched the departing unicorn. “Strange mare that one.” *** Lyra was bemused. Her attic was now filled with various guests and hanger-ons. Mr. Druid Droid mentioned several more have moved into the room during her unexpected hospital stay. She’ll have to collect rent later. But for now, it was time for a review of her plan. “Ropes?” The masked pony gave a thumbs up. Or a hoof up rather. “Cupcakes?” “Baked bads all the way, baby,” Mr. Druid Droid yelled. The small robot was hunched over the pastries, squeezing more sleeping paste on top from a tube twice his size. He scooped a handful and brought it close to his pseudo-mouth. “Mmm, mint.” “Dress?” “Lyra, this dress isn’t even needed for your plan,” Baron Awesome said, as he perched on the dress rack, eyeing the black outfit curiously. “It’s a gift for Twilight. She’ll love it!” Lyra stated obstinately. The falcon shook his head slowly. “Lyra, you have even worse taste in fashion than I thought. Goth? Really?” “Well, Shimmer there agrees!” Lyra pointed a hoof to a tied up white pegasus in a corner. “Mmph!” Shimmer energetically mumbled, the gag in her mouth preventing any sort of meaningful speech. “You can’t even tell whether that’s a yes or no!” The avian sounded exasperated. “I’m pretty sure that’s a yes.” Lyra pouted. “Right, Shimmer?” “Mmmmpmmmmph!” the bound pegasi replied, and even managed to swing her tied-up body around a little. The pegasus swayed slowly from side-to-side, bumping some empty cans onto the floor. “I’m so glad you agree Shimmer,” Lyra replied sweetly, before cocking an eyebrow at the pegasus. “You should really spend less time up there, you know.” “Mmmpmh. Mmmmphmmmph!” was the reply. “Yeah, whatever.” Lyra looked down again at her checklist. “Now, for the final two items on my list. Location... and invitation card.” “Why don’t ya just use your own house?” a flaming red pony with an equally flaming mane asked. Lyra rolled her eyes at the obvious question. “Because... Lord of Gamers, Bon-Bon is always around. Always. And I can’t just send her away.” Lyra’s eyes clouded over. “No, we need to be discreet. Nopony must ever know. Until our wedding anyway. It’s for the best.” *** *Knock-knock* “Spike? Get the door please. I’m in the middle of a very important experiment.” Twilight called, her eyes not moving from the petri dish of Evenmass Moss. She slowly maneuvered her dropper filled with calcium hydroxide. Steady... steady... *Knock-knock* Twilight nearly squeezed the dropper by mistake. “Spike!” she shouted again irritably. *Knock-knock-knock* Seething with annoyance, she gave up. Where has that dragon got to? Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him all day either. Putting the dropper to one side, she half-trotted, half-cantered to the lower floor of the library. *Knock-knock-knock-knock* “I’m coming, I’m coming. Sheesh, put your hooves on the ground,” Twilight shouted back at the unknown visitor. She unlocked the door with her magic and pulled the door open. “What do... you... huh?” Twilight blinked as she glanced around the empty doorway. Nopony. Huh. She scratched her head in puzzlement. As far as she knew, nopony in Ponyville would resort to pranks like these... well maybe except Pinkie Pie, but the unicorn knew for a fact Pinkie was off visiting her sister. Shrugging, she was about to turn around and continue her experiment when she spied a piece of paper lying beneath her hooves. She took a step back and eyed the thing closely. Why, it was an invitation card. A rather overdecorated invitation card, with purple and red ribbons and the name Twilight Sparkle scrawled in pink. She levitated the card to face level and began reading Dear Twilight For years now, I have admired you from afar. Your cute smile. The way you carry yourself in the library. Defeating Nightmare Moon. It’s like honey to bees. Twilight blushed hard at the compliment. Was she really that cute? She continued reading. I have finally worked up the courage to do something I always wanted to do. Could you join me for dinner tonight? Meet me at the treehouse in Sweet Apple Acres. Signed. XXX Twilight raised an eyebrow at the choice of location. The Cutie Mark Crusaders hideout? Applebloom wouldn’t be happy to hear her secret hideout being used so casually. She closed the card and began wondering idly whether she should go or not. On one hoof, the princess had always told her not to trust strange mails purported to be from admirers. Twilight supposed she had a point. After all, she had had over a thousand years to receive fan mail of all sort. Some was bound to be from slightly unhinged ponies. On the other hoof, she was really, really curious as to who was her admirer all these years. She began ticking off the list of suspects. Spike? Not his style. Plus he has been with her the whole time anyway. Big Mac? You had to be kidding. Dr. Whoof? Possible, but Twilight didn’t think he was that sort of pony. Lone Star from Magic School? Impossible, even Celestia didn’t know where he went. Trixie? Yeah, right. And then they’ll have a purple foal together and live happily ever after. Lyra? Wait, where did this come from? A filly-fooler she was not. and so on and on... Flopping on a bunch of cushions, Twilight finally ran out of suspects to suspect. Huh. Guess she’s going to have find out the hard way. She took out a sheet of paper and began writing a note to Spike. *** Night. The full moon shone brightly across the inky black landscape. The rest of the night sky was dark though, as heavy cloud cover obscured everything else. It suited Lyra just fine however. The unicorn stood waiting just beneath the darkened treehouse the Cutie Mark Crusaders considered to be their secret base. She already laid out a table decked out with purple satin and a vase of purple lilac to match. The cupcakes were already set on the table. Lyra had considered adding pie to the mix, but Sugarcube Corner was strangely closed. She tapped her hooves nervously as the time of their appointment approached. Will Twilight take the bait? Will she suspect anything amiss? Lyra hoped the purple unicorn didn’t mind her drugging Spike with a clinical overdose of punch. If she found out that is... “Lyra, really. Cease this insanity before you do something you will regret.” Baron Awesome said in his very British voice. Lyra shot a sharp look at the falcon who remained calmly perched on a convenient tree branch beside her. “It’s going to work. Trust me.” “Lyra, don’t you think it’s ethically wrong to even contemplate-” “I see the nosy bird continues to interfere with our plan,” Mr Druid Droid interjected harshly. “Lyra, it’s high time you ditch the dead weight.” “Ditch...” Lyra repeated, before divining his meaning. “You mean...” “Yes, I mean that. The banishment.” For the first time since Baron Awesome appeared in her life, the falcon looked unsettled. “You can’t seriously be considering-” “Banishment! Banishment! Banishment!” a chorus of voices cried out. Lyra suddenly realised she was surrounded by a gaggle of creatures and ponies she never met, nor seen before. A 10-foot tall lich. A tan stallion dressed in a curious green cloak and pointed hat. A robot pony... with a monocle and top hat? Lyra shook her head in bemusement. “Gentleponies!” a blue stallion called in a distinctly French voice. “I believe we should let Lyra do the honour yes?” A cheer erupted. “Save your punishment. I know when I’m not welcome,” the falcon said with unearthly calm. He turned to face the unicorn. “Goodbye, Lyra. I hope you can live with your decision.” And with that, he flapped his wings and flew off into the night. “Good riddance to goody-pants.” Mr. Druid Droid said. “Shh, is that somepony?” a voice whispered from the crowd. Lyra strained her ears. A faint rustling in the distance. Before she could call for everypony to disperse, Lyra found herself standing in an empty clearing, next to the table she so lovingly prepared. The rustling inched closer, the bushes in the orchard swaying visibly. Lyra gulped. What if it was some criminal pony instead? She felt a bead of sweat forming on her forehead. Okay, maybe this wasn’t such a good idea- A solid thud resounded from the bushes, followed by a cry of pain. Twilight! “Oh my, Twilight, are you okay?” Lyra called out, her fear all forgotten. “Lyra?” came the answer. Lyra parted the last bush separating the two to find Twilight sprawled awkwardly on the ground. A large stone sticking out nearby seems to be the obvious culprit. The purple unicorn’s eyes shrank to pinpoints at the sight of Lyra. “LYRA? My secret admirer is you?!” “You look so surprised, dear,” Lyra answered sweetly. Inside though, she was seething. How dare this ungrateful mare not acknowledge her love. After how much she trouble she had gone through? “Come now, let me help you up.” Twilight looked stunned by the revelation, but offered no resistance when Lyra helped her up. She continued to stare vacantly ahead as the mint green unicorn led Twilight to the table. “Come now, Twilight. Have a cupcake. I made them specially for you.” Lyra put her hooves on the table and stared dreamily at the unicorn. By Celestia, Twilight looked even more attractive under the moonlight. Twilight still hadn’t moved though. The purple unicorn sat frozen at her seat, still staring into thin air. Lyra’s left eye twitched a little as the seconds ticked past. “Twilight, honey,” she said softly. “EAT YOUR CUPCAKES NOW!” Her voice suddenly turned into an angry shout, before dropping into that singsong voice again. “Please?” Twilight seemed to break out of her stupor and nodded slowly. Her eyes was still in pinprick mode though, and she eyed the cupcakes with suspicion. Lyra continued to watch as the unicorn slowly picked up a cupcake and took a delicate bite. “Well?” Lyra asked hopefully, as the unicorn chewed. “I... err... it’s... good.” Twilight stammered. Then Lyra noticed her eyes focusing on something behind her. “Who’s that- uhhhh...” the purple unicorn said in surprise, before dramatically slumping on the table in a deep stupor as the sleeping drugs took effect. “Who’s what?” Lyra turned to look behind her. “Mr. Druid Droid?” she said in surprise. “Surprised, Lyra?” the robot said as he stood up from his sitting position on her back. He began stretching his mechanical limbs. “Well? We got a mare to court. Get to it.” The droid waved impatiently at the now-sleeping soundly Twilight. “R-right.” Lyra replied, a little perturbed. She couldn't quite put her hoof why though. No matter, she’ll ponder the matter over breakfast. Now it was time to implement the final stages of her plan. *** “Oh Spike, you shouldn’t have,” Twilight said. “I insist. After all, you’re the bestest friend in my entire life,” Spike replied, as he pulled the rope. The falling cloth revealed a roomful of books, bound and decorated with the most beautiful material Twilight ever seen. She found herself squealing with glee at the prospect of So. Many. Books! “Oh Spike... Spike?” Twilight touched a hoof on the purple dragon’s shoulder, who seemed to have frozen. Turning him around, she got the shock of her life. Face. Gone. What?! Then she felt reality shattering to pieces around her. “Uhhhhh...” Twilight moaned, as she slowly came to. “What happened...?” She opened her eyes, only to find she was shrouded in darkness. She tried moving her legs, but they seemed to be tied up. Plus, she appeared to be hanging upside down. “Ah, Twilight honey. You’re finally awake.” Lyra. *** Lyra lit the candles in the darkened room, illuminating the room in a flickering, glowy way only candles do. “I must say Twilight, you look gorgeous in that dress,” Lyra said suggestively. “What?” The unicorn looked down on her body. “WHAT THE HAY IS THIS?!” she cried in shock. Lyra clopped her hooves in delight. The outfit she bought fit the purple unicorn so well. Every curve was perfectly accentuated by the black fabric. “Lyra, get me down this instant!” Twilight shouted. “No can do Twilight. Not until... you love me as much I do for you,” Lyra replied with a smirk. “Your... reeducation begins here.” “You’re insane!” Twilight said with feeling. Lyra noticed her horn began glowing. She smirked as the horn’s glow fizzled. “What?” the purple unicorn cried in surprise. “Poison Joke. Though the spots wouldn’t show till later. Don’t worry, I have the cure with me... if you cooperate.” “You... evil... no-good... ugh,” Twilight said, before sighing. “I’m no good with calling ponies names. I need Spike.” “Now, we can do this the hard way. Or the very hard way.” Lyra gave Twilight her most reassuring and charming smile. The purple unicorn seemed to recoil though. “Does it also involve that falcon perched on your back?” Twilight asked in a curious voice. “Who.. what?!” Lyra snapped her head towards Baron Awesome, who stared back at the unicorn in his usual calm demeanour. “How did...? Wha? Why? How...?” Lyra stuttered. This wasn’t part of the plan. They were supposed to keep out of sight. Besides, nopony else saw them. Ever. “Dear Lyra. Did you really think you would have succeeded so easily?” Baron Awesome calmly stated. He polished his monocle nonchalantly. “Think back on the events of the past week, Lyra. What do you remember?” Lyra scrunched her brow and dug up the memories. Well... it was funny how the days passed without her eating a single meal. And Bon-Bon was conveniently absent whenever she wanted to. And Applejack did lend her the ropes without further questions. Wait... She whirled back to face Twilight, who now had a goofy grin on her face. “Oh Lyra, how I wish I confessed my love to you all those years past.” the purple unicorn said in a voice she knew so well. Her own voice. When she imagined herself talking in Twilight’s voice. Lyra googled. It cannot be. All her hard work. For naught?! “The Great & Powerful Lixie endorses this ship,” an authoritative voice declared. Lyra, her head still spinning from the implications, slowly glanced at the speaker. A navy blue alicorn who was somehow wearing Trixie’s pointed hat and holding a green book. Who the hay was she and how did she get into the room? Then she heard Trixie herself speak. “You dare challenge the right of the Great & Powerful Trixie to ship? Nopony ships ponies but Trixie.” The alicorn was tackled to the ground by the azure mare herself, where they promptly engaged in a kissing contest. A purple foal walked up to the pair and tapped Trixie by the flank. “Mommy? Why are you kissing that weird pony?” she asked innocently. As Lyra watched, the room itself began to shimmer and change colour. Ghostly re-enactments of her life began to unfold before her. Lyra watching Twilight from afar in the prom. Bon-Bon and Lyra cooking in the kitchen. Lyra in music practice. Lyra in her secret place, smiling. Then the room completely disintegrated, leaving her in a wide open plane of nothingness. Ponies she never seen before in her entire life began to blink in and out of existence, speaking gibberish she could neither understand nor decipher. “CURSE YOU, WARLORD MUSTACHE!” “Fire the Orbital Friendship Cannon!” “Elementary, my dear Rainbow Dash.” Lyra shook her head and closed her eyes, trying to shut out the clearly ridiculous situation unfolding before her. She felt a gentle tap on her shoulder. It was Baron Awesome, who somehow managed to stay with her on her back. He managed to convey a warm smile despite his lack of facial muscles. “Lyra. It’s time to wake up.” *** Lyra slowly opened her eyes. White. Sterile white. The hospital. “Oh, Lyra you’re finally awake!” she heard Bon-Bon cry. Lyra turned her head weakly towards her friend. She noticed Bon-Bon’s eyes were puffy. “For a day there, you had the doctors really worried. Really Lyra, what were you doing sniffing around in a Poison Joke patch?” “I... don’t remember,” Lyra answered hesitantly. And for the first time in a long while, it was the whole unadulterated truth. She tried to raise her head, to sit up. Anything to make her feel less helpless. “Shush, Lyra, you need your rest now. Lucky for you, the overdose wasn’t as bad as feared. They managed to get the antidote to you in time.” “You’re... right.” Lyra laid her head back. “I’m so glad you’re alright,” Bon-Bon said, hugging Lyra tightly. Lyra, after a moment’s hesitation, returned the gesture. Yes, everything will be alright. After a couple moments more of small talk, Bon-Bon got up to get the doctor. As Lyra lay on the comfortable bed, she spied Twilight walking past outside. A smile crossed her face. Someday, Twilight. Someday. After all, her secret place in the attic will be there for her. Lyra Bridge is falling down~ Wait. That lullaby. Where was it coming from? Her eyes darted to the radio at her bedside. It was turned off. Falling down, falling down~ A very familiar voice whispered into her ear, “Lyra, you still have much to learn.” A chuckle. “Very much indeed.” Lyra Bridge is falling down~ The mint green unicorn’s yellow pupils shrunk to pinpricks. My fair lady~

Baree

56

Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Past Regrets

An added chapter to Buttersc0tchSundae's "The Party Never Ended"

complete

<p>I wrote this way back when as an added chapter to &quot;The Party Hasn't Ended&quot; by ButterscotchSundae. At the time, I asked her for permission to upload it to EqD and DA and she readily gave it. She was even kind enough to be one of my proofreaders. Therefore I doubt she will mind if I upload it here now. Its not the best fic ever, and there are some OOC issues with especially Rainbow Dash. Nevertheless, its the only complete pony fic I have written so far, so here it is. Just make sure to read Party first if you haven't already, you can find it here: <a href="/story/6868/The-Party-Hasn%27t-Ended" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/6868/The-Party-Hasn%27t-Ended</a></p><br/><p>Finally, to avoid spoilers you can find the description (or synopsis) in a separate chapter. I would advise against reading it until you've read Party.</p>

teen

2012-10-08T23:11:29+00:00

2012-10-08T23:11:29+00:00

The mare looked at the letter on her desk. The hated letter. She had not opened it yet. When she got home, it was there waiting for her, laying on her doormat. She hadn't paid attention to the address, but when she flipped it over the name written on the front of the envelope had screamed out at her. All the memories, the ones she had hidden deep away, had come rushing back. The mare knew that subconsciously, that day had never really left her thoughts. Still, she had managed to put it so far at the back of her mind she could at least spend her days without thinking about it too much. * * * Rainbow Dash opened her eyes. Through the window opposite of her she could see the sun was shining in a cloudless sky. It looked like it was going to be another beautiful day. Turning her head, she looked at the pink pony snoring away next to her. It didn't happen very often she had a chance to see her like this; Pinkie usually woke up before she did. Feelings of warmth and love gushed through her, and it was therefore not without some regret that she placed a hoof on her partner’s shoulder and gently shook her awake. "Wu-wu-what? Oh, good morning Dashie!" The pink mare let out a huge yawn. "What time is it? Is it time to start preparations for the party yet?" Rainbow Dash nuzzled her gently. "I’m afraid we overslept a bit Pinkie. We better get up quickly if you want to get everything ready in time." Pinkie somehow managed to jump three feet in the air, despite lying on her back and being covered with a blanket just moments ago, and let out a huge gasp. "Oh my gosh! We better hurry up, Dashie! I still have to get balloons and streamers and muffins and hot sauce... and... and..." She was by now frantically running around the room. Rainbow Dash had wanted to ask her the question, but as had been the case so many times before the past couple of days, she decided now wasn't the time. "Ok Pinkie, calm down. You take a bath, I’ll start breakfast. We can prepare for Twilight’s birthday party together after that. It will be ready in time, you'll see." Pinkie stopped for a moment, looking at the pegasus. She knew there was something on her mind, and had been for a few days now. She had learned that in time, Rainbow would usually tell her what was the matter, but the pink pony decided that if Rainbow hadn't opened up by the end of the day it would be up to her to bring it up. For now though, she would let it go. "Sure thing, Dashie! I know we can prepare a super-duper awesome party together! I'll be right down!" With that, the earth pony disappeared and Rainbow went downstairs. When Pinkie joined her, a variety of cupcakes and other sweets had been spread out around the table, together with several more traditional dishes. Both ponies sat down to have their fill, and Rainbow was glad to see Pinkie also take some of the healthier stuff every now and then. After a while Rainbow looked across the table at the pink mare she loved so much. Perhaps I should tell her now. She is probably worried about not getting the party prepared in time, but... She opened her mouth. "Pinkie, I... I want to..." She just couldn't... She couldn't ask her. "I want to make this the best party Twilight has ever had. Shall we start the preparations?" Did she imagine it, or had Pinkie looked a bit sad for a moment there? She wasn't sure, but if it had been there it was now gone. "Sure thing, Dashie! There will be tons more sweets at the party anyway! Better leave a spot. Why don't you start with the decorations; I'll start baking!" The pegasus nodded, and retreated to the living room. She was furious at herself. Why couldn't she just ask the question? Pinkie already knew everything; surely she would understand? But... what if she didn't? Well, even then, that is why she would ask, wasn't it? It's not as if she was doing anything yet... Still, the fear that Pinkie might draw the wrong conclusions... She sighed. Perhaps, perhaps she should talk to another pony about it first. * The party was packed. It looked like every pony in Ponyville had come. Rainbow wasn't surprised that they had finished with time to spare, as it was Pinkie after all. If she couldn't do it, nopony could. Pinkie was chatting away with Applejack and Rarity, which was good. Maybe she could have a private moment with Twilight. It was funny; when the unicorn had arrived in Ponyville she had been somewhat of a recluse. Not the best pony to ask for advice about relationships of any kind. Yet now, Rainbow couldn't imagine asking anypony else. Currently, her friend was talking to Fluttershy. As Rainbow approached them, she cleared her throat. "Excuse me, Fluttershy. Could I borrow Twilight from you for a bit?" The yellow pegasus looked at her. "Certainly, Rainbow. I think Cloudkicker is starting to get a bit lonely, anyway. I will talk to you later, Twilight?" With that, she made her way to Cloudkicker, who indeed was sitting in a corner, looking rather sad. As Fluttershy approached her however, a big smile appeared on her face. Twilight looked at them, bearing a smile herself. "I am so glad for those two." She turned her attention to Rainbow. "And you and Pinkie, I can't thank both you enough for this party. It's great to see everypony together again, when was the last time that happened? Is there anything I can help you with?" Rainbow stared at the floor. "Well, actually... I was wondering... would you mind if we talked in private for a bit? I could really use some advice." Twilight opened her mouth to reply, but before she could say anything two rather impressive ponies appeared in the doorway. The entire room fell silent. Twilight gasped in delight and ran to the door. "Princesses, what brings you here? What a great surprise!" Celestia smiled, and nuzzled the smaller pony. "I could not miss the birthday party of my most faithful student, now could I? And Luna here was dying to come as well, she has not been to a party in over a thousand years after all." Twilight smiled at the other royal pony. "I am so glad you could come to, Princess Luna. It’s a great honor to see you here. Please, help yourself to any food, and I am sure everypony in here would love to talk to you." Princess Celestia look at her sister, who seemed a bit nervous. "Actually Twilight, we were hoping we could have a private word with you." Twilight smiled. "Oh, of course, that would be..." She suddenly remembered she had been in a conversation, and looked behind her. Rainbow just stood there, a look of despair on her face. The unicorn had never seen her so sad. "Actually, I am afraid a friend of mine needs my help first. But after that, I'm all yours." Celestia nodded. "Of course Twilight. Go help your friend. We will just enjoy your party, Pinkie has outdone herself." Luna still didn't say a word, but Twilight wasn't sure what to make of her expression. It seemed almost hopeful. "Thank you your majesties. Please excuse me." With that she made her way back to Rainbow Dash. "I am sorry about that Rainbow. That was rude of me. Of course, we can go to the attic." The pegasus smiled, and followed her upstairs. * * * When the mare first picked up the letter, and saw the name, an uncontrollable rage swept over her. How dared she? After all those years, when she finally has her life in order, now she sends her a letter? And what would it even be about? Would she want to make amends? Would she rub more salt in old wounds? What did it even matter? That cold-hearted pony didn't deserve anything from her! As the mare made to tear the letter to pieces, the rage changed to grief. Perhaps... Perhaps she did want to make amends... The mare started to cry. Hesitantly moving her hoof towards the envelope, she stopped, as the grief turned into fear. What if it was just a letter to mock her? Would she be able to deal with that? Oh, that terrible pony! Why did she make her go through this now? She was angry again. For the next couple of hours, she went through an emotional roller coaster. Several times she almost opened the letter, and several times she almost tore it up. In the end, she just ran to her bedroom, threw the letter on her desk and crawled into her bed. Burying her head in her pillow, she started sobbing uncontrollably. * * * Twilight didn't say anything as Rainbow told her everything she had told Pinkie when they were both under the influence of Nightmare. Tears had appeared in her eyes after the pegasus told her how she had reacted to one of her best friends confessing her love to her. When she finished talking, Twilight simply gave her a hug. "I am so sorry Dash... for the both of you." Rainbow looked up at her. "You... you don't hate me? It's the worst thing I have ever done in my life..." She shook her head. "Of course not Dash. You were young, and with all that going on... I don't know how I would have reacted in that situation either. Have you told Pinkie about this?" "I have... Sort off. She saw the whole thing when we were... in my heart, with Nightmare. It only made her more determined to help me... I am so lucky with her Twilight. My life would be perfect, if it wasn't for... for Star Catcher. I feel I want to explain everything to her, I want her to understand that... that it wasn't her fault. But I am scared Twilight. I am scared to find out what has become of her. What if she never recovered? She never flew again? And will she even want to see me? Perhaps it's best if she never did. What if I ruin her life again?" Twilight looked her in the eyes. "And? What else are you afraid of? There is more to this then that, isn't there?" Rainbow swallowed. "I am most afraid that Pinkie thinks I still have feelings for Star Catcher... That I want to get back with her again. I am afraid she would leave me if I told her. But... I can't just do this without telling her about it. Could I?" Twilight shook her head. "That would be a mistake. This is big Rainbow. I think you need to do this, and I will gladly help you. But you do need to tell Pinkie. I'm sure she would..." At that moment, Pinkie appeared from under the bed. "She would be totally super duper proud of her Dashie! Oh, you silly mare, is that what you have been struggling with the last couple of days?" She ran towards Rainbow and threw her hooves around her. "I know you Dashie, of course you would want to set things right! I am so sorry about eavesdropping, but I was so worried about you and I thought you were going to tell me this morning when we woke up and again when we had breakfast but you didn't and then I was so frustrated and when I saw you leave with Twilight just now I just knew you were going to tell her what was bothering you so much and I just had to know so I could help you!" Twilight had been listening with delight as Pinkie had her little speech, and a smile appeared on her face when she saw the earth pony plant a big kiss on Rainbows lips. "I think you will be fine Rainbow, I am sure you two have a lot to discuss. If you are ready, why don't you two come to my library tomorrow so we can see if we can find out what happened to Star Catcher." Pinkie nodded. "Sure thing Twilight! And thank you ever so much for listening to Dashie's problems! Even if some of them were really silly! Now, Luna is waiting for you, go on and talk to her!" Twilight thought this comment a bit weird, since it had been Celestia who told her they wanted to speak with her. But since it was Pinkie who said it, she thought nothing of it and went back to the party. After Twilight left, Pinkie turned her attention to Rainbow, who hadn't said a word since she appeared. The pegasus had just responded to her embrace, overcome with love for the pink earth pony. "Oh Dash, I wish you had just talked to me... I hated seeing you so unhappy the last couple of days." Rainbow just buried her head in her partner’s mane. "I am sorry Pinks... I was just so worried about what you'd think... I couldn't lose you again. Not again. When I thought you were gone forever after you saved me from Nightmare, I just... I don't want to go through that ever again. I thought you'd leave me, because..." Pinkie smiled, and planted another kiss on her lips to shut her up. "I know that silly. I want you to talk to her. You know you are the reason my party never ends. I know I am very glad I could bring the party back into your life. We both know Star Catcher has a right to hear the truth. And maybe, sometime, I can throw you both a super duper incredibly awesome party." Rainbow looked at her. "But aren't you afraid, I might... I might..." The earth pony kissed her again, longer this time. The pegasus completely lost herself, and for a brief time there was only Pinkie. When she finally stopped, Pinkie looked Rainbow straight in the eyes, and smiled. "No. Not even a little bit." The two spend the rest of the party in the attic, just talking about Rainbow's other fears. The pegasus thanked Celestia for having such an understanding partner. * As the party drew to a close, most of the guests were leaving. In the end, only Twilight, Celestia and Luna were still present. And, Twilight assumed, Rainbow and Pinkie were too, since they hadn't appeared downstairs since she left them. "Thank you ever so much for attending my birthday party, Princess Celestia. And you too, Princess Luna. We will have to continue our discussion about Hans Clop's "1041 Daily Uses for Magic" some other time." Princess Luna smiled at her. "Yes, I would like that very much. Perhaps you would like to join me in the royal library sometime? You have an amazing collection here, but I am sure I could show you some interesting copies you have not seen yet." Twilight smiled back at the royal pony. "Sounds great, Princess. We will have to arrange for that sometime." Celestia bowed down and nuzzled her. "Just let Spike send me a note, you have not been to the Palace for a while. It would be good for you to visit. Now, I am afraid our duties call us. And I think your friends are waiting for you upstairs. Until next time, my faithful student." With that, the two royal ponies made their leave and Twilight went upstairs. She found Pinkie and Rainbow more or less as she left them. "Hey you two. Are you ok? The others have all been a little worried about you since you never came down." Rainbow looked up at her. "I'm ok Twilight, considering the circumstances. Thank you very much for listening to me. I'm still scared, I don't want to ruin her life again. But I think... I think I owe her the truth. We will drop by tomorrow morning if that's ok with you." Twilight nodded. "I have all the student listings from the Cloudsdale Flight School from its first year up until last year. It's a start, we will see if we can find anything useful there. If you want, you two could spend the night here." Pinkie smiled. "That's kind of you Twilight, but I think we'd rather just go home." Rainbow Dash nodded. "As you wish. I will see you two in the morning then." After the two ponies left, Twilight couldn't help herself and started collecting the tomes in question. Might as well make an early start, she thought. * * * When Star Catcher finally stopped sobbing she removed her head from the pillow and lay on her stomach. Turning around, she looked at the letter on her desk once again. All the rage and grief had left her. She just felt... empty. It was a scary feeling, one she had never experienced before. Had she lost the ability to feel emotions? She also had never been more tired in her life. A part of her was scared to go to sleep... Would the nightmares come back? She hadn't dreamt about that mare in a long time... But she was just too exhausted. Placing her head back on her pillow, she quickly sank into a deep sleep. * * * The next morning, when Rainbow knocked on the door of the library, a very excited Twilight grabbed her and pulled her inside. "Rainbow! Look at what I found!" The pegasus looked around. She had seen Twilight's library after one of her more... intense study sessions before, but it never amazed how much of a mess the unicorn could make. She prided herself on her organizational skills, but when it came to studying those apparently went out of the window. There were books everywhere, in every possible position. A large collection of books seemed to be spread out in a slightly more orderly pattern. "Wow Twilight... Have you been up all night? And where’s Pinkie? She wasn't home when I woke up, so I assumed she was already here." Twilight was eagerly motioning for her to come closer. "Yes, yes, last night was very exciting! And don't worry about Pinkie, she will back soon! Now, come over here, and take a look at this." She will be back soon? So she was here? Rainbow decided to ignore the comment, and as she approached Twilight, the unicorn was eagerly pointing towards a page in one of the books. "You told me Star Catcher simply disappeared after a while, right? Well, here is why. She transferred to another school." The unicorn pulled her towards another book. "See? The Fillydelphia Flight School. And look at this! Best Of Class in her second year, for both speed and acrobatic flying!" As she saw the mention, tears appeared in Rainbow's eyes. "That's my Star Catcher. She did fly again, after all! And how!" Twillight flipped a few pages. "Yes, and look here! Graduated with honors, second best grades of all students graduating that year. And 3rd best grades in the history of the school. That was a good year for the Fillydelphia Flight School." Twilight pulled her to another book. "After that she enrolled in the Pegasus Paramadic Academy. She got her degree easily." The unicorn pulled her towards yet another book, its cover read 'History of the Green Squadron, volume 27'. "Looks like she enlisted for the Green Squadron shortly after that. She got accepted immediately and served for four years. She was part of over thirty search and rescue missions, and got a silver medal for bravery for one of them." Yet another book suddenly floated before the eyes of the pegasus. "After that, it looks like she moved back to Cloudsdale. I found an address in a copy of an older Cloudsdale civil registration guide. I am afraid I haven't been able to find anything else. I don't have many books about Cloudsdale, but it's a good place to start. She might still live there. What do you think?" The unicorn looked at her, beaming. Since Twilight had told her all this in around half a minute, Rainbow was still trying to take it all in. "Third... third best grades in the history of the school?" At that moment, the door of the library burst open and a very excited Pinkie hopped inside. "Dashie, did Twilight told you everything yet? That's super duper awesome! Come on, I have packed our stuff, we have to leave now or we will be late!" The pegasus looked at her. "L-l-late? For... For what? Where are we going?" Pinkie gave her a big hug, and smiled. "To Cloudsdale of course! Twilight already cast the spell on me! Now come on, I have made reservations for a great hotel, and if we don't get there in time they might give away our room." As she spoke, she was dragging Rainbow outside, towards the balloon Twilight had arrived in, quite some time ago. "Twilight said we could use the balloon, and our luggage is already in it. I suppose you could just fly there, but then I would be all on my lonesome and you wouldn't want that, now would you?" She giggled, and gave the pegasus a kiss. It was all a bit too much for Rainbow. She meekly let the earth pony drag her to their ride. Twilight merely stood in the door of the library, a bemused smile on her face. "Good luck you two! And you come straight back here after you're done, you hear? I want to know everything that happened!" Pinkie waved at her. "Of course Twilight! And thank you again for your help! Without a smarty smart smart-pants like you we would never have found her so quickly! Byeee!" Rainbow just sat there, a stunned look on her face. Before long, the balloon was just a small dot in the sky, and Twilight closed the door to the library. Oh, please, let them be ok. Please let Rainbow close this chapter... For all their sakes. Rainbow was starting to come to her senses. "Pinks? What... what am I doing? This is a mistake. I shouldn't...I don't think I can do this, Pinkie. We should just go back. We should... We should..." She softly started to cry. The earth pony put her hoofs around her partner. "Sssht. It's ok Dashie. This why I am here. This is why we left so soon. You can do this. It's going to be ok, you'll see." Rainbow buried her head in Pinkie's mane. "Thank you Pinkie... Thank you so much..." The two didn't move throughout the entire trip, and not another word was said. * * * Star Catcher suddenly woke up. She felt feverish, had the dreams returned? A vague image of a screaming face lingered in her head, but before she could grasp it, it was gone. Had all of it been a dream? She glanced at the desk. No, the letter was still there. As had happened so many times before, her thoughts wandered back to that day... That terrible day. She had wondered so many times... If she had waited, if she hadn't drunk so much... If she had asked at a different time and place, would Rainbow Dash have reacted differently? But after that day, she just couldn't... couldn't talk to her anymore. Whenever she saw her, she just felt pain and hatred. In the end, she had to go away. Cloudsdale Flight School held too many painful memories. And some of the other ponies had been so cruel... She recalled her first year at the Fillydelphia Flight School. It hadn't been much easier. She had tried to forget, but at first, it was impossible. To escape her thoughts, she had thrown herself on her studies. It was hard to start flying again, but Star Catcher discovered that when she really focused on her lessons, sometimes she did forget. The joy she once had in flying was still gone, but she could sometimes escape her past. So she flew. Before long, teachers started to take notice of her. Everypony seemed impressed with her. Her parents had been so proud... And none of it seemed to matter. All that mattered was, when she flew, she could forget. Except... a small part of her, a very small part, sometimes recognized that part of it was still for Dash... Maybe, if she was good enough, she would... But those thoughts made her furious at herself, and she would fly even harder to escape them. At the end of the second year, she had the second best grades in the class. Hadn't she sprained her left wing in the third quarter, after an excruciating training session during a particularly bad time of nightmares and painful memories, she could easily have been first. She could have probably been the best student the school had ever had. But she still didn't care about any of it. She remembered the day she graduated. It had been a little easier then. Star Catcher recalled the congratulations, the teachers giving their speeches, full of praise for her accomplishments. Her parents, she didn't think she had ever seen them happier. That day, for the first time in a long time, she realized she wasn't completely miserable. She had started to heal. She had even felt a little proud. Not long after, she made her decision on what to do next. The years at the Pegasus Paramedic Academy had been... ok. Soon after getting her degree, she enlisted with the Green Squadron. As it turned out, that would prove to be one of the best decisions she ever took. * * * The balloon softly touched the ground. "We’re here Dashie... Come on, let's go to our hotel. We can search for Star Catcher tomorrow." The pegasus nodded. She wasn't sure how she felt. Perhaps she was too tired to feel anything. Rainbow simply walked behind the earth pony, she doubted she could muster the energy to fly. The pony behind the desk was very surprised to see an earth pony walk in, but he proved to be very kind. They were checked in in no time, and before they could do so much as ask, their luggage had been brought to their room. Rainbow had immediately crawled onto the bed. Pinkie had joined her, and for a long time the two just lay there, Rainbow laying on her back and resting her head on Pinkie’s chest. Eventually, she spoke. "I don't know if I am strong enough, Pinks... I... I have never been so scared in my life. Could you forgive something like that? She is going to hate me, and I don't know if I can deal with that. And... what if I... Maybe she has forgotten, and I just... I just bring back the pain..." She swallowed. Her voice had become a whisper by now. "How do I know if I am doing the right thing? Maybe we really are making a big mistake..." She looked up at Pinkie, and the pain and doubt in her eyes were almost too much for the earth pony to bear. "Oh Dash... I don't have all the answers. But this will never leave you, and it might have never left her. Not unless you deal with it. Tomorrow, lets first find out if she still even lives here, ok? We don't have to do anything else. I just... I just can't stand to see you like this, Dashie. And if she feels the same, if this hurts her as much as it does you, I think you can only make it better. " Rainbow didn't reply, but she took some comfort from Pinkies words. The two just lay there until eventually Rainbow fell asleep. Pinkie held her for a long time, trying to think of anything else she could say or do to help the pegasus. But before she could think of anything, sleep claimed her as well. When Pinkie woke up, something wasn't right. She opened her eyes. Dash wasn't there. In panic, she looked around and immediately noticed the small note. She picked it up from Dashie’s pillow, fearing the pegasus had fled back to Ponyville. As she read the note, Pinkie was comforted somewhat, but she was still worried. My dear, dear Pinkie. Please don't be mad. I never could have gotten this far without you, but I think the last step is something I need to do on my own. Please wait for me. With love, Rainbow "Oh, Dashie... please be ok. And please come back soon, so we can go home and I can throw you a big party. You really, really need a party... I think we both do..." * Rainbow was flying as fast as she could towards the address Twilight had given her. Perhaps she could make it before her fear caught up with her. I am sorry Pinkie... I want you here, I need you here... But what if Star Catcher sees you with me? Will she hate you too? I already made her hate one pony, I don't want to make her hate another. She was surprised at how familiar it all looked. She hadn't been to this part of Cloudsdale in years, but it was as if she had never left. Before long, she had arrived at the right house. The pegasus could hear a voice inside, but it was too soft to determine if it was familiar. I can't... I can't just knock on her door. If it even is her door. Maybe... maybe I will just wait here for a while... She flew up and landed softly on the roof. Whomever lives here, I hope they don't spot me when they get out of the house. As she waited, her thoughts wandered to that day at the Ball. She remembered every word she had yelled at Star Catcher to the letter. Doubt entered her heart again, and she started whispering to herself. "Oh, Dash, you silly pony, what are you doing here? There is nothing you can do or say that would fix what you did... You should just go." Rainbow was about to do just that when the front door opened. She quickly retracted her head so far that she could just peak over the edge of the roof. She could see the shadow of a pony move forward. As soon as the purple colored head of the pony appeared from the door, Dash felt a mix of relief and despair. It wasn't Star Catcher. Now what am I going to do? Where will I look now? And can I ever bring myself to get this close to talking to her again? As the pony emerged out of the house completely, Dash could see she was a very attractive mare. Suddenly, the pony stopped and turned around. "Well Star Catcher, wish me luck!" Rainbow almost lost her grip. Sure enough, it was Star Catcher who appeared in the doorway next. She affectionately nuzzled the other mare. "Like you need it Moon Dancer. You're going to wow them, and you know it. But maybe a kiss for good luck?" The other mare smiled, and obliged. Rainbow looked at them. Star Catcher looked so happy... She pulled back completely, to avoid being spotted. She could hear the voice of Moon Dancer. "Thanks hon. Love you. Good luck today, and I'll see you tonight, yes? Hopefully we will have something to celebrate." Soon, Rainbow saw her fly away. Thankfully she never looked around. Soon she heard the door beneath her close, and as soon as it did the pegasus rose to the sky and flew away as fast as she could. "I'm sorry Pinkie... I just can't... I can't make her unhappy again." Tears were falling down below her. Pinkie was looking outside the window, anxiously awaiting Rainbow's return. When she saw the familiar multicoloured pony appear, she could immediately tell it hadn't gone the way she had hoped. "Oh Dash..." She just waited, a sad look on her face, with her hooves spread out. Dash flew right into her embrace. "I couldn't do it Pinkie... She was with another mare, and they were clearly in love... And she looked so happy... What right do I have to... to take that away from her? How can that possibly help her?" Pinkie kissed her forehead. "I know this is hard, Dashie. But please, let me come with you tomorrow, maybe it will be eas..." Before she could finish, Dash interrupted her. "No Pinkie. No more. I can't do this. I really, really can't do this. It's not right. Maybe she really has forgotten about it, why would I remind her again? Let's just go home. Please." Rainbow’s eyes were begging her, and the pain and despair they showed broke Pinkies heart. She gave in. "Ok Rainbow. It's ok. No more. We'll go home." She hugged her tightly, and led the pegasus back to the balloon. The trip back was pretty similar to the trip to Cloudsdale, only worse. * * * Star Catcher remembered the day she enlisted for the Green Squadron. What had compelled her to do it? She wasn't sure. Her excellent flying skills combined with her medical training meant they were glad to have her. That first mission had been hell in a way, but it had also changed her. A wooden rope bridge over a rather remote river had collapsed, just as two ponies were crossing it, pulling a cart with apples. One of the ponies had managed to swim to shore, where he had raised the alarm. The other pony hit his head on the cart as they fell down, and lost consciousness. If he hadn’t been entangled into the ropes of the bridge, and if the bridge hadn’t gotten stuck on some rocks under water he would have been swept away, the current was very strong. That still left him in danger of drowning though. Star Catcher, as the fastest flyer of her unit, was told to fly ahead to see what she could do until the others got there. She had not been prepared for the events that awaited her. The pony had been properly ensnared, and she couldn’t untie him quick enough. She could hardly lift him an inch until she would be able to cut the ropes. For about a minute or so, she simply held his head above the water, trying to figure out what to do. Suddenly though, a large tree trunk appeared around the river bent upstream of her, speeding towards them. Since she couldn’t move the pony in any way, she did the only other thing she was able to think of. She flew towards the loose end of the bridge, pulled it out of the water and tried to pull it to the left as hard as she could. Luckily, there was some leeway and the other end of the bridge with the poor pony tied to it moved enough for the tree to rush past it without hitting the pony. Before she could congratulate herself though, more tree trunks appeared around the river bend. Apparently, the river was used to transport trees quickly from an upstream tree farm, and today was transport day. For a grueling fifteen minutes, she had done everything she could to both keep the pony’s head out of the water as well as trying to avoid any of the trees hitting him or the bridge. Just when she couldn’t hold he bridge anymore and was about to collapse from exhaustion, the others had arrived and they quickly took over. Within a minute the bridge had been cut loose from the rocks and was carried towards the river bank, pony and all. One of the other pegasus ponies had to support her as she flew to the river bank herself, she had almost nothing left. Star Catcher had received a medal for that mission, but what mattered most to her was that the pony had survived. They still wrote each other letters to this very day, and every so often they would visit each other. It had been an eye opener. Star Catcher had found her calling. She loved being able to help other ponies, and slowly she rediscovered her joy in flying as well. Accidents weren't that common in Equestria, but they did happen and when they were serious enough and there was no other way to reach them, the Green Squadron would move out. After that first mission, it didn't take her long to be promoted to captain of her own unit. She led quite a lot missions, all of which were successful. Some of the ponies she saved she still had contact with, some even had become good friends. Then came the mission that changed everything. A carriage from Canterlot to Ponyville had crashed, after a dragon flying overhead had clipped the head of one of the pegasus ponies pulling the carriage with one of its legs. The pegasus had fainted, and although his partner tried her best, she couldn't keep the carriage afloat. She was able to slow down the descent though, and limit the damage. Still, it hadn't been a pretty sight. The passengers of the carriage had escaped relatively unscathed, and so had the conscious pegasus. Her colleague hadn't been so fortunate however and was pretty severely injured. The carriage had crashed in a pretty remote area, so since Star Catcher was the fastest flyer of her unit she had been tasked with flying the injured pegasus towards the nearest hospital as quick as she could, while the others took care of the less serious injuries of the other victims. It was the second most terrifying experience of her life, what if she wouldn't make it in time? But she had, barely, and in the end he had made a full recovery. She had visited him almost daily, and so had his colleague. After they would have spend some time with the injured pegasus, they would leave him rest. Naturally, they got to talking, and before long the other pegasus, who was called Moon Dancer, had asked her on a date. She had developed a bit of a crush, but there was no way she would have made the first move, what if it happened again? So she was delighted when Moon Dancer asked her. Things moved quickly after that. Both ponies didn't need long to fall head over heels for each other, and before long they were living together. Star Catcher would often joke how, despite her name, she somehow had managed to catch the moon. Life had been almost perfect, except for the lingering memories of her past which would surface every now and then. Star Catcher sighed. It figured the letter would arrive the day after her partner left to join the Green Squadron herself. She had quit some time ago, feeling content with simply taking care of Moon Dancer. The white pegasus had also been lucky enough that none of her missions involved fatal accidents, which was another reason to quit. She didn’t think she could deal with that. She was now a flying instructor at the Cloudsdale Flight School, and teaching gave her a whole new sense of joy. Moon Dancer however had enlisted a while ago, feeling the need to pay back what she owed the organization somehow. She had passed her final try-outs just four days ago. Star Catcher remembered how she had kissed the other pegasus "for good luck", just before she left. Of course she had passed with flying colours, but now Star Catcher almost wish she hadn't. She could have really used Moon Dancer's support right about now. In a way, she owed Rainbow Dash... If it hadn't been for her, she would never have gotten as far as she did, she would probably never have met the other pegasus she loved so much. But that didn't take away the pain, the things she had gone through because of her... The nightmares that still returned every so often. Perhaps the letter would offer some solace, but what if it didn't? Maybe it was blackmail... Or worse, what if she wanted to get together again? Oh gosh, there was a thought! What would she do then? She searched her heart. No, that ship had long since sailed. Moon Dancer meant everything to her and any romantic feelings for Rainbow Dash had been long gone. She continued to stare at the letter, unsure what to do. * * * Twilight had been delighted to see her friends again, but as Rainbow told her story the joy made place for sadness. "I just couldn't do it Twilight. It wouldn't be fair to her. Maybe I am just a coward, but...She is happy, I really think she is. I don't think she needs anything from me to get over... that... I think she already has." Pinkie sat next to her, and shook her head. "No Dashie. You are no coward, never. Maybe... maybe you are right. Maybe it was a mistake to go there." She gave the pegasus a kiss. "I think it was already very brave of you to try." Twilight looked at the pair. "Rainbow, are you happy with Pinkie? Truly happy?" Dash smiled and nodded. "Yes Twilight, yes I am. I don't think I have ever been as happy as since we got together. And the last week or so has been... It has been hard. I don't know what I would have done without you Pinks." She kissed the earth pony back, who smiled warmly at the pegasus. Twilight placed a hoof on Rainbow's shoulder. "Well then... Even if this Moon Dancer makes Star Catcher as happy as Pinkie makes you... Don't you think she still struggles with that day as much as you do? Perhaps you are right about meeting her face to face, but... Don't you think you still owe her an explanation? You have never been able to forget that day, I don't think she has either. Not completely." Rainbow stared at the floor. "I guess you are right Twilight. What do you think I should do? Maybe I could... I could write her a letter?" Twilight smiled and nodded. "I think that is a great idea Dash. You are welcome to use my desk." The pegasus gulped. "Right now? But... I have nothing prepared. And I couldn't even spell Pinkie right, remember? I am not very good at this. Maybe I should sleep on it first. Yeah, that's a good idea." Pinkie gave her a big hug. "Come on Dashie, you can do this. Why not do it now? Then I can give you a big party tomorrow! And Twilight is a super smarty smart smarty-pants, she can help you with your letter! Right Twilight?" The unicorn handed Rainbow a feather and a piece of paper. "Of course Pinkie. We are both here for you Dash, but I think she is right. You need to do this now. Just write what you feel, and I am sure it will be no problem." Slowly, the pegasus reached out and took the quill. "Yeah... Ok... I guess I... I might as well get it over with now if I am going to do it." Pinkie led her to the desk. "That's the spirit Dashie. You want me to read what you write?" The pegasus shook her head. "No thanks Pinks... It would only make me nervous. But you can both read it when it's finished and tell me what you think about it then, ok?” Pinkie nodded, and she and Twilight both took a chair at the end of the room. Rainbow glanced at them, before turning her attention to the piece of paper. Slowly she put the tip of the quill at the top of the parchment. To her surprise, she found the words she was looking for. She started to write, slowly at first, but as she got further into the letter the words came to her faster. Twilight and Pinkie shared a relieved smile as the scribbling sound of the quill started to echo softly throughout the silent library. To Star Catcher, I don't know what made you decide to read this letter, but whatever it is, I am glad and I thank you. It will come as no surprise to you that it is about that day, so many years ago at the Autumn Sky Ball. I spend many days arguing with myself whether or not I should contact you, especially when I found out about your new life. It seems like you found happiness. I really, really hope that is the case, I want you to be happy. I feared I might cause you too much pain if I visited you personally, the last thing I want to do is ruin your life a second time. This seemed like a better way, since you could decide for yourself whether or not you would open this letter. Even if you didn't, if you tore it up or threw it away, I pray the hurt it brought you was minimal and brief. However, if you are reading this it means I may have a chance to... Well, I don't suppose I can fix what happened at the Ball, but perhaps this letter helps the tiniest bit. The question you asked me that day, you couldn't have asked me at a worse possible time. That is in no way an excuse for the way I reacted, it is just me trying to explain why I did what I did. Some of my classmates had just accused me of being a filly-fooler, apparently rumors were going around about us. Then the Principal and Lord Cozmar approached me, and there was talk about me training with the Wonderbolts. Of course, you know that. It was at that time you told me you loved me and I... I didn't know how to deal with it. It is one of the most lame and cliché explanations I can give you, but it is the truth. I panicked. And with everypony looking at us... It was just too much. None of that justifies in any way the things I said to you, but maybe it helps to know that everything I said and did, none of it was your fault. Perhaps you know that already, I really hope you do. The way you looked at me after that, the expression in your eyes... It is burned into my brain and it has haunted me ever since. I never saw you fly again. The knowledge that I caused that, I took away all the joy in your life... It hurt like hell back then, and it still does today. The guilt I felt then and still feel even at this very moment, it has been unbearable at times. At one point, not even that long ago, it nearly destroyed me. I am not telling you this because I want your forgiveness or your pity, but I can imagine you spend many days cursing my existence and wishing I could feel the pain you undoubtedly felt. I think I did. If I hurt you more then I hurt myself... I can't even bear to think about that. Even if that were so, perhaps the knowledge that I never have been able to forgive myself helps somewhat too. What happened that day has haunted me my entire life and if there was one thing I could do differently it would be that. Please believe me when I say that whatever I felt back then, it wasn't hatred. I never hated you, I couldn't. I am not expecting you to forgive me. Perhaps this letter will only serve to open old wounds... But I pray that if that is so, you simply threw it away. On the other hoof, perhaps just reading this can bring you some peace, some closure, and that is the only reason why I sent it. You have your own life now, and I have mine. I am sure this letter will disrupt yours to some extent, but I pray it does more good than harm. I don't know how you will react to this. I just want you to be happy and live your life. I beg of you not to do anything that might do unrepairable damage to it. I want this letter to help you, if even a little bit, and perhaps just reading it is enough. However, if you have questions for me or if you just want to scream at me or vent your anger and you think you are strong enough... If you want to contact me in any way... You now have my address. Sincerely, Rainbow Dash Rainbow Dash read what she had just put on paper several times, making sure she hadn't forgotten any e's this time. It was without a doubt the single most important thing she had ever written. She doubted she would ever write anything like it ever again. Rainbow had started crying the second she started writing it, and she couldn't seem to stop. For a moment the pegasus had thought about telling Star Catcher how strong she had felt about her back then, but she had decided against it. It would probably do more harm than good. If Star Catcher read between the lines and she really wanted to know... Twilight and Pinkie had been waiting patiently for her to finish. She motioned for them to come closer. "I... I think I'm done." Her two friends started reading, each over one of her shoulders, and before long they too where both crying. Pinkie wrapped her hooves around the pegasus halfway through the letter, and Rainbow was glad for the support. When Twilight finished reading, she looked up. Her voice croaked. "It's perfect, Rainbow." Pinkie simply nodded. Rainbow put the letter in an envelope, wrote her name in big letters on the front and the return address on the back. She looked at Twilight, and stretched out her hoof with the letter in it. "Twi... Could you... Could you give the letter to Derpy in the morning? I’m afraid I might chicken out." As Twilight took it, she nodded. "Gladly, Rainbow. If you two want to spend the night, you are welcome to. And Dash? You did the right thing." With that, the unicorn walked out of the door, feeling she should leave the two alone for now. Pinkie gave Dash a small peck on her cheek, her hooves still wrapped around the pegasus. "That was the bravest thing you ever did Dashie", she whispered. "I have never been more proud of you." Rainbow Dash gave her a very sad smile. Regardless of what happens, even if she never answers... I think I did do the right thing... for both of us... Maybe, just maybe I can let this behind me now. And if not now, maybe with time. Maybe she can too. As the candle slowly burned out, the pegasus simply sat behind the desk, taking comfort from Pinkie's embrace. Just before the warm light of the candle disappeared completely, she looked up at the earth pony again, a slightly happier smile on her face. "Thank you Pinkie. I never could have done this without you." Whatever happens, at least neither of us will have to deal with it on our own. * * * Star Catcher finally got off the bed. As she walked towards the letter on her desk, she still wasn't sure whether she was going to tear it up, or read it. Or maybe she would put it in a drawer and just forget about it until Moon Dancer was back. No matter what the contents of the letter were going to be, they would be much easier to deal with if she had her partner at her side. Musings from the author: First of all, allow me to thank Buttersc0tchSundae for writing the original The Party Hasn’t Ended, all 13 parts of it. I enjoyed it immensely. And even better, when I asked her whether or not she would be ok with me uploading this to ED, she not only confirmed she was, she actually said I never needed to ask for her permission in the first place. To top it all of, she was even kind enough to read it and give me some (very kind) feedback. And of course, I also thank Luna aka Shimmer who was my other proofreader and gave me some very useful feedback. You both rock ^^ Any typo’s still remaining are completely my own fault. Any tips not used can be blamed on my stubbornness. Secondly, allow me to thank Lauren Faust for not only creating one of the best cartoons in properly over a decade, but also showing me that my disdain for flash cartoons isn’t entirely justified. Now, as for this story... I don’t consider myself a writer, I don’t do it much. I just felt compelled to try and give Star Catcher and Rainbow some closure. In my personal opinion, writing proper dialogue is one of my main weaknesses. And I’m even worse at the romantic stuff. Still, I tried. I admit I probably did not stay very true to Rainbow’s and Pinkie’s characters. As I am aware, and Buttersc0tch pointed out, that letter was probably a bit to fancy for Rainbow. If it helps, think of it as what she would like the letter to be in her head. Pinkie probably needed to be a bit more bubbly and random, especially towards the end. You know she gave Rainbow a big party though, and she was her bubbly, random self when she did. For continuity’s sake I let Fluttershy and Cloudkicker be together, did not see any reason not to. I was more careful with Twilight and Luna, since Twi has an obvious crush on Big Mac in The Party Hasn’t Ended. Luna has made the first move. Whether or not that goes anywhere, or if Twilight even goes for another mare, is up to the reader. When I started writing this, I was under the impression Star Catcher was an original character. I felt like I needed to come up with another OC to be her partner. To be able to use that cheesy “I caught the moon” line, I wanted her to have Moon in the name, and Moon Dancer was the best I could come up with. Imagine my surprise when Buttersc0tch told me both Star Catcher and Moon Dancer are G1 ponies. Unintentional, but since Buttersc0tch told me she had thought about pairing Star Catcher with Moon Dancer herself, I figured I’d leave it be. (Actually, Moon Dancer is mentioned in the first episode of FiM... Guess my subconscious remembered that when I wrote this, even if I did not.) The Green Squadron is something I came up with on the fly. Lame name, I admit. Its supposed to be like the air ambulance service of Equestria, though I probably make it sound a bit more heroic then that. I just needed some way for Star Catcher to meet with Moon Dancer. However, Buttersc0tch told me she would like to read more about her missions, in more of a flashback style. That might be fun to write about, even if they can’t all be as heroic as the two I described. Let me know what y’all think. Any constructive criticism, pointers, tips and general thoughts are appreciated. Finally, if you stuck with me all the way to these final words, allow me to thank you too. I hope you enjoyed reading this, if only a little bit. ~ Baree P.S.: If anyone has a suggestion for a better title, I’m all ears. Glad I could help a bit with this, and glad butterscotch liked it! The Green Squadron was quite creative. And haha, what a coincidence with Moon Dancer! Looking forward to more great work! ~Luna

Baree

56

Pinkie Pie,Rainbow Dash,Twilight Sparkle,Romance,Sad,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Past Regrets

An added chapter to Buttersc0tchSundae's "The Party Never Ended"

complete

<p>I wrote this way back when as an added chapter to &quot;The Party Hasn't Ended&quot; by ButterscotchSundae. At the time, I asked her for permission to upload it to EqD and DA and she readily gave it. She was even kind enough to be one of my proofreaders. Therefore I doubt she will mind if I upload it here now. Its not the best fic ever, and there are some OOC issues with especially Rainbow Dash. Nevertheless, its the only complete pony fic I have written so far, so here it is. Just make sure to read Party first if you haven't already, you can find it here: <a href="/story/6868/The-Party-Hasn%27t-Ended" rel="nofollow">http://www.fimfiction.net/story/6868/The-Party-Hasn%27t-Ended</a></p><br/><p>Finally, to avoid spoilers you can find the description (or synopsis) in a separate chapter. I would advise against reading it until you've read Party.</p>

teen

2011-12-02T21:39:10+00:00

2011-12-02T21:39:10+00:00

It has been two months since Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie defeated Nightmare and dissipated his storm with their Sonic Rainboom.The damage to Ponyville has been repaired, and everypony has gone on with their lives. Almost everypony. Even though Pinkie Pie is happy, something is still bothering Rainbow. Can she find the strength to deal with the one thing from her past that still haunts her?

Xort

58

Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Slice of Life,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

300 Words

incomplete

<p>Back during Equestria Daily's 300 word fanfic challenge, I had a lot of fun trying to convey an entire story through such a small amount of words. Unfortunately, I didn't manage to make the deadline, but oh well.</p><p>This is a collection of 300 word drabbles, each centered around a random character. For the most part, they will be completely unrelated, but I might make a few exceptions.</p>

everyone

2011-07-10T23:08:15+00:00

2011-07-10T23:08:15+00:00

"Mommy? Are we there yet?" The energetic foal could hardly contain himself, almost a blur of light blue as he tore in circles around the interior of the carriage. His mother laughed gently, holding a hoof in front of him to bring him to a halt. "Calm down, Spark. We're almost there." Failing to placate her young one, Trixie sighed as she thought back to that day. Things had been almost polar opposites back then; she had been the famous one, the "Great and Powerful Trixie," and Twilight Sparkle had just been another face in the crowd. Now things were reversed. Most everypony in Equestria knew who Twilight Sparkle was, and hardly anypony remembered Trixie as anything more than a crackpot street performer. Suddenly, the carriage shuddered to a halt, and the pony pulling shouted, "We're here!" Spark jetted from the carriage, followed by Trixie. She stopped a moment to unhitch the pony from the front of the carriage, then they gathered Spark and approached the library they had travelled all this way to visit. Raising a hoof, Trixie knocked. "Hello?" A familiar face peeked out of the open door to greet them: light purple coat, dark purple and pink mane. No doubt about it, this was… "Twilight? I'm not sure if you remember me. It's Trixie." Recognition dawned on the purple unicorn's face, followed by a subtle uneasiness. She had obviously not forgotten Trixie's past behavior. "I know we had our differences in the past, but I want to move past all that. What you did back then was so amazing, it made me realize how hollow my life really was. I turned myself around, though. This is my husband, Patch, and my son. We named him Spark, after you. Can we come in?" Twilight smiled. "Sure, I suppose." --- A/N: Bam. Not counting this note, exactly 300 words of Trixie goodness. I wrote this for Equestria Daily's 300 word challenge, and although I was a bit frustrated at not being able to put everything I wanted into it, I rather had fun trying to communicate the message in fewer words than normal. Unfortunately, I missed the deadline to send it in. Oh well. As always, tell me what you think.

Ringmaster

59

Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Spike,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:19:49+00:00

2011-07-11T00:19:49+00:00

Nopony could remember a time when it had rained so hard. "Hmm." Twilight Sparkle said, "This...isn't water, it's acid. All the background ponies were then disintegrated from the acid Trixie tears. "I must find out where this is coming from!" Spike said, as he punched Pinkie Pie into the sun. Derpy Hooves yelled, "NO! SHE WAS MY COUSIN! THIS HAS NO PARDON!" and turned into Derpzilla, who derped up the moon, which was now made of LAZERS and 4CHAN, (but it still counts as a moon) and threw it at Fluttershy, who turned into a shark from the impact. "How does Rainbow Dash taste, Twilight?" Spike said, whipping around his tailsaw made of holy freakfire. "Like some kid with wings." Twilight spit out two wings as she lifted up Fluttershark and fired her at Applejack's new truck, the resulting icefire engulfing half of the Multiverse in a rainbow cupcake. Spike used his mailbreath to send the cupcake-verse to Lauren Faust, who rejected it and made a crossover of some sort. Needless to say, it was amaz-"RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAR!!!" Derpzilla smashed the corpse of the other multiverse half into the cupcake, smashing the multiverses together, leading to the ponies being smothered by obsessed Bronies. "Twilight, you must ROCK THE FREAK OUT", said Princess Celestia, summoning Zamboni. Applejack drove Zamboni over Canada, sinking it, which revealed Fluttershark to be the second coming of Jesusatan, a creature worshipped by snowboard assassins and muffins. Steven Magnate fixed the multiverse with a twist of his amazing moustache, with the one exception being there were Hipstamatic cameras raining over both Multiverseuniverses, which summoned a demonic iPod that enslaved the ponies until Hasbro took hold of the entire story. "Want to come over for a tea party, Rainbow?" said Pinkie. "Of course, my great friend!" Then everything exploded.

Ringmaster

59

Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Spike,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:21:00+00:00

2011-07-11T00:21:00+00:00

Trixie flew(somehow...) across Equestria, as she looked down upon the detestable little ponies in the city. How unbecomingly of them, just walking around like they were actually true masters. "I am not going to tolerate that! OBJECTION!" But they did not believe in her. Furious, she set her own hair on fire, and shot everyone using a pistol made of pie as wereponies cried, which summoned Fluttershark. "Flutter, why are you eating us?" asked Derpy, just as her bowels began to shine, allowing her to transform into Derpzilla. Spike's arm began to melt, and suddenly his legs were made of root beer. Joining the fight, the three conquered all of the multiverse. Rainbow vomited poop ladybugs, as she ripped the world in half, so that it would be easier to kill. Suddenly, she realized she was raping the universe. "Not again!" she shouted, as Trixie fought her to the death. "I won't lose!" "Why not?" "Because I promised!" "What did you promise?" "To be a pony!" Trixie withdrew her hat from another dimension and reminded herself to kill herself later, as she summoned a meteor to kill all of Equestria, leaving only her, Rainbow, and the snowboard assassins from Mercury, who now rule the universe. Pinkie Pie woke up and destroyed all of Dallas, as the sun can do anything she freaking wants. That is, until it gets eaten by Fluttershark. Flutterfireshark started spitting acid fireballs made out of lightsabers and Stephen Magnate moustache fragments at the world, restoring it. Trixie said, "I need to boost the wordcount of this fic!", while eating a television. Flutterfireshark, who was now a pegashark made of fire, froze over Muffin Hell while derping. Then everyone died.

Ringmaster

59

Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Spike,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:22:02+00:00

2011-07-11T00:22:02+00:00

Flutterfireshark was eating the head of a goffik pony named Ebony Raven when she was attacked by ...! ... was quickly set on fire, revealing him to be Turtle Buu Jackcolt, who then proceeded to tack Ponyville. Derpzilla was quickly defeated by his mastery of fired chicken, and with Pinkie still being the Sun, there was only one pony that could fight him...Doctor Whooves! Whooves cupcaked Turtle upside the head, while destroying Africa in one fell derp. Video game cartridges rained down, impeding the blood of the universe, causing a rip in time and hammerpants. Applejack, who just finished selling her 10,000,000,000,000th pancake, severely fanfic'd everyone in Celestia, shipping everypony with everypony else, except for Trixie who was only shipped with a tree. Said tree was shipped with everypony else, too, even Derpy Whooves, the amalgamation of Derpy and the Doctor that exists in another dimension where hamsters rule. The reason Applejack knows about that hamster dimension would make for a much more interesting fanfic then this one, which just made Rarity explode(*BOOM*) for no reason. Noticing this fic has no dialogue yet, Spike screamed "THIS. IS. PHILLYDELPHIA!" and used his soda-legs to poison the princesses in a fit of rage, making him the ruler of Equestria. Then everyone spontaneously combusted.

Ringmaster

59

Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Spike,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.</p>

everyone

2011-07-11T00:27:06+00:00

2011-07-11T00:27:06+00:00

"Now, Spike." Spike knelt before his mistress. Twilight withdrew her horn, Freakslayer, from a dimension where all screamed for naught. Twilight swung her horn at Flutterfireshark in an attempt to save Pinkiie Pie. This moderately worked. Flutterfireshark now has the power of ice, making her Fluttericefireshark. Pinkie emerged unscathed from the new abomination, and offered Twilight a cupcake. Twilight took the cupcake. "This cupcake tastes.." was all she managed to get out before the drugs kicked in. Twilight woke up chained to a wall with chains too strong to be removed with her magic. Pinkie, in her "Psycho Pie" outfit, started slowly walking towards her. The TARDIS popped up in between the two, and opened to reveal John Madden dressed up as Micheal Bolton dressed up as Tony Montana, who then gunned down Pinkie while singing something about pirates as he turned into Cthulu, who then fought Doctor Whooves, Derpzilla, Turtle Buu Jackcolt, Trixie, Sodalegs Spike, and Fluttericefireshark for the RETARDIS. Twilight felt a strong magic free her from her chains. It was Celestia, entombed in her cursed deodorant armor, helping Twilight from her Sunbase which wasn't on the sun. Twilight channeled her rage through Freakslayer. The angel blood boiled as she summoned the great Fluttericefireshark, swathed with the cutie marks of the tiny freaklings from Ponyville, leapt onto it, and flew into space. She encased the creature in a wreath of holy freakfire, making every flank in the galaxy explode, and inside every flank a bunny danced the Macarena. Twilight then flew Fluttericefreakfireshark through space, punching astral griffons in thirds with her tail and throwing their golden claws into the RETARDIS, turning Psycho Pie into a zombie who then proceeded to terrorize the Cafeteria of JUSTICE-FLAVORED SOCKS! Scootaloo then went to sleep. But, her dreams were infected by paracrabs, which has the effect of making her dreams a full-on acid trip. Let's take a journey into the dreamscape now... Pinkie Pie ate a cupcake and burped bagpipes, then suddenly Applebloom came out of the bagpipes, ate Pinkie Pie and turned into a radiator. The radiator exploded into OVER 9000 coat hangers, which then fell down on Equestria. Fluttericefreakfireshark ate a Turtwig, giving her the power of Solar Beam. [1] Applejack looked around her. There was nothing to see. "You have your eyes closed again." Twilight warned. "Oh!" Applejack exclaimed, opening her eyes just in time to see Spike swallow the sun whole, revealing a second moon that was hiding behind it. Spike started choking. No one helped. A pirate pony appeared, yawned, and the disappered, making their appearance rather pointless. yodelled at no one in particular, from a falling star. Spike paused from his choking to sneeze, but carried on again afterward. No one helped. [2] Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarbeamshark stared across the frozen tundra, watching a giant frozen banana, with a mouth, devour Rainbow Dash. Instead of blood, rainbows poured out (yes, rainbows). Suddenly, Twilight Sparkle fell from the sky, and shouted to no one: "He's coming! HE'S COMING!" Her hooves were in the air, and just stared at the giant banana, who had moved onto eating a city now. Twilight Sparkle, seeing that no one cared, walked away. Twilight Sparkle walked to the city, while it was still being eaten. She spoke to all ponies, and made a speech. "He's coming! He's coming!" was basically all she said, not caring they were being eaten by a giant banana. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a new pony appeared. Glowing, sparkling, he descended upon the sinners. It was Jesus Pony, and he said calmly: "And thy shall all melt due to my awesomeness." And they did. While hiccuping to death. And choking. While being eaten by a giant hippo. While said hippo was being eaten by a giant banana. [3] Spike wented int a forest, then he heard some of teh growlz coming from the forest, he looked a round and finded the death bodies of Rarity being eated by Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarfreeezebeamshark. Spike screamed and suddenly a flashback happend. Psycho Pie stabed Rarity five hundred and seven time. SPike knew this and decided his revenge he exploded into SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE! and kicked in the nuts even thought shes a girl. . Then he threw to the ground and screamed so loud it turned her main yellow. "Not so fast SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE!" Psycho Pie screamed in space as she cut SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE!'s head with a chainsaw. SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE! laughed as his head grew back twice and he punted both Psycho Pie and into space. His heads laughed and became excited that they could now talk to eachother. They got in a fight tore eachother apart, leading to both heads growing back twice, and in a form of mitosis split into four SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE!s who went on to terrorize Celestia with HOLY CRAP lazahs and fire balss of doom. Suddenly Derpzilla arrive and chanlenged all 4 SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE!s to a duel. It destroys at least half of ponyville, including the library. Serves the damn books right with all there big words. The fight went on for twenty seven years. On the twenty seventh day of the twenty seventh year, Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarfreeezebeamshark came back to Celestia as Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarfreeezeplasma-beamshark with Psycho Pie, who's tail was tied to a space stick. Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarplasmafreeeze-beamshark dove at the the 4 SUPERMEGADESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE!s and Derpzilla Waving arround her Psycho Pie Flail, who was laughing evilly the entire time. There was an explosion that destroyed the end of this the letter. Psycho Pie ended up the only one who wsn't hurt, s her nme doesn't hve the letter. Fluttericefrekfirestr-solrfreeezeplsm-bemshrk ws wekend nd SUPERMEGDESTRUCTOKILLSPIKE! ws turned bck into just plin Spike. Spike yelled s mny swers s he knew, which somehow restored the letter A. Then Candlejack appeared and everyth [4] Fluttericefreakfireshark tore the dreamscape open, making those dreams reality. Fluttericedreamfreakfire-starsolarplasmafreeeze-beamshark then ate Psycho Pie and Luna, making her Princess Flutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall, who's name (probably) won't get any longer this chapter, but will be repeated quite a few times in order to annoy the readers. Princess Flutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall shot Fizzball cans into Celestia's heart, making her explode into The Fanfic Itself. The Fanfic Itself then died, and the resulting sauce made the greatest tacos in all of Generation 27. Stephen Magnate, with all of his awesomeness, tried to revive The Fanfic Itself and turn it into a classy, well-written, and artistic story. We can't have that, can we? The invisible Atuhor's Nose flicked him into space. Yes, , because this fic hasn't had enough references yet. Seeing a certain spherical object while in space, Trixie said "NOOOOOOOOOOOO! I MUST STOP THIS MADNESS!" and exploded. Her hat landed on Stephen, which made him team up with Princess Flutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall to destroy Derpzilla, who was STILL fighting for the RETARDIS. But, they weren't fast enough. Cthulu, Turtle, Derpzilla, and Sodalegs Spike merged into Soderpthulubuu. Happily, the author isn't annoying enough to keep adding words to THAT name. So, he just added them to Princess Flutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall. PrincessFlutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall, who will TRULY stop getting new names in this chapter, but will in future chapters to be released sometime next month, turned Autocorrect on. Then, Doctor Whooves got his RETARDIS back, and getting tired of the long name being repeated over and over again, sent Princess Flutterpsychoicedream-freakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, of the Fourth Wall into a time machine, setting her back to Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark, and removing her from the rest of this chapter. Soderpthulubuu started smashing multiple fanfics into this one, letting Rainbow Sparkle take over the story. "Hai guys! It wiz a feet day in ponivle web i an ed wit jam and got pregna cuz o a prosy. or e et yon al Abu it..." The Fanfic Itself rose from the graze and Cupcakes'd Rainbow Sparkle. while collecting everypony in a potato cleaner and making them dance to the death. Meanwhile, Psycho Pie and Luna were fighting to the death in a nearby solar system, Luna using cupcake darts, Psycho Pie throwing planets. Psycho Pie eventually threw Equestria itself at Luna, turning everypony's hooves into bagpipes. Twilight screamed "Luna, if you don't stop, we'll lubricate, and no one will be around to fanfic everyone in the multiverse if we get around to bringing everypony back to life after we Cupcakes'd them." "I am no longer Nightmare Moon." The ancient pony dropped some of the darts she was throwing, which hit Rainbow Sparkle, reviving her, as the laws of everything are completely inverted for her. "Ug dat flaming fangs isself Klee me. Anyway, Iz bac. I hz jet Arlen wins firm a Ned poni wen Jak crammed and we al cuht on firs. Ex-lax in a cav and I that Jak ded. Nh he dust. I Pete STD Iz forge bat the prophet Banjul bit in fly didn't. Den Clod Poof tld uz a shy it and Jak Meier e on Ira. I Ed so happy I sad "oh mi GONADS!" and marred Jackie. WTF? Dis AuroCorec is messing me destroy hop! Dis is anniversary! War elk cloy goo wot of?" Then, Shark-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named-Anymore-This-Chapter broke the fanfic's rules to eat Rainbow Sparkle, stopping the outstanding grammar fails. Luna flexed one of her wings, which was made of pie pistols, and flapped Ponyville in half. "And what of it? Is it a sin, should a pony feel like firing upon a sun or a thousand? Why should the suns heave through the void, if not to be skewer's broken outnumber fragpoles?" Yes, the fragpoles. Older than Celestia herself, the large electronic Arica were the last remnants of the "goo en" race. The author proceeded to turn off Autocorrect. Twilight cast a glance at the moon. Unsavory pastas emanated from a particularly effeminate crater. It was hungry. She looked at a nearby comet. She thought about Big Mac. Twilight's arm moved in a revolting motion, finally pointing at Luna. "Luna is wearing designer liprings, and as such your argument is invalid!" The crowd gasped as The Fanfic Itself slammed the desk using Spike, the annoying maildragon, as a gavel, who went through the desk until he arrived in hell. Nobody cared about him, as The Fanfic Itself's mane was now made of fire. The Fanfic Itself was interrupted by Trixie, who punched her while her theme song played. The crowd cheered. The Fanfic Itself began to bleed musicals. Twilight and Trixie threw nitrogen at each other, mixed Flava Flav into it before it could enter the atmosphere, and punched the freak out of the atmosphere because they didn't like it. Sweetie Belle's head exploded. Twilight and Trixie headflanked each other(my god that sounds wrong), while going through the planet Nova Scotia because that was it's weakness and that weakness caused the time and the universe to explode 42 times. "Twilight, the Daleks kidnapped Luna!" "What are you saying, Spike? I don't care about people who have vowels in their names." Derpy Whooves then transcended universes to save Luna; the full story of which, again, would make a better fic than this crap. "RAW!" Trixie screamed as she began to eat Twilight, but it was actually Twilight's shadow because she had studied under the snowboard assassins, who were great celery masters. Derpy Whooves came back to this universe with Luna, Shark-Who-Will-Not-Be-Named-Anymore-This-Chapter, and muffin crossbows, as a ferris wheel of deformed pony corpses rolled through Ponyville. Meanwhile, Octavia was playing the Their Large Brony: Rivalplane Isn't Machinery theme remix by Japanheal Pony on her Cello. Vinyl Scratch than mixed Octavia's track with one of Lyra's performances. There was no point of that paragraph other that random wordplay. A Gary-Stu then appeared in Ponyville. He tried to hit on Applejack, who then bucked the Stu's teeth in. The Stu then exploded from not being perfect in every way. Psycho Pie turned the remains into cupcakes, as justice tastes better than ponies. This brought everypony she killed back to life, starting a zombie apocalypse. And then Ponyville was a zombie. Guest Writers: 1. MightypirateTM 2. Jeeno 3. Nintomster 4. Chrono Maxenstein 3D

Ringmaster

59

Fluttershy,Pinkie Pie,Spike,Trixie,Twilight Sparkle,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

PPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPP

Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.

incomplete

<p>Twilight Sparkle eats a sandwich and discusses life with a famous TV producer.</p>

everyone

2012-04-01T14:55:36+00:00

2012-04-01T14:55:36+00:00

Compilation of guest chapters received after Chapter Four's posting. Guest Chapter #1, by Ally H. Warner: Everypony started to cry as the Gary Stu and Mary Sue zombie clone ponies started to take over Equestria. Rarity tried to kill one of them with her horn of awesome power but was attacked by a swarm of headparaspritecrabs; who began to devour her mane and eat her cutie mark. Pinkamena Psycho Pie came in bearing her secret weapon. "CUPCAKES!!!!!!!!111!" she screamed menacingly; as she started to throw cupcake grenades at the ghost zombie ponies. But the cupcakes only turned the Mary Sues into more powerful super fan girls who started to fall for every male pony in Ponyville. Meanwhile, Eternal Princess Flutter-ice-fire-mountain-tiger-moon-chibi-shark was dancing as poisoned rainbow-colored drops of juice and griffin eggs began to fall from the sky and sparkly pony vampire turtles started to invade; putting everypony into a trance that lasted exactly forty-seven minutes. Twilight Sparkle stood there observing the chaos as the hordes of sparkle ponies flew towards Canterlot and began to rain glitter and fire upon the castle. "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" Twilight roared, "NOT ALL OF CANTERLOT!!!" But it was too late. The castle had been turned into a Hot Topic and became flooded with Good Charlotte and MCR psychotic goth fans. As Luna and Celestia emerged from the mess, Luna inexplicably turned into…a star cupcake monster! The Cupcake Nightmare Star Monster Creature Pony growled and started to fly towards Sweetie Bell; who was polishing a small bunch of flowers and moon rocks. Sweetie Bell cowered in fear as the creature started to throw giant blobs of banana cake batter and acid celery stalks at the small filly. "I'm scared of this thing," said Sweetie Bell, "but not in an afraid way. I know now how to stop it!" She started to throw crystals at the monster which caused it to fall into the Ever Free Forest and get eaten by bunnies. And then the ponies all melted away into plastic forms. Guest Chapter #2, by VRipper: Once upon a time there was only humans! But then the HUUUUGE asshole Trollestia killed all the humans that existed before the dinasours! And the humans was all like! ":(" And Trollestia was all like! "FFFFFFF- I cannot make trollface cause me am horse! Lol but that ok cause i have magicz and wings!" And then she flew off into the sunset and burned up! XXX Later that decade ponies started populating the planet that was known as Earth! (Seriously! What drugs were they on when they came up with this show?!) The first pony was all like! "Hurrrrrrr *drool*" ROFL! All ponies were retarded cause Trollestia forgot to give them brain! And she was all like! "OLOLOLOLOLOLOL that funny!" Cause Trollestia cant die from burning cause she is a GOD!!!! BUT THEN!!! A pony that somehow got a brain from a family of rocks that turned out to not be rocks but just very small gray creatures that couldn't move or talk jumped out from a cloud of copy-paper! "No! It's not funny! I haz brainz and i challenge you to a duel of milk drinking!" The most random pony stated as she charged at the white and evil tyrant that was Trollestia! "GASP! MY ONLY WEAKNESS! HOW DID YOU KNOW!" Trollestia (Ice-)screamed as she drowned in milk! "You are white and can use magic! So your only natural weakness must be milk cause milk is white and a fluid that makes your bones stronger!" THE LOGIC IS TOO POWERFUL TO UNDERSTAND SO THE WORLD BLEW UP!!! XXX 1000 years later in the year of 100XAT (After Trollestia) ponies invented Pinkie Pie! It was their biggest misstake EVER! "HOLY EFFIN SHIT MAN! PINKIE PIE IS LOOSE AND ANNOYING OUR BRAINS OUT!" The random scientist guy said gently in his smooth relaxing voice. THEN!!!!!11111 PINKIE PIE JUMPED AROUND THE CORNER AND STARED AT HIM!!! "SOOOO PINK! UKAGJFDVABHKGDAJDTY!!!" AND HIS HEAD EXPLODED!!!!!!!! THIS IS THE MOST ACTIONFILLED SHIT YOU'VE EVER READ IN YOUR ENTIRE LIFE!!! GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! FEEL THE ADRENALINE RUSH THROUGH YOUR BODY AS YOU FLEX YOUR MUSCLES AND REALIZE THAT THIS STORY MADE YOU A MAN!!! XXX (Insert calm classical music here) Now we just have to get to the part where everyone dies. Please sit down and relax as we describe a most wonderful and quiet scenery for you. The birds were swaying in the wind, the tree's were singing and Fluttershy was not Fluttershy at all anymore cause she had gone through a sex-change and was now named Fluttersteroids. Twilight was on her way to the market that was only once a millenium when suddendly a rainbow colored cupcake jumped in her way! "Twilight you must help me! Pinkie made a cupcake out of me!" Thought the small cupcake cause cupcakes dont have mouths to talk with! "nom!" Said Twilight as she ate the cupcake! As you read you think to yourself that this story must have been written by a 6 year old or just someone very imature, little do you know that one of those were right and it was not the first one. BUT THEN... AGAIN! DEATH CAME FLYING DOWN ON FLUTTERICEFREAKFIRE-STARSOLARPLASMAFREEZE-BEAMSHARK (Why make such a long name anyway?!)AND KILLED TWILIGHT WITH AN ICECREAM MADE OUT OF OPTIC LAZERS! "HARR HARR HARR I AM TRIUMPH!" (CAPS LOCK MAKES THIS STORY AWESOME!!!) BUT THEN!!!!!!! FLUTTERICEFREAKFIRE-STARSOLARPLASMAFREEZE-BEAMSHARK SHOT ALL THOSE THINGS IN IT'S NAME OUT OF IT'S EAR AND KILLED DEATH!!! OH NOEZ! DOES THIS MEAN THAT NO ONE CAN DIE AND THIS STORY CAN NEVAR END?! F NO! THIS IS MY STORY AND I CAN KILL ANYONE I WANT TO, EVEN IF THEY CAN'T DIE! I SHALL PROVE MY POINT BY KILLING FLUTTERICEFREAKFIRE-STARSOLARPLASMAFREEZE-BEAMSHARK! *FLUTTERICEFREAKFIRE-STARSOLARPLASMAFREEZE-BEAMSHARK is unaffected by death* HOLY SMOKES! I HAVE NO POWER OVER THIS STORY ANYMORE! NOOOOOOOOOOO! And then everyone died including me cause i tried to kill something that cannot be killed. Did i learn my lesson you ask? Pfft! Hey Derpzilla come over here for a minute! Guest Chapter #3, by GODOG: How Equestria was born and how it died In the year 20394832 on the planet “Equestria” there was fascism. Fascism ran rampant in the streets slaughtering grasshopper and leaving bees in it's wake. Fascism loved what it did, and never wanted to stop. On this ball of rock there was another entity. It was known as Communism. Communism had the power of influence, he influenced the Lemmings to jump off cliffs in to seas of grey grass. One day and night Communism and Fascism met. They then raped each other. It was horrible. They both died of aneurysm's. From their corpse emerged the two creatures we know as “Luna” and “Celestia”. They decapitated each other with watermelons for forty days and forty nights, only to discover that they were immortal. After buying copyright to the sun and the moon they decided to create ponies. They took the title of Princess because it sounded really fucking amazing. And for 109 years they ruled without conflict. Then one day, Princess Luna awoke, and she knew who she was! Nightmare Moon. N. M. Not just Luna but Nightmare Moon! And she used her killing data to cause the holocaust and eternal night. Celestia prayed to no god in particular, then Beelzebub and Leviathan appeared before her. She bowed to the unholy prince's and wiped their nonexistent feet with her virgin tears. Beelzebub gave Celestia cancer and left because he's fucking Beelzebub. Leviathan however, sealed the seven archangels of heaven into magical orbs that Celestia used to power the F.S.B. (Fluttericefreakfire-starsolarplasmafreeze-beamshark). The shock was so powerful that it sent Luna to the mother fucking moon. For 1000 years, she was kept alive and tortured by the lack of oxygen and the extreme temperatures. Every waking hour she was attacked by Hunger and Thirstiness. They were really good fighters. Her HATE for ponies grew so massive that it spread to the planet below her, showering the ponies in her hate, like radiation. Meanwhile Celestia, after reviving everyone, recreated the government based off of Oceania from 1984 because she loved that book. After the 1000 years Nightmare Moon came back and was promptly beaten by six of the the archangels reincarnations. They died 6 years later because of Luna's HATE. Unknown to everyone the Antichrist was among them. It took the form of a blond Pegasus with crossed eyes. She was a pretty cool mare, she smoked weeds and wasn't afraid of anything. She revived the archangels because she thought they were cool as well. I personally say think they were totally lame. Except one of the archangels: Rainbow Dash. She created Jimmy Hendrix and that makes her A-OK in my book. Anyway, Luna and Celestia both met in Canterlot. The battle raged for 7 years. The archangels and the Antichrist retreated into the south lands. As they stood from far off, they cried when they saw the smoke of her burning: "Was there ever a city like this?" They decided that existence needed to be purified. So they summoned the power of Democracy to rain hell fire from the heavens. Then it went like this: The buildings tumbled in on themselves Mothers clutching babies Picked through the rubble And pulled out their hair The skyline was beautiful on fire All twisted metal stretching upwards Everything washed in a thin orange haze I said, "Kiss me, you're beautiful - These are truly the last days" You grabbed my metaphorical hand And we fell into it Like a Daydream Or a fever We woke up one morning, and fell a little further down For sure it's the valley of death I open up my wallet And it's full of Capitalism.

Lucres

60

Spike,Twilight Sparkle,Adventure,Comedy,Random,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

Cargo Cult

/co/ satire. Twilight is lost in the woods and meets a strange tribe who seem to REALLY like ponies

complete

<p>Twilight Sparkle, lost deep within an uncharted part of the Everfree Forest, meets a strange group of tribal creatures and learns their shocking secret in a &quot;Gulliver's Travels&quot;-style satire of Brony culture.</p>

everyone

2011-09-27T16:34:50+00:00

2011-09-27T16:34:50+00:00

"I don't like this, Twilight." Spike said as he clung to the side of the balloon's swaying basket. "Is it really worth risking our lives for some stupid map?" "Spike, this whole area of the Everfree Forest has never been mapped before! Think of all we could learn if it were explored." Twilight Sparkle adjusted her sextant. "But we need to do some basic surveying from the air before we can mount an expedition. Just keep writing down my measurements while I make them. That last hill was at 58.4 degrees south-southwest, by the way." "I'm just saying," said Spike as he scribbled down another string of meaningless numbers, struggling to keep his parchment from being ripped away by the wind. "We should've brought in a pegasus team to clear out the weather. You never know what we'll run into this far from civilization." "It's just a little windy. We'll be fine as long as..." Twilight was cut off as another gust, much stronger than any before, slammed into the balloon. The basket bucked wildly, snapping free of the anchor rope that had previously kept the craft in place. Spike held on for his life until the shaking finally stopped. "That's it." He said, pulling himself upright and taking hold of the balloon's controls. "I'm getting us out of here before one of us gets hurt. Your map can wait until..." He turned around, noticing for the first time that, aside from him, the basket was empty. "Twilight?" Twilight struggled towards consciousness. Her senses were a wash of confusing sights and smells. Shadows flickered in and out of her vision as her eyes tried in vain to focus. Her head pounding, she decided to concentrate on her immediate surroundings, and piece her situation together from there. She was wet. Warm and wet. The memory of the fall from the balloon flooded back to her. She didn't feel like she was in heaven, so she reasoned that she must have survived. Every muscle in her body ached. Nothing felt broken, but her back and hind legs were badly bruised. Something must have broken her fall. Did she land in a pond, or maybe a swamp? No, it was much too warm for that, and neither explained the smell. She was shocked as more warm, sweet smelling water was dumped on her from above. As her vision began to return to her, the strange shadows resolved themselves. She was surrounded by odd looking little goblin-like creatures. There were about a dozen of them. Each was small, about half as tall as the average pony, covered in brown fur, and dressed in primitive tribal clothing. While she was taking this in, two of the creatures picked up one of several small pots of water which were warming over a fire and carried it in her direction. Her concussed brain put two and two together. She wasn't in a pond, she was in a cauldron. A pony-sized, metal cauldron. "Cannibals!" she shrieked, though some tiny part of her brain reminded her that the creatures were a different species, and thus were not technically cannibals. However, this thought was drowned out by more pressing concerns. She tried desperately to pull herself out of the cooking pot. Though she wasn't tied up or restrained in any way, the pain in her muscles made her efforts futile. "Please! Oh, God, please don't eat me!" She yelped, thrashing wildly. The goblin-men seemed startled by this. The two dropped the pot they were carrying and looked at each other, confused. They chattered to each other in an odd, clicking language Twilight was unfamiliar with, before suddenly erupting in laughter. One of them (some sort of leader, Twilight guessed, judging by the painted symbols on his forehead), strode up to her, his hands raised in a reassuring gesture. "No, no!" he said in a thick, tribal accent. "We no eat poni! Poni am bad eating!" He mimed taking a bite of something, then made an exaggerated retching face. "Then why am I in this pot?" Twilight asked, her heart still pounding in her chest. "We see you fall from flying bubble." The painted goblin explained, using expansive hand gestures to help clarify his broken English. "Find you- very hurt! We fix, make you..." He paused, searching for the right word. "Medicine jacuzzi?" He huffed, in a that-will-do sort of way. "Herbs for make heal, see? Stink very pretty." He said, indicating the sweet smelling herbs floating around her. "You very lucky poni. Hurt not so bad for big fall. Very lucky twice! Other tribes no like poni so much." He smiled broadly. "Our tribe, we like poni very much!" "I... see." Said Twilight, struggling to parse the goblin's fractured grammar. A sudden thought occurred to her, and she panicked again. "Spike!" she pleaded to the now friendly goblin. "Please tell me, did you see a baby dragon fall from the balloo- the flying bubble?" The goblin furrowed his brow in thought. "No..." he said. "Only see one fall." "Are you sure?" said Twilight, unable to bear the thought of Spike getting hurt because of her recklessness. "Am very sure." The goblin nodded. "Us have best eyes. See for miles! Poni fall, bubble make big fire- FWOOSH!" He made a gesture indicating that the fire went upwards. "Go off toward plain-under-sunset." He finished, pointing in the general direction. "Thank Celestia." Twilight sighed. "Spike must have gotten the balloon back under control." She turned back to the painted goblin. "Thank you very much for helping me, and I don't want to impose on your generosity," she blinked, remembering to scale back her vocabulary. "But, um, could you help me find the, ah, big bubble? Find my friend?" The little painted goblin beamed. "Us happy help! We like help poni!" He gestured to his fellows. "We am Broni tribe of Non-moose people." He pointed to himself, by way of introduction. "I called Thunder Beard." He said, smiling. "Am heap big faggot!" "Fa... fa..." Twilight faltered, until she noticed a small bundle of sticks hanging from a loop attached to the goblin's loin cloth. "Oh, you mean the sticks? Like, firewood?" Thunder Beard nodded. "Me am start fire. Big responsibility!" "Oh, okay." Twilight said with sudden understanding. "So, you're like a tribal leader?" Thunder Beard made a noncommittal gesture. "No... Non-moose no have leader. Non-moose hate leader. All Non-moose in tribe am equal." He nodded emphatically. "Non-moose free. But," he added. "I speak for tribe." The little goblins- the Non-moose, Twilight thought, correcting herself- helped lift Twilight out of the bath. She had nothing to dry herself with, but the cooling water felt welcome in the dense heat of the jungle. She stood up shakily, the pain in her joints mellowing out to a dull throbbing. Apparently the "medicine jacuzzi" had done the trick. With some help from her new friends, she managed to limp along the forest floor. "Spike wouldn't risk staying in the air." she reasoned. "And he wouldn't be able to land in the forest. So he must have headed for that plain you mentioned." She squinted at the setting sun. It had been several hours since she had fallen. If Spike was smart- and Twilight knew that he was, at least in a pinch- he would have landed in the nearest clearing and contacted Celestia to send a rescue team. By now, a group of pegasus ponies should be on the way from Canterlot to look for her. That is, she thought, wincing, if Spike hadn't crashed before he could send the message. She put the thought out of her mind. She had no reason to think Spike had crashed, and worrying about it now wouldn't help either of them. All she could do now was hope he was okay and try her best to find him. While she walked, she took a closer look at the Non-moose who skittered around her, hacking away at the vines and shrubs to clear a path and lugging sacks full of fruit and wild tubers. They must have found her while foraging for food. They certainly didn't look anything like moose, though that was an odd trait for them to name themselves after. She had difficulty telling them apart, other than by the strings of hieroglyphic symbols some painted on their foreheads. One wore a bright blue mask, although the others didn't seem to like it. In fact, they seemed to spend most of their time arguing over one thing or another, making rude gestures and blowing raspberries, or even chucking sticks and pebbles at each other. In spite of this, Twilight found them charming. They reminded her of bickering siblings, and the way Thunder Beard had described them, "Non-moose free", well, it was hard to dislike them after seeing the pride in his eyes. Thunder Beard put up a hand, halting their progress. "Plain-under-sunset many mile away. Light fading. Dangerous at night. We make camp in caves. You stay, rest, eat with us. Go again in morning." Twilight was about to protest, the ponies she hoped were searching for her would never be able to see her under the dense forest canopy, much less in a cave, but he made a good point. She was in no condition to travel long distances, especially at night. She figured her luck had been tested enough for one day. Ahead of them she could make out a system of caves jutting out of the undergrowth. "This is your home?" She asked. "Your cave?" "This a cave." Thunder Beard replied. "Any cave good. Broni have many cave." "You're nomads." said Twilight. "Traveling all the time? Only stopping at night?" Thunder Beard nodded thoughtfully. "No-mads. Yes. Good word. I no-mad all the time." Twilight wasn't sure he had fully understood her, but she let it drop. Thunder Beard lifted a small horn to his lips and blew a series of notes into the dense forest. "I call rest of tribe. Make fire. Here." He handed Twilight something small and lumpy. "Have jackfruit. Very tasty." Twilight accepted the gift graciously. She dug into the jackfruit (which did turn out to be quite tasty), until she suddenly realized what he had just said. "Rest of tribe?" she said, sputtering. "How many of you are there?" "Many." replied Thunder Beard, with a wicked grin. "Many, many, many." There were hundreds of them. They came streaming out of the forest, laughing, dancing and singing. They filed into the spacious cave and set to work preparing that night's meal. A few slowed down to look, wide-eyed, at Twilight, who sat next to Thunder Beard's fire. They seemed in awe of her, though most kept a cautious distance. "Poni poni poni poni poni!" A lone voice rang out in the crowd. An especially excitable Non-moose pushed his way to the front, his face full of rapturous joy upon seeing Twilight. "Poni Poni! Look, poni!" He pulled out a small, brightly painted wooden figure and shoved it under Twilight's nose. "Good poni, yes? I make!" The figure was, indeed, a pony. A pegasus, to be exact, and fairly well carved. "Yes, well, it's very ni..." Twilight trailed off. The way the figure was painted was very familiar. She looked closer. The mark on its flank confirmed her suspicions. "This... this is Rainbow Dash, isn't it?" "Bodash, yes!" Said the young Non-moose, nodding vigorously. "Bodash, best poni! Ficky-ficky!" He banged his fingers together in a gesture Twilight was sure was obscene. Thunder Beard, noticing this, walked over and thumped the intruding Non-moose with one of his sticks. "Bad Broni!" he yelled. "Rude!" The chastened Non-moose slunk back into the crowd. "Sorry. He new." Thunder Beard said to Twilight, returning to his fire. Twilight sat in shock. Looking around she could see other Non-moose drawing on the walls, carving wood or shaping lumps of clay. They were all making representations of ponies- and not just any ponies, her friends. There was Applejack and Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and even Spike. All of her friends were being drawn with an almost religious zeal by the gathered Non-moose. "You're... making ponies?" she asked Thunder Beard. He nodded. "We camp. We make poni. Broni tribe like poni, very much." Twilight decided to proceed carefully. Somehow, these creatures knew about her friends, even though she hadn't known of their existence until this very evening. She had to find out how this happened, without antagonizing them. She had no idea how dangerous they could be when angered, and she didn't want to find out. She also decided not to ask what "ficky-ficky" meant. "You say you... like ponies." She picked her words cautiously. "I've never heard of ponies coming this far into the woods before. When did you...?" Thunder Beard's head snapped up, as if he'd had a sudden idea. "Shaman! Show you shaman! He tell all about Broni!" He led Twilight, gently but firmly, across the cave to where a heavily decorated Non-moose sat. He stared at Twilight pensively as they approached. The shaman's neck was weighed down with heavy beads, feathers and gemstones. He (or perhaps she, Twilight had trouble telling which Non-moose were male or female) held an elaborate staff, and a hollow bamboo tube was strapped around his shoulders. He spoke quietly, with a deep, melodic voice, and only in his native tongue. He also spoke rarely, but when he did, the other Non-moose paid respectful attention. Thunder Beard translated as the shaman told the story of his people. "Many year ago," he said, "Ages and ages before, Broni tribe were like all other Non-moose. We walk through the forest, taking its treasures, and adding our own. We lived free and died as free Non-moose, as in ages past. Then, a great cloud descended on our land, and brought forth the Celestia." To Twilight's shock, the Non-moose booed and hissed at the mention of Celestia's name. Looking around, she noticed that any pictures of Celestia they made had a furious grimace she had never seen the Princess make in real life. "I'm sorry to interrupt," she said, "but I thought you said you liked ponies." "Old ponies, no so good." said Thunder Beard. "The Celestia, she come to us, she say, 'I rule this land. You Non-moose, you do as I say!' And we say, no! No one rule Non-moose! Non-moose free!" At this, the assembled Non-moose raised their hands in the air and chanted with him. "Non-moose free! Non-moose free!" It dawned on Twilight that any ruler, even one as benevolent as Princess Celestia, would be met with the same resistance by such a fiercely independent people. She was glad she hadn't mentioned her own connection to Celestia before now. When the chanting tribesmen eventually became quiet, the shaman continued his story. "We war against poni, and drive out poni from our forest. Ages go by, and Non-moose forget about poni. They become nothing but story to us, told around fire." The shaman paused, and then shook his staff for dramatic effect. "Then, few moons ago, the long-night came." Twilight gulped. They could only be talking about the night of the Summer Sun Celebration, when Nightmare Moon prevented the sun from rising. "We know is poni caused this. We make plan. We will hear what poni say, what plans they make. Use shaman magic." The shaman removed the plug from the end of the tube on his shoulders and spilled its contents on the floor. Twilight recognized what was inside, even before she saw the scrolls spill out. The odd, musky scent that came from the tube... she had smelled it before. She smelled it every time Spike sent one of her letters to Celestia. She had heard of spells that could intercept letters sent by dragon, but it never occurred to her that such a primitive people could use magic so powerful. It meant that every time she sent a letter through Spike, the shaman would receive a copy. Her stomach churned at the thought of her private correspondence being poured over by these strange creatures, but she held her tongue. "We read letters. We think, 'We find out what poni do, we use to fight back.'" Thunder Beard paused, his lip quivering with emotion. "But we find more. So, so much more." "What did you find?" asked Twilight, not yet sure she wanted to know the answer. "Magic." said Thunder Beard, tears filling his eyes. "Before, us Non-moose fight, all the time. Non-moose not clever people. Letters show us better. Letters show us friendship." The last pieces of the puzzle clicked together in Twilight's mind. Zecora had told her about something like this happening to some of the more primitive tribes of her homeland. She called it a "cargo cult": a superstitious people who come in contact with an advanced civilization and mistake them for gods. An impromptu religion is formed, with its adherents crafting totems and hoping to draw favor from those they worship. They read her descriptions of her friends, each representing one of the elements of harmony, and thought they were gods. They didn't recognize Twilight herself, of course, since she had never bothered to describe herself in her own letters. Her anger at the violation of her privacy ebbed, replaced with pity. "These letters... They're very important to you, aren't they?" she asked Thunder Beard. "And these drawings are your way of learning about friendship." Thunder Beard nodded gravely, saying nothing. Twilight took a closer look at one of the clay figures, seeing it in a new light. This one was an earth pony, but a strange one. It seemed to have too many legs. "What is this one?" she asked. "Fertility totem." Thunder Beard replied. Twilight set it down, carefully. "It's... nice." she managed. "Very... detailed." Twilight spent the night in the company of the Broni tribe. They shared their food generously, and regaled her with tales interpreted from their "holy book". She was surprised to find out that any pony she mentioned in her letters, even in passing, was elevated to an almost saint-like status among the tribe. By far their favorite of these was "Spork", who resulted from a typo Spike made spelling his own name. "Spork is best poni!" said Thunder Beard, unable to contain his enthusiasm. "She find egg, think it hers! She forget poni no make egg!" He gripped his sides, shaking with hysterical laughter. Twilight smiled. Apparently the tribe had no problem with adding their own stories to the mix. Later that night, the shaman received a copy of Spike's letter to Celestia, asking for a search party to be sent. It must have taken him longer to think of that idea than Twilight had anticipated. She wasn't angry; she was just glad to hear he was safe. Celestia's reply said the team would arrive by sunrise. Thankfully, that afforded her a few hours sleep before she needed to make her way to the plains. She dozed off in the comforting glow of the dying fire's embers. Morning came, and Twilight stretched her legs in the mouth of the cave. She hadn't fully recovered from her fall, but at least she could walk without limping. The calmness of dawn was shattered, however, when a terrified Non-moose ran wildly into the cave. "Trolls!" he shouted. "Trolls coming!" "Trolls?" said Twilight, with a worried glance to Thunder Beard. He nodded grimly. "Not all Non-moose like Broni." He said. "Some cling to old ways. They fight with Broni, try to drive us out." He was already making his way up the hill outside the cave, Twilight struggled to keep up. "What do we do?" said Twilight, preparing herself for a fight. "We run." He said. "Fight with trolls just give them reason to keep fighting. That not our way. That not friendship." They passed a tribe member desperately throwing the remains of his breakfast at the advancing trolls. Thunder Beard thumped him with his stick as they ran by. "Stupid Broni! No feed trolls!" "But your cave!" she yelled after him. "All of your art!" She turned and watched as the tribe scattered into the forest, leaving their work behind. The trolls stampeded into the cave, trampling everything. "There will be other caves. Other art. We carry all we need here." He said, pointing to his rucksack. "And here." He pointed to his head. "Broni strong. Broni survive. Broni free." "But I can help you..." Twilight started. "No!" Thunder Beard turned, suddenly furious, and marched up to her until he was inches from her face. "You have to stay safe! Get back to friends! Keep writing!" Twilight felt her pulse quicken. "You knew who I was?" she said, quietly. He nodded. "Of course. Why you think I no ask your name?" Twilight looked down, sheepishly. The little guy was smarter than she had given him credit for. The moment was interrupted by the sound of something rushing through the treetops above them. "Uh, can trolls fly?" she asked nervously. "I hope not." said Thunder Beard. "If they do, it news to me." Twilight looked for a hiding place, until she noticed that the thing zig-zagging through the treetops had a distinctive rainbow trail following it. "It's Dash!" she yelled. "They found me!" Of course Dash was in the search party, she thought. She wouldn't have it any other way! "Go!" said Thunder Beard. "I hold off trolls!" A troll spear whizzed by them, its shaft shattering against a tree trunk. "Ha ha! Stupid trolls!" he shouted, running to join his fellow tribesmen. "Zero ten! Zero ten!" Rainbow Dash swooped down to meet Twilight as she crested the hill. "What the heck have you gotten yourself into, girl?" she yelled, barely hiding the relief in her voice, "Spike's been losing his mind looking for you!" "It's a good thing he had a map!" she yelled back, laughing and crying at the same time. "Spike, take a letter." said Twilight from the comfort of her bed. "A regular one, or...?" he said, readying his parchment. "The other kind." Thanks to Celestia's security enchantment, no one would be able to intercept her letters any more. Well, not unless she wanted them to. "Dear Princess Celestia." she began, "Today, I'd like to tell you about my good friend, Spork..."

Bjornfot

62

Big Macintosh,Main 6,Princess Celestia,Princess Luna,Spike,Comedy,Dark,Random,Romance,Tragedy,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic,Gore

Shit Happens

complete

<p>Rarity is dead. Spike goes emo. Shit Happens.</p>

mature

2011-07-10T23:19:45+00:00

2011-07-10T23:19:45+00:00

It was a warm and sunny day, the pegasi had made sure there was not a single cloud in sight. Not today. Everypony in Ponyville, and many from all over Equestria, had gathered in the field on the outskirts of the town.. Even Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were here. Everypony wore their finest outfits, in honor of this very special, and sudden, event. Streamers, balloons and banners hung everywhere, Pinkie Pie had really outdone herself this time. But there was no joy. No laughter. Not a single smile on a single face. This was serious business. Everypony looked like their father had just touched them in the bathing-suit area. Spike just stared emptily, but intensively, at the ground, like he had a grass fetish.. He tried not to think of her, but it was of course impossible. And it certainly didn’t get any better when Celesta began her speech. “My dear little ponies. I am happy that so many of you could make it on such short notice...” The sun princess put on a fake smile and looked over the crowd. “We are gathered here today to say farewell to a very special Pony. She will always be remembered, always be with us in our hearts. Some know her only as the Element of Generosity, one of the six helping to defeat Nightmare Moon.” Luna blushed and looked away from everypony. She had long since been forgiven, Nightmare Moon wasn’t even her - it was a demon of hatred that she had allowed to enter her soul after being so desperate, sad and heartbroken. “Some known her as one of the finest designers in Equestria. But for some of us, she was much, much more. She was a friend. She was... Rarity.” Upon hearing her name, Spike frowned, closed his eyes hard and tried to hold back a tear. He tried to focus on all the good times they had together, but the only thing on his mind was... the incident. How they found her lying on the ground, lifeless, in a pool of blood, her dresses scattered everywhere in a big fucking mess. He tried to clear his mind, but it didn’t work. Images and noises kept popping up in his head. Not only from the incident now, but from way back in the past. The first time he saw her, the first time he heard her laugh, the first time he asked her out...” Spike wiped away the tears from his face. Nothing ever happened between them of course, since he was a dragon, and a baby one at that. And Rarity was very picky, had very fine tastes. But his feelings never died. Well, maybe a bit, maybe it degraded over time... but it was still there. His love for the for the beautiful unicorn they were just about to lower into the ground. After the ceremony, Spike just sat down under a tree. He needed to think some more. Process everything that had happened. He sat there, waving away his friends as they came to comfort him, not wanting to go home with Twilight, even though it was late. When everypony else had left, and Celestia lowered the sun for Luna to raise the moon, he decided to go for a walk. He went straight through Ponyville. His head hanging low, eyes focused on the ground and lost in his own thoughts, he barely noticed that he passed each of his friends houses. Fluttershy’s cottage, Dash’s cloud-castle, Pinkie Pies bakery, his and Twilights Library, Rarity’s beauty boutique- He stopped, and looked up. The memories, both horrible and fantastic, flashing through his mind once again. But he shook his head violently, as if to make the thoughts fall out of his head, and walked on. He had walked quite a distance now and began to feel tired. Why was he walking, anyway? He didn’t know, he just carried on. Finally, the baby dragon reached Sweet Apple Acres. Realizing he had walked all the way through Ponyville, he stopped. He looked up at the beautiful full-moon that illuminated the apple trees, and let out a sigh. It didn’t take long before he felt the huge aching in his feet and legs, though. He sat down under a tree, closed his eyes, and dozed of. He woke up when an apple hit his head. “Ouch!” A big, red stallion looked around from the other side of the tree. “Spike? Ah, sorry, di’n’t see ya there. What’cha doin’?” The purple dragon was a little startled. He looked up and met Big Macintosh’s deep, green eyes. “What I’m doing? You were the one who made an apple fall on me!” he said, slightly annoyed. “Well ahm sorry an all as ah said. Ah cou’n’t sleep, so ah decided to go buck sum apples, ya see...” Spike sighed, his thoughts again wandering away to the white and purple unicorn. Mac saw the sad look on his face and understood what was wrong. He sat down next to the dragon and put a comforting foreleg around him. “She’s in a better place now.” “Yeah... but, she was still young. And her last moments must have been horrible!” Spike leaned forward let out another sigh. “And I loved her... I FREAKING LOVED HER...” He closed his eyes as a tear drop rolled down his face. “Even though it was meaningless. I never meant a thing to her. The only times she talked to me was when she wanted my help with something, which she knew I’d always gladly accept.” “But what kept ya feelin’s alive? An how did ya get ‘em in the first place?” “Well, the first time I saw her, it just kinda... clicked. She was so beautiful, and elegant... I’m not sure why I never gave up, though. I really should have. But there was just no one else that came even close to being as fantastic as her...” “What ‘bout ya other pony friends? Ah think they’re mighty special each in their own ways.” “Well... for starters, I knew that Rainbow Dash and Applejack were totally gay for each-other all along. Everyone knew, long before they finally got together. And they’re both so tough and reckless, not my type at all. Fluttershy seemed to be pretty nice though, I was pretty flattered when she wouldn’t even talk to Twilight when we first arrived here, but went totally nuts when she saw me. “OMG OMG OMG A BABY DRAAAGON, HE’S SO CUUUTE! TELL ME EEVERYTHING ABOUT YOU!”” Spike imitated Fluttershy and made wild gestures. “Actually, now that I think of it, it was kinda annoying. Especially when she went “awww the wittle baby dwagon needs to sweep”. But that’s the only time she’s really talked to me, after that “shock” she went back to being her normal, shy, afraid-of-her-own-shadow self. She’s also got all these animals she’s so busy taking care of all day long. And Pinkie Pie... she’s just so bloody random. And annoying. And bitchy. I mean, seriously! Who can stand being around that pony for more than five minutes? Even though I gotta admit she makes the sweetest sweets in all of Equestria. Mmm, baked bads...” “Uhhh, Spike?” “Yeah?” “Ya be droolin’. On me.” The baby dragon had not noticed that he had leaned against the big stallion, almost hugging him. He wiped his mouth and blushed slightly. “Ooops... sorry, hehe...” He distanced himself a bit, put his hand behind him and scratched his neck. A few seconds of awkward silence ensued, until Big Mac killed it. “What about Twilight?” The little dragons eyes widened, he jerked forward a bit and stopped breathing for a second, as if someone had kicked him in the balls. “ARE YOU COMPLETELY INSANE!? Please tell me you’re not serious. No, you are serious, aren’t you?” Big Mac let out his trademark “Eeeyup!”, leaned back, and put on a soft smile. “Twilight Sparkle is... she... I’m her assistant! Her slave! She’s an egghead who just reads her smarty books all day long and cares about no one else than herself. And let me do all the dirty work, of course.” Mac looked a bit worrying at him. “Well, there’s more ponies in ponyville.” “Yeah, ponies. But not a single dragon, except for myself. I guess this kinda contributes to the fact that I won’t easily get attached to anyone around here. I sometimes miss my homeland. I recall that I had quite a few dragon friends, and even one who was pretty special to me...” “How was she like?” “Uhm...” Spike blushed hard. “A-actually it was... it was a he.” He turned his über-red #FF0000 face away. The big stallion, still holding a leg around him, drew him closer. “There’s nah reason ta be ‘shamed o’ that! Ya know quiet a few filly-foolers, don’t’cha? No one seems ta be thinkin’ thats so very strange.” “Yeah... but I’ve never even heard of two colts together! It’s not really the same thing...” “Well, that’s because you only hang out with that Twilight and her silly filly friends!” “Might be...” The baby dragon had turned back his face, which was now slowly returning to its natural, purple colour. He looked up at Big Mac. “Yeah, these fillies are kinda driving me nuts. I sometimes dream of having a big stallion that can hold me real tight...” Macintosh picked up the little dragon, and laid them both on the ground, a bit away from the tree, the beautiful moonlight illuminating their faces. He put on a big smile when he saw that the dragon was looking at him with wide eyes of anticipation, and reeled him in for a kiss. Right before their lips met, a huge fucking anvil fell from the sky and crushed both of their skulls. Twilight had survived this in episode 15 thanks to her magical unicorn magic, but these poor bastards were just an earth pony and a baby dragon. Derpy Hooves was shown no mercy this time, and after throwing a muffin at the judge in court, sentenced to death. And this, my friends, is why you shouldn’t be at the computer at 3am with a huge god damn fever. Because, if you do - Shit Happens

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:31:07+00:00

2011-07-10T23:31:07+00:00

"You did what!?" The purple unicorn fumed, staring at Rainbow Dash angrily. Dash recoiled slightly, never seeing Twilight Sparkle this angry before. "Well, I mean Trixie is back, and you're the only one in Ponyville strong enough to duel her with magic, and I..." She trailed off. Twilight let out an exasperated sigh. "You can't just speak for me! I don't want to fight Trixie!" "Twi, last time you showed Trixie up by a mile and a half! I'd bet you could do it again!" "That was six months ago! She's probably gotten much stronger since then!" "Well, so have you, silly!" Pinkie rose out of a bowl of apples sitting on a nearby table Twilight's anger subsided slightly as she pondered how long Pinkie had been there. Pinkie just stood beside her, munching an apple. "C'mon, Twilight, it'll be fun!" She said, mouth full. "Yeah Twi, we've got till sunset to prepare!" Dash chimed Her brow furrowed, knowing that she really had no way out. If she declined, it would seem as if she was backing out. If there was one thing to never do, it was back out of a challenge set up by someone like Trixie. And it probably would be fun. From Dash's explanation, Trixie just wanted to test her new magic. She sighed. "Fine. But I'm still mad at you" She trotted outside. "At least there'll only be a few people there" -------- "Don't know why I thought that" The stands were filled with ponies, cheering for Twilight. "How'd you even get these stands out to the outskirts of Ponyville?" "Big Macintosh helped" Applejack said, motioning toward her brother. "Now don't you worry, Sugarcube, we've all got your back" Her friends sat on the sidelines, hooping and hollering. Even Fluttershy could be heard once in a while, and Angel sat on her head, waving a small flag. "Still no sign of Tri-" As if on cue, the blue unicorn appeared in a brilliant puff of smoke. "The great and powerful Trixie!" Snips and Snails yelled in unison "The one and only! Now, Twilight Sparkle, are you ready for the duel?" Trixie reared up. Twilight sighed. "Ready as I'll ever be" She said as she lowered herself to the ground. Spike, Snips, and Snails All stood between the two. Spike turned to the crowd. "Fillies and Gentlecolts! Welcome to the magic duel between our own Twilight Sparkle and-" "The great and powerful Trixie!" Snips shouted. Spike shot him a glance. "Thank you, Snips" He said through gritted teeth. "Let's just have a good clean match. And now, without further ado, let the duel begin!" They all ran to the sidelines opposite the bleachers. Trixie fired a blue beam at Twilight, who stepped out of the way swiftly. She responded in hind, hitting Trixie with a blast that Made her stumble. Twilight charged at Trixie, her horn glowing with her next spell. Trixie regained her footing and smirked, firing a purple light. It hit Twilight, and she teleported away, running into a tree. "Teleportation spells? Two can play at that game" She shot her own spell, putting Trixie up in a tree. They kept throwing teleportation at each other, disappearing and reappearing all over the field. They finally ended facing each other, almost where they had started. They fired again, the beams collided in midair, growing into a large orb. They pushed all their energy into it, pushing it toward Trixie, then Twilight, then back. "Twi-light! Twi-light! Twi-light!" Her friends cheered, stepping closer. Trixie and Twilight pumped all their energy, panting. The Ball grew giant, until finally BOOOOMM!!! A bright light blinded Spike and the ponies for a minute. When they looked back, Trixie and Twilight were gone. Along with the rest of Twilight's friends. "Twilight?" Spike asked into nothing "Trixie?" Snails looked around "They're gone!" Someone in the stands shouted The crowd gasped and started yelling "Where... Where'd they go!? And... what if they can't get back..." Spike fell to his knees, Yelling at the sky. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!" -------- Twilight Woke up, looking around groggily as she took in her surroundings. all her friends were scattered to and fro. They were in a mostly white room, With a few benches, a large cabinet, and some cubbies holding strange equipment that she didn't recognize. There was a large metal door in one direction, and a small room opposite it she could see through it's glass doors. In the small room Dash was against a wall. Everypony else was in the main room, Applejack on top of the cabinet, Fluttershy and Angel under one of the benches, Rarity against one of the walls, and Trixie in the middle of the floor. She searched for Pinkie, then became aware of something heavy on her back. With a quick glance, she found her pink friend had somehow landed on her. 'Wait...' she thought, now a little more conscious. She didn't know what this place was. It didn't look like any place she'd ever been before, and nopony was around. 'How'd... the spell!' She yelled at herself. 'Stupid! You never cross teleportation spells!' She shifted, and Pinkie slid off her back and landed on the floor with a thud. Even with the fall, she was still out cold. 'Always was a heavy sleeper' Twilight started walking around, waking her friends up one by one. Applejack nearly fell off the cabinet, but got down safely. Everypony looked around, slightly scared and confused. Except Pinky, she handled the situation with her usual energy. "Anypony seen Dash?" Pinkie asked Twilight pointed to the room, and Pinkie trotted toward the door. She didn't realize that it only opened from the inside until she smacked into it. "How are we supposed to wake Dash up if we can't get in?" "Ah, let'r sleep. she'll wake up eventually" AppleJack looked around. "Anypony know where we are?" "Well, wherever it is it's positively filthy! just look at all this grime on the floor!" Rarity lifted a hoof in disgust. Applejack rolled her eyes. "Um... Girls?" Fluttershy mumbled, unheard Trixie spoke over Fluttershy "Well, maybe-" "No! You have no right to talk! You're the reason we're here at all!" "Me!?" "Girls?" "What kind of foal counters teleportation with teleportation! You're lucky we didn't end up in the walls! Didn't they teach you that wherever it is you learned magic!?" "I wouldn't have had to if you hadn't-" She was cut off by a gruff throat being cleared. A rather short man wearing overalls and a hard hat looked at the ponies with a shotgun in his hands, finger on the trigger. Fluttershy mumbled "I tried to warn you"

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:47:01+00:00

2011-07-10T23:47:01+00:00

"So lemme get this here straight" The man said, still a little dazed from his discovery. It had been about ten minutes, and Twilight had convinced the man, Who didn't give his name and said to just call him Engineer, to sit down and listen to their story. "Y'all are from the magical land of Equetsria?" "Equestria." Twilight corrected him "Right, and y'all with the horns can do magic?" "Right" "Okay, and you two" He pointed at Trixie and Twilight "somehow messed up and transported everyone here, to my world" "Precisely! So you do understand!" "Not in the slightest, but I think the jist is that y'all need to find a way home?" "... Well, as long as you realize that part, I suppose it's all okay" A bright light flashed in the small room. "Well, looks like someone's respawning. I get to see if all this work finally drove me crazy or if I really am seein' talkin' ponies" From the room a giant of a man lumbered out, looking fuming mad and muttering what sounded like Russian swear words under his breath. at his side he carried a gun that was almost as big as the ponies. "Engineer! Entire RED team is evil babies!" Twilight was a little stunned at the man's lack of reaction to them, but Engineer just smirked. "What'd they do this time, Heavy?" "Well, I took down two or three itty bitty sentries, and I was pretty hurt. so I go to corner to eat sandvich and tiny Scout comes up, and he kills me and has NERVE to steal sandvich! Can you believe it!?" Engineer had seemingly lost interest. "Terrible. Hey Heavy? Do me a favor. Do you see anything strange over there?" He pointed toward the cubbies Heavy turned and stared. "Hmmm... well, there is purse in Pyro's cubby" "No, not that. Anything out of the ordinary?" "What, like tiny pink horse hanging upside-down in Sniper's cubby?" "...Actually, that's exactly what I meant. So I'm not crazy" He wiped his brow. "Gotta say, you took that rather well, Heavy" "Heavy thought he was hallucinating again. So why are there many tiny horses around respawn?" "Just wait, I want the whole crew here for this" They both sat down, trying their hardest to make normal small talk. A flash of light, and a black man with an eye patch on, taking a strong swig of something Twilight was positive was alcohol strong enough to remove paint, stumbled out of the room. He blinked a few times at the strange sight, taking a look at his bottle. "Did someone slip som'thin' inta me drink?" "No Demo. We see them too" "Good. I'd hafta kill someone if they go messin' with me scotch" "Why are all the crazy one's showing up first?" Twilight whispered to Rarity; She replied with a shrug "Who knows. Maybe they're the normal ones here" "I hope not, or we're doomed" The next two out weren't much better. The first was a Man... Woman... Thing in a gasmask and fireproof suit, called Pyro. the second was a German man in a long coat, who was called Medic, and who after hearing the ponies talk, got a gleam in his eye as he wondered aloud how their vocal cords worked. Fluttershy moved as far away from the Medic as she could. "How many more are left, Engi?" Applejack spoke up. "We Still need Soldier, Sniper, Spy, and Scout" As If on cue, a man who's eyes were concealed by the large helmet on his head stepped out. "What are you ladies doing sitting around!?" "Soldier, do you not see the ponies around?" "I see the ponies! I also see a bunch of good for nothing slackers! Why are you people not on the field!?" "Look, just hang around for a second till everyone's here, and we'll explain then" "Fine. But this had better not cut into my killing time" He sat down in a huff Another flash, and a man carrying a rifle in one had and Rainbow Dash on his shoulder stepped out. "Anyone want to tell me why there's a rainbow colored horse in the spawn room?" "Long story, we just need Scout and Spy" "Ahem" A man in a suit and mask appeared behind Rarity, and she jumped across the room. "DON'T SNEAK UP ON PONIES LIKE THAT!" "I'm pretty sure sneaking up on people is in my job description" "Ah hell, I'll just tell you now, I'm sick of waiting for Scout. I'll explain it to him when he gets here" "So these here ponies are from another land called Eque-" "We have taken the enemy intelligence!" A loudspeaker in the room blared. Dash stirred slightly at the sound, mumbling in her sleep "God that thing is annoying. any way, cuz of some magical mishap, they all ended up here, and they don't know how to get home. Now I think we should help 'em get back, seein as they showed up in our base" "We have dropped the enemy intelligence!" Dash sat up suddenly "Dammit!" She was still groggy, and didn't register her surroundings. A last flash, and out stepped a boy in baseball attire, cursing in a thick Boston accent. "I had it! I had it and... Wait" Scout looked down at the Rainbow maned pony at his feet. "No freakin' way" Dash looked up. "Could you keep it down, I just wo... No way" She reached up with a hoof a poked him in the stomach. "Y-y-you're real!" "You're real too!" "Omigoshomigoshomigosh" Both started Chanting in unison "Uh, Dash?" Twilight looked at Scout "Do you two know each other?" "Uh, duh! He's only my favorite Class in Team Fortress 2!" Engi looked confused. "Team Fortress... hey wait, how do you know her, Scout?" "She's only da coolest pony on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic!" "In what?" Twilight looked quizzically around "Will somepony tell me what's going on!?" She yelled. Suddenly in the vents something started banging around, like a frightened animal. It worked it's way Toward the opening, falling through a grate onto the Heavy's head. He picked the Grey pony up, Staring it in the eyes (Even though those eyes weren't staring back), looking angry. "Muffin?" The Pegasus held up one of the treats, offering it to Heavy. "... I like these ponies!" "Derpy!" All the ponies (minus Trixie) gathered around Derpy to make sure she hadn't hurt herself in the vents. "Are you okay?" "Absitivly Posolutly!" She said with her usual enthusiasm, Never deterred by the bad things that sometimes befell her. "So how'd dey get here?" Scout asked, a wide smile plastered on his face "Ugh. short version, magic spell" Spy snorted from the corner "Good enough for me" "Now I have an idea. I can try to supercharge my teleporter to get y'all home. But it'll take quite a bit of time. Someone'd have to take over my job" "... What if I did it?" Applejack spoke up. "Y'all look like you could use a break. I think we could all take on one of the classes for a while" "Heck yeah! I'll be Scout!" Dash Grabbed a spare headset and grabbed a scattergun "Lemme at em!" "Well... I suppose you could. I'd have to modify the guns a little. and the regenerator. If Y'all are okay with that" Murmurs of approval went through. Fluttershy looked concerned, but she didn't say anything. "Well, then I suppose we should pick classes" Pinkie Jumped at the opportunity and ran over to Heavy. "I wanna be the Big Guy!" Twilight looked skeptical "Not to be rude, but... why?" Pinkie held up a sandvich "Sandwiches.." She said, slightly transfixed "No no no, is sandvich!" "Sandwich" "Sandvich" As the two argued about the proper pronunciation, Rarity was swooning over the intrigue and romance she perceived as part of the Spy's job. Spy leaned over to AppleJack. "I zink your friend reads too many romance novels" "Read 'em? Heck, she could write her own" Applejack turned to Fluttershy "I expect you'll be goin' Medic?" "Um... actually" She cast a glance at the Man, who had pulled out what looked like a giant syringe attached to a huge scalpel. She squeaked in fear, hiding behind the Sniper's legs. "I guess you're going with me?" She nodded in agreement. "You have got to be kidding me. I'll go medic, you wimp" Trixie walked over to the Medic "Bah. I refuse to be shown up by a bunch of girly ponies" His Shovel fell out of his back pocket. Angel picked it up, getting a feel for it. "Hey! Give that back you stupid rabbit!" Angel's eyes lowered. Soldier reached for the bunny. Angel ran up his arms, landing on top of his helmet and hitting the helmet with the shovel. A loud ringing sound came every time he hit it. Soldier fell to the ground. Fluttershy looked at the two, terrified that something would happen to Angel The soldier growled at Angel, who still gad the shovel. Suddenly, he smiled wildly. "I like this bunny's moxie! I would be glad to have you as a soldier!" Angel slung the shovel over his shoulder, beaming. Twilight looked around. "Well, that leaves Demo and Pyro" She turned to find herself face to face with Derpy with a fire axe in her mouth. "Demo it is" Engi clapped his hands to get everyone's attention. "Combat has been called for the night, so we'll be able to train our new friends. I've got the Regenerator modified so that y'all will respawn as long as you're here, so give 'em the rundown. Get to know 'em. We'll meet back here in the morning. Deal?" Everyone replied in unison. "Deal!"

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2012-06-01T22:20:02+00:00

2012-06-01T22:20:02+00:00

Dash grabbed the freshly-modded scattergun, specifically made for hooves instead of hands. Engi had made special weapons for all of them, capping it off by modding the regenerator so that the ponies could respawn. He even modded some of the clothes to fit the equines. Everyone stood around, firing their weapons to get a feel. Once they were ready, one by one they ran out the door. Of Course, Dash was out first, flying over the bridge, past the enemy respawn, and down their spiral. "I'll just run in, grab the intel, and run out. Easy" She peeked in, and the sight that greeted her was not a good one: A level three sentry pointed directly at her. She screamed and ducked behind the corner as the rockets missed by inches. "Okay, maybe not so easy. At least no Engis were around. That would have been embarrassing" "HI DASH!" Pinkie yelled right behind her. She jumped backwards, back into the sentry's sight. "PINKIE! wait..." She looked around as the sentry beeped to confirm her presence. Before she could say a word, the force of three rockets gibbed her across the room. ----- After what seemed like ages (but in reality was 10 seconds), she "awoke" in the regenerator chamber. "Wha? What happened? All I remember is a sentry pointed at me, some beeping, an intense hatred of Pinkie at the moment, and now I'm back here!" "You died" The Engineer said nonchalantly, taking a sip of coffee and reading through some blueprints. "My Regenerator sensed your death and reconstructed you. Now your not dead. So run along and try not to die again" He sounded as though he'd had to explain it more than a few times already. Dash was taken aback. She'd died? No way. She was Dash. THE Dash! She'd show RED. No one kills Dash! Her steely determination spurred, she bolted off, quick as a flash. She hasn't lost something she'd set her mind to yet! Not the Young fliers competition, not her first race, and certainly not these RED losers! She smiled wide, closing her eyes and picturing how she would utterly destroy them. The lovely little dream of her's was cut short when something fiercely grabbed her tail, yanking her back. 'Why does everypony have to do that!?' she thought to herself. She swung around angrily, ready to fight whoever stopped her. "Alright, come and get s- Rarity?" The pony with her tail wore a mask that was adorned with the enemy Pyro's face, but it was unmistakably Rarity. Nopony else could keep their hair that luxurious during a war. Rarity spat the tail out, making a show of it by spitting and sputtering. "My word, Rainbow Dash! How often do you wash that thing!?" Dash gave Rarity an annoyed glare. "None of your business. Why'd you stop me?" Rarity spat one last time and pointed into the courtyard that Dash had almost entered. "If you'd gone in their that court's walls would be painted in Rainbow Dash. There is a pair of sentries that I'm trying to get rid of. Honestly Dash, you need to learn to look before you leap" Dash peeked in and, sure enough, a pair of level two's were in progress. "Oh" She sheepishly offered Rarity an apology. Rarity went invisible, sneaking up on the unattended sentries and placing sappers on them. Dash ran down the straight stairs. "Thanks Rarity, I'll pay you back later!" ------ She snuck around the RED basement. Not gonna get caught this time. No way. A beeping around the corner told her that the sentry was still operational. The pegasus gulped. Although, again, the Engineer wasn't around. she poked around the corner, just enough to see the sentry, and shot it. A few sparks jumped out. Another five or six shots, and the monster sentry exploded, leaving the room open. "Yes! Nopony outdoes Rainbow Dash!" She ran into the room smiling. At least, smiling until the second sentry in the room, hidden in the corner, noticed her. ----- She appeared back in spawn, looking incredibly surprised. "There are way to many Engineers on that team" "I know, right?" The Scout sat in the room, bouncing a baseball off the wall. He looked over and the ball landed in his open hand. "Dey always do dat" "Why are you hanging around here? You're on break. Don't you have somewhere to go?" She sat next to him. Talking to Scout sounded much more pleasing than getting plastered all over the walls again. "Eh, I thought about takin' a trip home, but that'd take too long. Actually no one went anywhere. So what happened to you? Engi troubles?" "You could say that. Any advice?" "Don't do it alone. You're fast, Dash, but no amount of fast'll save ya from four hundred bullets in ya spine" He said with little enthusiasm, as if it had happened to him a thousand times. "Use da Heavy, or Soldier, someone. Y'ain't gunna win without a little teamwork" He less said it and more recited it, a speech that he had apparently heard each one of those thousand reckless charges. Dash looked thoughtfully out the door. For once she couldn't bruteforce something. "Thanks, I'll try that. 'course if I mess up, I'll be back anyway" She started toward the door. "Hol' up a sec" Scout reached into his backpack, pulling out a soda can and throwing it toward her. She caught it and read the label. "Bonk Atomic Punch? What am I s'posed to do with this?" "Trust me, when you need it, y'll know" Scout went back to bouncing his ball off the wall. The cyan Pegasus looked skeptical, but put the can in her saddlebag and ran out. she jumped down and sitting on the bridge, Pinkie had a strangely pleased look on her face. "Uh, Pinkie? Shouldn't you be doing something? Like attacking the enemy?" "Silly Dashie, I'm waiting for my sandwich to come back!" Dash had long since given up on trying to figure the Pink pony out, but this intrigued her. "Come back? What, did it run away?" She giggled at the mental image of a sandwich running away from the ever-hungry Pinkie Pie. "No, I ate it. But I found out that after I eat them, another one appears after a little while!!" Just as Pinkie had said, a sandwich on a plate appeared in front of her. The only thing Dash could do was stand aghast as Pinkie devoured that one and sat waiting for the next one. Before any words could come to mind, She heard a voice from her earpiece. It was Rarity, barely audible. "Dash? are you there? I need help" "Rarity? What's wrong?" "I'm trapped, I can't get out of their intel room, They're standing in the exits. Please? I can't fight these on my own, there's Two Engineers and two of those dreadful Pyros" "Why don't you just let them kill you and let yourself go back to respawn?" "And lose all the hard work it took to get down here? Never! Oh no" She lowered her voice again to being barely audible. "I think they heard me. Please hurry, Rainbow Dash" Then the Earpiece went silent. "Uh Oh. I can't deal with that either. But I do owe Rarity..." She cast her glance at Pinkie, rump in the air and eyes on the pile of plates that was slowly but surely accumulating. "Hey Pinkie Pie? Wanna help me for a sec?" Pinkie nodded happily, sandwich in mouth. ------ They ran down the ramp, leaving RED team behind, either waiting to respawn or pointlessly firing at where they were a second ago. Dash put a hoof to her mouth, signaling to keep as quiet as they could. "Okay, stay here and wait for my signal" She bolted around one corner, calling the Pyros out of their posts at the doorways. She ran out, and once both were in Pinkie's sight, she yelled "Now!" and the pink pony unleashed a hail of gunfire from the minigun. Both of them fell quickly, Dash barely getting a scratch. One of the Engineers came out of the room, and was swiftly dispatched with the scattergun. "Time for part 2!" She ran to the edge of the room, this time looking all over the room. Two sentries, Level 3 each, and an Engi standing by one of them, fortunately looking away. "Now or never" She pulled out the can Scout had given her, popped the top, and chugged the thing. Her eyes went wide. She could feel the energy surging through her, everything seemed to move in slow motion. 'No time to marvel. Hope this works!' She ran out, and the sentries started firing. She used her caffeine time to dodge the bullets, placing herself behind the hapless Engi and causing him to be gunned down by his own building. "Pinkie! Stage 3!" Pinkie ran in, and while the Sentries were trained on dash, her minigun tore through one, then the other. The room was finally clear, and Dash returned to her normal speed as the Bonk's effect wore off. "We did it!" She was tackled to the ground by an unseen force. A spy pony appeared over her, thanking her profusely. She got to her feet. "We're not out of the woods yet" She grabbed the intel. "All those guys we fought on the way in will be back by now. So Pinkie, you go up the way we came. Me and Rarity will go up the other way. Got it?" "You betcha!" Pinkie ran out, sandwich in hand. "She is so random" Dash looked at Rarity. "You comin' or what?" "You're not mad at me for dragging you into my mess?" "Mad? That was the most fun I've had in ages! Besides, you didn't think the spirit of loyalty would leave a friend behind, did you?" she playfully jabbed Rarity on the shoulder. "We better get out of here before we get caught" They ran out of the room, past Pinkie mowing the enemy down, and out the front door, intel safely on Rainbow Dash's back.

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-07-10T23:47:54+00:00

2011-07-10T23:47:54+00:00

Leave it to Rarity to find a place for fashion in a war zone. The elegant unicorn couldn't let her friends just waltz onto the battlefield without looking the parts they played. While the weapons were being modified, she took it upon herself to modify some spare clothes to create uniforms that matched the classes. Everyone matched with some differences necessary due to differing biologies, but she was proudest of her work with Pinkie, turning Ponyville's Premier Party Pony into a spitting image of the Russian Mercenary. Which is why Rarity was flustered when Pinkie respawned wearing a black, badly kept hairpiece "Where in Equestria did you get that garish thing?" "Dunno. Things just keep appearing on my head when I get back here" "Things?" She asked incredulously. Pinkie pointed across the room to the cubby where Pinkie was keeping a large pile of hats. Rarity stood, mouth agape at the pile. The heavy let out a hearty laugh "Horosho! Tiny Pink has discovered hats!" "Hats?" Both said in unison, exchanging a glance "Is greatest honor warrior can find! Hats show skill! Show Power!" "Show luck" The Spy stood in the door, leaning against the wall. "Bah. Tiny spy is jealous cause he has no hats" "I don't need hats, you nitwit. I'm invisible or disguised ninety-nine percent of ze time. So why would I want somezing that is meant to be seen?" The two started getting into a fierce argument, but by that point the two ponies had left. Pinkie ran toward the enemy base, shouting until she was out of earshot. Rarity tried to do her duty, but found her mind keep drifting back to hats. 'Focus, Rarity' She chastised herself after yet another time getting caught by those dreadful Pyros. She started out of respawn, but stopped. Heavy and Spy were gone, and nopony was around. she took out her disguise kit and looked at herself in the mirror she used to replace the cigarettes. "The Spy is right. Why would I need a hat? All it would do is mess up my mane" She kept trying to convince herself, but a nagging voice in the back of her head made her unsure. "Maybe Twilight will be able to help convince me" She trotted off to find her. On her way, though, she started noticing all her friends had hats that were not made by her. Dash rushed past wearing a milkpony's cap, Derpy wore a propeller cap, and Trixie wore a Pair of goggles on her forehead. Even Angel hopped across the bridge wearing a Horned helmet. She sighed and continued her search ------ She found her in the intelligence room, grateful that she was Twilight was still wearing the hat she had made. True to form, the purple unicorn was reading some files. A pile of sticky bombs surrounded their briefcase of intelligence. Twilight looked up briefly. "Oh, Hey Rarity." She went right back to reading. Apparently not finding what she was looking for, she threw the papers back in the nearby filing cabinet and withdrew a new set. "Hello Twilight. Are you okay? You seem a little... distraught" "Just looking for some information" She sounded annoyed. "Why are you down here anyway?" "Have you noticed all the hats our friends seem to be finding?" Twilight tensed at the word hats. "Hats? Nope, no hats. Haven't seen any. Nope, just the one Applejack always wears. Why, have you found any?" Twilight was almost frantic, talking very quickly. “No I haven’t, and I need to-” “FOUND IT!” Twilight threw a folder out of the cabinet. It’s contents spilled out, showing dozens of pictures of hats. A few Rarity recognized from her friend’s heads, many she didn’t. “Oh Twilight, not you too” “What! Just because I want a hat makes me a bad pony!?” She stopped herself when she realized she was yelling at the top of her lungs. She laughed sheepishly, blushing. “Uh… I mean… Okay, I have seen all the hats, and yes, I don’t have one. No matter how hard I try I can’t make them. It’s like their Cutie marks: you have to find them. And I want to get one” Twilight shifted through the folder, finding a sheet of paper with writing on it. She read the contents aloud: “Easy Ways to Earn Your Hat” "Throughout history, men have worn hats as a way of showing how much better they are than other men. “I buy hats,” a behatted man seems to say. “I am better than you!” Rarity lowered her head. “In wartime, hats were a useful way of conferring rank, and ensuring that casualties were confined to the lower classes (hence the famous command of “Don't fire till you see the tops of their heads” at the Battle of Bunker Hill by William Prescott, a general renowned for only shooting enemy combatants who were poor). During peacetime, hats have been instrumental for men to let the non-hatted know just who is wearing the hat around here." “Now it is your turn to earn your hat. The easiest is the method known as idling. Simply stand around for a long period of time, and allow yourself to die every once in a while. With Patience, a hat will soon adorn your head. Of course, the only surefire way to receive a hat is-” BOOM! An explosion went off next to them. They jumped up, turning to see a RED Soldier firing wildly. Twilight fired bombs at their attacker, hurting but not killing him. He fired a rocket at point blank range, and it glowed brilliantly. All three were destroyed by the blast. ----- Rarity dusted herself off. She was getting quite tired of constantly finding her sent back to the white room. A bright flash to he right and Twilight stood there. “Stupid Crockets! I was at full health!” Rarity looked over and gasped. “…What? Did I say something wrong?” Rarity sighed, lowered her head. She shook it no, then pointed to her horn. Twilight felt the area and found, perched upon it, a stove pipe hat. “YES! Yesyesyesyesyesyesyes” She bounced around in a circle, like she had when her cutie mark had appeared. Rarity walked away, shaking her head. She passed Applejack in the court, muttering under her breath and repairing the damage the soldier had done to her buildings. True to Twilight’s word, the orange pony only had the hat from her pappy on her head. But in one of her saddlebags sat a teddy bear, dressed like an engineer. The unicorn fumed and trotted away. ‘It’s not fair!’ She thought to herself. ‘I’m Rarity! Fashion-pony extraordinaire! I’m not supposed to be behind in trends! I make the trends!’ She tried to put the thought out of her mind, but they wouldn’t leave her thoughts. Time and time again her thoughts would wander away from the task at hand and cost her another life. And every respawn she put a hoof to her head, but nothing new was ever there. “After a particularly brutal death at the hands of a Sniper, she’d had enough. “That’s it!” She yelled, sitting down and refusing to move. Her friends would pass by every so often. At first they tried to persuade her back to battle, but gave up eventually and stopped trying after a few respawns. She sat for almost an hour, but boredom got to her, and soon she fell asleep. ------ “Idling, Mon petit poney? I would think you would be better than that” The Spy took a drag from his cigarette. He had nudged her awake after an hour or two. She had ended up explaining her day to him, while he sat quietly. At the end he had spoken up. “You should be out there helping your friends, not pining for useless headgear” “I am so sick of everypony telling me it’s no big deal when they all celebrate when they get their hats. How would they know how it feels! They’ve found theirs already! I’m not going anywhere until I get one!” she was starting to tear up, until she realized how foolish she must look. He sat next to her. “This is ridiculous. You have let the talk of a man who is convinced that his sandwich can talk get to you. You are no less a person… Er, pony for not having one. And the payoff for getting one isn’t that satisfying” He tossed his finished cigarette bud away, lighting a new one. “Smoking’s bad for you, you know” her voice was a little weak. “So is obsession. Look… Rarity, was it?” She nodded. “I know how you feel. Do you know how long I’ve been here?” She shook her head. “Neither do I. I’ve lost track of ze days. But in all zis time I have found only one thing that is considered a hat. Do you want to see it?” She nodded, and he went over to his cubby, pulling something out of a box. He put it on and turned around. It was a large fake beard with a camera sticking out the bottom. “Ze Camera Beard. I found it one Christmas. Needless to say, I wasn’t happy. Ze payoff isn’t worth ze hype. So get the thought of hats out of your head before you’re disappointed” Rarity stared at the floor deep in thought. After a while, she stood up. “Thank you, Mister Spy. I think I understand. She had more confidence. She didn’t need a hat. Especially if that Garish thing was what could be considered her ‘prize’. She put a medic disguise on and ran out. He watched her leave. Once she was gone, he took the beard off and put it back in the box, next to the beret he prized. ‘Who said Spies have to tell the truth’ he thought as he put the lid back on. ---- The pseudo pep talk gave her all the energy she needed to focus on the work, successfully pushing the thought away. She’d sap engineer buildings and even got a few kills on Heavies, Soldiers, and even an oblivious Pyro once. That kill had made her laugh a little. She was in the middle of wreaking a little havoc when Pinkie came in and decimated the team. With all of RED incapacitated at the moment, they chatted a little. “Feeling better, Rarity?” Pinkie had an umbrella hat on, but the unicorn didn’t let it bother her. “Much. I don’t need to validate myself with some silly hat” “That’s goo- Whoa-a-a-a” Pinkie’s tail started twitching violently. Rarity covered her head, waiting for a soldier or worse to fall from the sky. “Well, at least I know that still works” Pinkie took a step towards the spiral stairs. A gunshot rang out, and she fell to the ground. Rarity screamed and turned to see the enemy’s Sniper throw a jar of something. It broke and covered her. After a second she realized exactly what it was. “EWWW!!! YOU VILE DISGUSTING HORRID AWFUL-“ Her tirade was cut short from a single swing of the man’s kukri. “Eweweweweweweeeewwwww!!!!” She was still yelling as she respawned. She’d closed her eyes and violently shook out her mane to get the feeling off of her. “If that never happens again it’ll still be too soon” She shuddered and walked out. Pinkie looked back to see the source of the yelling. “He got you too?” Rarity nodded. “I think I’m gonna stay away from him. I mean, I don’t really wanna get close to any of them, especially that spy, and I guess it doesn’t matter if I’m close because I mean that gun can hit everything from really far away right.” Rarity kept walking, pushing the memory as far back as she could. Pinkie looked back and did a double take. “Waitaminute Rarity!” Pinkie plopped something on the unicorn’s head. Rarity pulled out the hand mirror and looked at it. It couldn‘t be… but… it was! “A hat!” Atop her head sat a simple Fedora, it‘s color matching her suit‘s. She adjusted it to fit correctly, a smile plastered on her face “It fell off when you were shaking from the… wait. That‘s it? That‘s what I sensed? A hat falling off someone‘s head? Well that‘s not much fun. Or was it that the hat was going to drop? But I suppose…” Rarity didn’t hear much after that, as she trotted triumphantly out of the spawn, her Fancy Fedora taking it‘s place upon her head.

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2012-06-01T23:11:18+00:00

2012-06-01T23:11:18+00:00

‘Dearest journal It has been one week since our unfortunate accident. I have neglected to keep you up to date, but at nights combat is put on hold, giving me a chance to catch up. First off, this world or whatever it is contains nothing like us. In fact in this world, as I have ascertained from the Scout, we are part of a television show. Likewise, as Rainbow Dash has told me, the humans here are all stars of a video game in our world. I must do more research to such dimensional anomalies once we are home. Second, We aren’t going to get home for a while. According to the Engineer he hasn’t even scratched the surface of dimensional teleportation. His teleporters are the solution, he has assured us, but the sheer energy they would require makes me doubtful. Third, and most importantly -’ “Doktor! Come quickly! Your video is here! “ Derpy lost control of the pencil at the sudden yell. She scowled slightly, erasing the mark. The Medic stood up, running into the spawn room where the Heavy called from. “Video?” Twilight looked up from the campfire “Meet the Medic. It’s his meet the team video” “Meet the Medic’s done!? And it’s in there!?” Dash charged into the room. “What’s a ‘Meet the Team’ video?” Applejack said through a mouthful of s’more. The Sniper shifted the flaming log with a large stick. “It’s like a promo piece. They film us, make us look good” “Promo for what?” “…Y’know, I never asked. PR, maybe? Can’t look good for a company to hire a lot of mercenaries to fight each other” “Wait, didn’t Mann Co. say dey were gonna deliver our weapons today, too?” From the spawn, the crew heard a muffled yell in the spawn, as if to answer the Scout’s question: “I AM HEAVY WEAPONS GUY! AND DIS! IS MY NEW WEAPON!” Everyone hopped to their feet and headed in. Except the Engineer. Applejack turned back for a second, spotting her new mentor still watching the fire, playing his guitar quietly. “You comin, Engi?” She trotted back over. “C’mon, everyone’s getting weapons. Don’t wanna be the last one to get new stuff, do ya?” “Wouldn’t be the first time” His voice was slightly bitter. “‘Sides, ain’t nothing in that shipment fer me” “Why not?” “Didn’t ask fer nothin” “Why? Don’t you want nothin?” “Nope. Mann Co. won’t make anything fer me.” Applejack scrunched her nose. “A’course they won’t make anything if y’all don’t ask” “No, they wouldn‘t. Outta everyone here I’ve gotten the least from our ’Benefactor’ Saxton Hale. I was the last ta get anything. When I did get mah new stuff, Y’know what happened? The SOB sent me mah grandfathers blueprints and a crate fulla scrap metal and junk. Told me ta take the blueprints and make em. An ya know why? It‘s cause I‘m not important to them. Not to Mann Co. not to my team, not anyone” His voice was starting to slur slightly. “Ah, you don’t mean that. It’s just that BLU Streak you been drinkin all night talkin’. Without you this team would fall apart!” “Without my machines, this team would fall apart. I’m just here to build and fix them. Without mah sentries and dispensers I’d have gone the way the Civilian went” He stood up, heading to the barracks. “Now I’m goin ta bed. I’ll work on you and yer friend’s problem tomorrow” “Now just hold yer horses! Who’s Civilian? Engi?” She stood, confused, as the man walked down the stairs toward the sleeping quarters. A gentle nudge snapped her out. She turned and Derpy was looking at her. “I hope he’ll be okay, Derpy. She walked back to the fire, curling up and going to sleep. Derpy returned to her journal and continued writing. ‘Oh dear. It seems as though the one person who can aid our return is feeling underappreciated. This may delay our trip farther. Who knows how long we may be here… Tomorrow’s Sunday. Muffin night at home. Dinky loves those nights. I hope someone is taking care of her. Derpy Hooves’ ----- “Sentry goin up!” Applejack put the toolbox down right next to her dispenser in the hallway and the gun began to assemble itself. It’d been two days since the campfire, and Applejack hadn’t seen much of the Texan since. The day before had been a day off, and while the others were trying some of the new weapons, the Engi holed himself in his workshop, citing ‘I got work to do’ as his reasoning. Applejack smacked the sentry with her wrench. ‘He think’s he’s useless. Hardly. He’s the one we’re all trusting to fix this mess. Hope he can figure that out in there’ “HEY APPLEJACK!” Pinkie shouted. Applejack yelled in surprise, throwing a kick behind her that narrowly missed clocking the pink pony behind her in the head. “PINKIE! What have I told y’all about sneaking up on me!?” Pinkie giggled. “But I’m just so excited! I mean, have you seen this gun!?” She hoisted up the new minigun she had gotten. “It starts firing instantly! Plus I got these things!” She showed off the shiny brass horseshoes that adorned her hooves. “I feel so powerful!” Applejack looked back to her sentry as her next swing turned the small machine into a level two. “You be careful, Pinkie Pie. If ya get too used to this place ya may never wanna go home” “Yeah right. I love Ponyville! Plus, how am I supposed to make sweets here? All my ingredients are at home!” Applejack laughed a little. Typical Pinkie. “So where’s your new stuff, Applejack? I didn’t see you try anything out yesterday” “Engi didn’t get anything in that shipment. I feel kinda bad for him. He sounded so mad when he was talkin about it. There’s gotta be some way to cheer him… Pinkie?” She looked around, but Pinkie was gone, leaving without a word. “Probably chargin into the enemy base again. I swear, She’s gonna get used to this whole thing and gonna be in serious trouble at home” She finished the Sentry and as the Level three began beeping, she hopped on to of the dispenser, readying herself. Any minute now and the enemies would turn that corner and they’d be face to face with this mean Mother Hubbard. Applejack let out a slightly sadistic laugh at the thought of the opponents’ faces when the gun caught sight of them. She had become lost in the thought until she saw Twilight run in. “Oh hey, Twi! Any enemies comin in?” Twilight looked flustered. “Uh… there were some on the bridge, but I don’t know if they followed me. Why don’t you check?” “You okay, Sugarcube? Yer voice sounds funny” “I’m fine, just… check the corner” Applejack looked around the corner. “Well I don‘t see anyone, looks like yer-” The sound of a sapper being placed on her sentry filled her ears. “Spy sappin’ mah-” She was cut off by the RED Spy’s knife sinking into her back. In her last look she saw the Spy start to disguise as her, running away and mumbling to himself. ----- “That dirty RED rat!” She respawned, fuming. Twilight was just about to leave the room, but turned back. “You too, huh?” “Yep. He was impersonatin you, Sugarcube” “He got me by pretending to be Rainbow Dash. I should have known. Dash would never be on the ground instead of flying” “So now we gotta be paranoid about our own friends tryin ta kill us. Great” Twilight ran out of the room. Applejack ran down to her former sentry, still scattered around the ground. “Dirty good-fer-nothin…” She muttered under her breath as she set up a brand new dispenser and sentry. Both were soon fully upgraded. She hopped on top of her dispenser. “He can bet he won’t trick me again” She stood tall, surveying the room in a similar pattern to her sentry. The sentry beeped thrice and a very surprised looking Demoman was blown to pieces. A Pyro ran in soon after, trying to burn the sentry but quickly meeting a similar fate. The orange mare laughed. “It’s gonna take more than a little fire to beat this baby” Trixie ran around the corner a few minutes later. “You gotta run! They’re coming!” Applejack scowled at Trixie for a second, giving her a rough hit on the head with the wrench. “OW! What is wrong with you!?” “Spycheckin” Applejack smirked. “Next time can you do that without cracking me over the skull? Fine then. Deal with the Heavy and Medic coming in on your own” She ran off, rubbing her head. “I will, ya baby!” She yelled after Trixie. “Pfft. I can handle it. It’ll take a miracle for them to get past” “I am charged!” She heard from around the corner. The pair came around and Applejack screamed. The pair were glowing red like burning metal, their eyes shining a bright yellow. The Heavy laughed, shouting uproariously. “I AM BULLET PROOF!” The sentry fired at full force, but the bullets bounced harmlessly of the beast. But his minigun bullets tore into the Sentry. The orange pony hit the sentry as quickly as she could, but the bullets were doing damage faster than she could fix it. The sentry exploded and the Heavy’s fire came down upon her right after. ----- “What the hay was that!?” The Sniper looked up from the paper he was reading. “What happened?” “The Heavy turned invincible and he was shiny and his eyes were glowing and -” “Ubercharge” “Uber-what now?” “Ubercharge. It’s this special thing Medic’s can do. I think Engi took down a bunch of notes about it in this book” He held up a leather-bound book and handed it to Applejack. “He said to give this to you. Said you could use it if ya didn’t understand something. Oh, and this too” He handed her a shot gun, one that was much more ornate than the one she had at the moment. “Wait, he told you? So came outta that room?” “Only because there’s no food or bathroom in there. I just happened to see him Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll leave you to your reading” With that he left the room. Applejack looked at the book, then put it in her saddlebag. She ran to the intelligence. ‘Down here’s safer. I won’t have my stuff destroyed so quickly here. Plus I can look at this book’ She got the usual set up, then laid in the corner, delving into the books contents. Across the first few pages were tips of all kinds, some written carefully while others looked like they were written on the run, in blue and black ink, some even in pencil. She turned until she found a page headed with ‘Ubercharge’ and began reading. ----- “Huh whazat?” She woke up, looking around. No one was around. A nearby clock told her she’d been down here for hours. At some point she had fallen asleep. She never was good at reading for long periods of time. She stood up and stretched, and as she did she saw what had woken her. A Scout’s leg was just barely poking out from behind the desk. Her sentry must have just got him. “Good job, AJ!” Dash ran into the room. “I was tryin to catch him, but the little sneak got ahead of me” Trixie and Angel ran in soon after. “Too late guys, AJ got him. What have you been doin’ down here, Applejack? I haven’t seen you for hours!” “I was… Uh… Readin! That’s it, readin” She smiled sheepishly. Trixie scoffed. “Probably napping. I doubt you could be reading for two hours” “What’s that supposed to mean. You sayin I’m dumb?” “Your words, not mine, bumpkin” The two started arguing fiercely. Dash dared not intervene, knowing she’d probably get one of Applejack’s famous kicks or get the full force of Trixie’s magic again. Angel however started looking angrier and angrier as the two traded insults “Why I oughta-” “Oughta what!? Hit me in the head with a wrench again?” “Sounds pretty good to m-” “ENOUGH!” Angel yelled. He jumped off the Sentry, and landed on Trixie’s back. A second later Trixie was on the ground, dead while the RED spy stood in Angel’s place. He threw a sapper onto the Sentry and fired twice with his ambassador: One hit Dash with a headshot, taking her out. The other hit Applejack’s leg. In pain she dropped her wrench. The man kicked the tool across the room and pointed the gun at her head as she lay on her back. “Do you know what I’ve had to go through today? Any Idea!? You stupid horses have killed me more times today than I’ve died in the last month. You’re stupid flying Pyro and that Know-it-all Demo. I’ve had to pretend to be FIVE HORSES AND A RABBIT TODAY! This is easily the most humiliating day of my life. But at least I get the consolation of grabbing the Intel and killing you” Applejack panicked and threw a kick in desperation. Her hooves connected with the man’s stomach and he reeled backwards. She pulled out the new shotgun. “I don’t take kindly to you killin mah friends. And Trixie. Time to dispense a little Frontier Justice!” As her sentence finished the Sapper finished off her sentry, and the tool began to glow with energy. One shot and the spy flew backwards, laying against the wall. She sighed as the announcer called combat for the day and headed back to the respawn for the night ----- That night, The Engi came out to the campfire. He didn’t really talk much, accept for a brief apology for disappearing all day. Applejack sat next to the Engineer “I’m sorry about all that. It wasn’t fair for me ta get mad. I’m fine with what I got” “Well, there was actually something in the crate fer ya” Applejack pulled out a pair of black, thick-rimmed glasses. The bridge was held together with a rubber band and paper clip. “I call ‘em the Professor Speks. Givin to only the finest teacher’s, and you’ve earned em” The Engineer smiled, putting them on. “That book y’all gave me helped me a lot. I know it’s not much, I kinda had to fix em, seein as they were broke and sittin at the bottom of the box… Ya like em?” He gave his protégé a hug. “Thank ya Applejack. I love em” The team sat, watching the crackling fire while the Engi played a quiet song to compliment the quiet night.

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-07-12T14:50:00+00:00

2011-07-12T14:50:00+00:00

“THAT IS IT!” Trixie fumed. “The Great and Powerful Trixie is tired of dying!” “Are your teammates not protecting you properly?” The Medic tried to make sense of it all. The ponies were doing a good job, surely they know to protect the Medic… “The Great and Powerful Trixie need no teammates! The enemy is filled with fear when they see the Great and Powerful Trixie heading for them!” The medic’s mouth was agape. “Y… What do you mean you don’t need teammates? Who are you healing if you’re going in alone?” “Healing?” “Mein Gott…“ The final piece clicked in the Medic’s mind, and he put his head in his hands. “You haven’t healed anyone, have you?” “ Well of course not. The gun you have given The Great and Powerful Trixie cannot heal her” The doctor started muttering under his breath a string of words that sounded like they’d be very offensive if Trixie understood his native tongue. “Of course it cannot heal you, you heal others! You have got to be kidding. You are joking. Very funny” “The Great and Powerful Trixie was not telling a joke.” “That vas what I vas afraid of. You have not healed a single thing in the two weeks you have been here. You’re team has worked themselves hard and you haven’t done a thing” “I’ll have you know I have successfully killed five people!” “TOTAL!?” He sighed heavily, shaking his head. “So not only are you not healing, you’ve gone battle medic. Unsuccessfully.” Trixie sneered and readied a response, but the Medic cut her off. “I am not sure if you understand what you’re supposed to do, but let me lay this out. You are supposed to help. That means pointing that medigun on your back at someone who’s hurt and assisting them. Trying to attack ze enemy yourself is almost the worst possible thing a Medic could do. So from now on you are going to go out there, look for people who are hurt, and heal them. Understand?” Trixie glared at the doctor, but he shot a much angrier look. She grudgingly walked out of the room. “Who does he think he is. No one insults Trixie and gets away with it. That no talent hack. The Great and Powerful Trixie can do as she pleases! And she will start by treating these commoners to the luxury of her healing beam!” ----- She trained the beam on the first pony she saw. Unfortunately it happened to be Ponyville’s best flier. Trixie struggled to keep close enough to keep the beam on the rainbow maned pegasus. “Ugh! Slow down you Technicolor featherbrain!” Dash stopped cold in her tracks, and Trixie caught up, panting. “Trixie, you obviously don‘t know a thing about me” “And that would be?” Dash flared her wings “Rainbow Dash. Never. Slows. Down” With that she took off like a streak. Trixie stood astonished for a few seconds, then scowled. “Ignorant little foal. She’s obviously not smart enough to appreciate my helpfulness” She looked across the bridge, and saw a white unicorn entering the RED base. ‘That was that one who’s hair I messed up. Rarity, wasn’t it?’ Trixie followed her in, and saw her peering around a corner. She pointed the medigun and started healing. Rarity jumped and looked at Trixie harshly. “What do you think you’re doing!?” She said in a hushed whisper. “Healing you. No need to thank me, The Great and Powerful Trixie can feel your appreciation radiating” “No, you idiot! You’re going to blow my co-o-O-OOWWW!!!” Her sentence was interrupted by a Pyro coming around the corner and burning Rarity quickly to death. Trixie tried to run, but a flare hit her backside and lit her up. She fell soon after. Trixie respawned, and was met face to face with a fuming unicorn. “It is slightly suspicious to the enemy team when a BLU Medic is HEALING A RED PYRO!!” Rarity screamed. She stormed out, cloaking just outside the door. “Well. No need to get snippy” she headed out toward the bridge, when she caught sight of a yellow pegasus cowering under the windowsill of the battlements. ‘Oh for Celestia’s sake’ She thought. ‘What’s she afraid of? A bird might land on her? Still, I guess any amount of appreciation is worth it’ Trixie started healing her. Fluttershy screamed, letting out a noise similar to a goat’s and fell over, stiff-legged. Trixie began laughing uproariously. “There is no need to fear! The Great and Powerful Trixie has decided to help you out!” Trixie beamed, waiting for praise to be heaped upon her. Fluttershy got up, not saying anything except a meek thank you that was too quiet for Trixie to hear. The blue unicorn frowned. ‘If I‘m not going to be appreciated, I might as well go find someone else. There‘s nothing up here to do anyway‘ She thought. “Alas, I have places to go, more important ponies to assist. Farewell!” Trixie walked away, but was stopped just outside the door by a very irate looking rabbit. “Ah and I suppose you wish for the assistance of Trixie, do you not, rabbit?” Angel jumped on top of her head, then gave her several quick thumps with his foot. Then he hopped away. Trixie rubbed her head with her hoof. “Ow! Fine then, you have lost the support of Equestria’s most magical unicorn!” ----- “Ugh. Yet again somepony is too foalish to appreciate my efforts” Twilight had politely declined any healing, as she was away from the battle zone for the day helping the Engi and therefore didn’t need health. Trixie spotted the orange pony that had hit her with a wrench a few days ago. She begrudgingly trotted over and trained the beam on the new target. “Oh. It’s you. I guess I should thank you fer healin me. But I kinda got mah dispenser. So maybe you could find someone who need health more than me? “ Applejack smacked the dispenser with her wrench as she spoke. “Oh, but that is the great tragedy. All the others are not worthy of Trixie’s assistance. You barely qualify as it is” Applejack started swinging the wrench harder. ”They all refused to give Trixie the praise she so deserves, and therefore will not receive her assistance. You should count yourself lucky. You had the good sense to allow Trixie to honor you with her presence, Hayseed” “THAT’S IT!“ Applejack threw her wrench at Trixie. Trixie yelled and ducked, the wrench just barely missing her horn. “What is the matter with you!?” She screeched indignantly “I wish absolutely ANYPONY ELSE had come here instead of you! I’d even had taken that one who pops balloons all day over you! You don’t care about nopony but yerself! You don’t even know mah name! I don‘t like you! Nopony does! You got us stuck here in a world that ain‘t ours, and we may never go back! But you don‘t care as long as long as someone strokes yer ego. So why don‘t you just stay out of everyone‘s way until we figure out how ta fix YOUR mess!” Trixie bared her teeth. “I refuse to be spoken to by some country bumpkin who probably can’t count past four without using somepony else’s hooves!” “I suggest you get outta mah sight before mah fists start talkin for me!” Trixie angrily stomped away. Applejack picked up the wrench and Swung with all of her strength at the dispenser. She missed the spot she was supposed to hit, however, and put a giant hole on the screen. “Shoot” ----- Dash rushed out of the respawn. She rubbed her neck, where a Demoman had liberated her head from it’s normal place with his sword. ‘I’d rather that not happen again today…Wait…What’s that sound?’ As she passed the spiral ramp, she heard something just inside the door. It sounded like… crying? She poked her head in and saw a blue unicorn, back to the door with her head in her hooves. On the opposite corner the Medic’s equipment laid in a pile that was thrown against the wall topped by the Unicorn‘s signature hat. Dash rubbed the back of her neck, embarrassed. “Aw geez. I hate to see anyone so upset. Even her’ She walked all the way in. “Trixie? You okay?” “Get out! I don’t want to be seen like this!” “What happened?” “I said get out!” “Not until you spill the beans!” Trixie looked at her, her eyes rimmed red. “Fine then! Everyone hates me and wishes I wasn’t here! Is that good enough for you!?” She yelled, then turned away, quietly resuming her sobs. Dash was taken aback. “I’m sure that not everypony hates you” “Well I am. Everyone here. You, Rarity, Applesmack” “Applejack” “Whatever! Even the rabbit hates me” “Well… I don’t hate you.” “I’m not stupid. Don’t lie to me” “I’m not! Well, I don’t like you, per say, but I don’t hate you. And I know that Pinkie can’t hate you. She doesn’t hate anyone or anything” “…Who’s Pinkie?” “Pinkie Pie?” “Who?” “How do you not know Pinkie? She’s been here all week!” “Is she the pink one?” It took all Dash had in her not to shout ‘Well Duh’ at the Unicorn. “Yeah, that’s her. Have you even talked to her?” “…No…” “Well there you go! Go find her and heal her. She’s perfect! She gets hurt all the time!” Trixie dragged a hoof under her eye. “You…really think so?” “Trixie, I guarantee it” Dash handed her her hat and playfully jabbed her on the shoulder. “Feel better?” Trixie hugged the Pegasus quickly. “Much” She grabbed her equipment. “And if you ever tell a soul I just hugged you, I’ll have your hide for a new cloak. Got it?” Dash mimed dragging a zipper across her lips. “Good” Trixie ran out of the room with newfound confidence, looking for her new pink target. ----- Trixie spotted the pink earth pony crossing he bridge, and she caught up with her. Trixie was about to say something when Pinkie suddenly broke into a song: “Sandvich, Sandvich! Pinkie loves her sandvich! Tomatoes, Lettuce, cheese, and bread Makes me strong to beat up RED Sandvich, Sandvich! Going off without a hitch! Healing me and healing you Winning this for our team BLU!” Pinkie held the note for a few seconds, then looked over and saw Trixie, who looked very confused. “Hi! Trixie, right? Y’know Trixie I never threw you a party when you came to town! I just have to throw one when we get back! Well I mean as long as you want one but I mean really who doesn’t want a Pinkie Pie party? They call me Ponyville’s Premier Party Pony and with good reason” Pinkie continued talking nonstop for a few more seconds until Trixie interrupted her. “Well, Pinkie. Today is your lucky day, because you have the opportunity to allow me to assist you!” “Ooh! Fun! What are you gonna do?” “See this special gun?” Pinkie nodded her head quickly. “Well it can heal you. You’ll be able-” She was cut off by a bone crushing hug knocking the air out of her lungs. “You mean I can fight without having to go to respawn as much!? YAY!” Pinkie let go, and Trixie stumbled for a few seconds, regaining her breath. “Yes” she coughed. “But You have to do something for me. You have to keep me alive so I can use the gun on you. Deal?” She found her hoof in a very enthusiastic hoof-shake before she could respond “Deal!” ‘Why is she so strong?’ As Trixie pondered a Demoman fell down from the enemy battlements, behind Pinkie. “Look out!” Trixie trained the beam on Pinkie as the earth pony turned around and rained a hail of bullets at the enemy. The Man launched grenade after grenade at the two. One hit Trixie and she yelled. Another hit like that and she’d be down. A shining grenade launched out and hit Pinkie square in the chest, exploding forcefully. But she still stood, finishing the Demo off at last. “WOO! That was fun!” She turned to Trixie. “Wow! Usually those shiny ones can kill me instantly! That means you kept me alive!” “Great. I don’t feel too good…” Trixie was still reeling from the grenade that hit her. It had nearly taken all of her health. A sandwich sitting on a plate landed in front of her. She looked up to an expectant Pinkie. “Eat this! It’ll make you feel better!” Trixie doubted any medicinal properties of the treat, but she hadn’t had anything to eat all day and she had nothing to lose. She took a tentative bite, and felt a power surge through her. She did feel better… As soon as she finished, she felt at full strength. “What was that about?” “Sandvich can heal you. You can heal me!” “You’re right” The bell to end combat rang. “Looks like we have to head back. But I think I’ll stick with you when we start again in the morning” “Well, Ok, but as long as you heal my friends if they need it. Deal?” “…Deal. I think this is the beginning of a beautiful partnership” Pinkie let out a giggle and the two headed back to camp for the night

AxleandWheel

63

Angel,Derpy Hooves,Main 6,Other,Trixie,Crossover,My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic

My Little Fortress: Teamwork Is Magic

complete

<p>After a mishap in a magic duel, the ponies are transported to the Team Fortress universe. They'll take the classes places while The Engineer tries to find a way to get them home.</p>

teen

2011-09-18T22:55:08+00:00

2011-09-18T22:55:08+00:00

On the BLU battlements, a familiar yellow pegasus sat, ducked under the battlements, making sure not a single pink hair was poking above the window. It had become a routine: Wake up, hide under the windowsill until nightfall, go back in. Not a single chance to get hurt. She looked up on the wall, confirming the RED dot that had adorned it all day was still keeping vigil. She clutched the rifle in her hooves tight, squeezing her eyes shut. A small squeak of fear escaped her throat. “You’ll never hit him if you never fire” Fluttershy jumped with a yelp, briefly exposing a part of her mane to the opponent. The dot scrambled toward it, but she ducked back down. The dot resumed slowly scanning the wall, waiting for its opportunity to strike. “Oh. It’s you, Mr. Sniper. I didn’t hear you come in” She blushed slightly at her scream. “I noticed” He took his sunglasses off and polished them with his shirt. “I just wanted to come by. I haven’t really talked to you since you got here” She didn’t say anything, content to stay as quiet as ever. The silence between them lasted almost a full minute. “Are you okay?” “Wh-what do you mean?” “You know what I mean, Fluttershy. You haven’t gotten a kill yet” “Well, I mean, um, you know, um,” She continued, never actually starting her thought. “I know it’s hard, but you can’t just come in here every time you spawn and just wait until the day ends. That’s not helping anyone” “W-well I did get rid of a soldier once” In actuality the soldier had blown himself up when his rocket hit her at point blank. Both knew this, but Sniper continued, “I understand, but that’s not enough. Are you having problems?” She whimpered quietly, not wanting to answer. ‘I can’t do this,’ she thought to herself. ‘I’ve never had to hurt something to protect something else. I’d use the stare, but it won’t work, he’s just so far away…’ Her mind raced, but she didn’t say a thing. Trying to break the tension, Sniper changed the subject. “So what’s it like in Equestria?” The question, while simple, caught the pegasus off guard. “What do you mean?” “Well, you didn’t talk much while I was teaching ya how to fire. The only thing I really know about where you came from is it’s name. So tell me. What’s it like? How‘s it different?” Fluttershy started thinking around, piecing together noteworthy things. “Well… what do you want to know first?” “What do you all do back home. I mean, I assume you have jobs and such” “Well, Twilight runs the Library, Rarity has the Boutique, Applejack runs Sweet Apple Acres, Pinkie helps at Sugar-Cube Corner, and Dash is on weather team” “Weather team?” “It’s a group of Pegasi that control the clouds. It’s why Dash acted so strangely yesterday” He laughed slightly, recalling the day before. A rainstorm had rolled through and Rainbow Dash had repeatedly flown around the clouds, trying to find the pegasi operating them, but to no avail. “I think you forgot someone” “Well, Trixie used to be a traveling magician, but I’m not sure-” “Not her. You” Before she said anything, Angel hopped in, looking at the Sniper suspiciously before heading over to Fluttershy “Hello Angel. Noon already?” Fluttershy dipped into her saddlebag, pulling out a fresh carrot. Angel took it and greedily consumed it. “Now Angel, what have I told you about that. Your going to get a tummy ache” The bunny rolled his eyes under the helmet and finished the meal. He hopped out the window, back into the battle. “What was that about?” “Oh, Angel gets grumpy when he doesn’t have something to eat” “So I’m going to hazard a guess and say you’re a caretaker for Angel?” Fluttershy’s eyes lit up briefly, and her voice rose slightly in volume. “Oh, not just Angel. I take care of all the critters around Ponyville. All the squirrels and the mice and the birds and everything” “That’s gotta be a lot of work. How do you manage?” “Oh I don’t mind. It keeps me busy, and the animals are wonderful friends. It can get a little frustrating at times, but usually I can handle it“ “Usually?” The mare blushed slightly. “Sometimes there’s a big rush of injured animals, and I have to help them all alone. Then there’s the ones that for some reason I can’t communicate with, like the migrating geese” “So you can communicate with animals?” “Yes, in fact it’s my special gift. It’s how I got my Cutie Mark” “That’s what that symbol is?” He gestured toward the three butterfly’s that adorned Fluttershy’s flank She nodded. “They show up when y-” A bullet pierced the wall, and Fluttershy screamed, covering her head. The Australian sat, unfazed. “Rude. You okay?” Fluttershy squeaked. After a while, she slowly lifted her head, still shaking. “How do you do it?” She asked in a voice that was barely audible “Do wh-” Another shot, another scream. Sniper felt the top of his head, discovering his hat was gone. He looked in front of him to find it sporting a bullet hole in the side, still smoking. “Bloody Mongrel! I like that hat!” He swept up the rifle and swung around, briefly looking through the sights before firing. The oppressive RED Speck disappeared. “That’ll teach ‘im” “That… You killed him in cold blood” “Not in cold blood. We’ve traded more shots than I can even remember” “And that makes it right?” She raised her voice. Sniper recoiled a little. He could tell that The pegasus would never raise her voice unless absolutely necessary He paused. “…Didn’t say it made it right. Said it was a reason” There was a dark silence between the two for a few seconds. “Six years” Fluttershy cocked her head, confused. “Excuse me?” “It’s been six years since I’ve seen anything that wasn’t this place. I remember when I got here…” ----- A lanky Australian got off the train, a bag slung over his shoulder and a rifle in his hand. The building in front of him. A pair of buildings, actually, facing each other. Between them a covered bridge crossed a murky looking pool. The buildings looked so similar, except for their colors. One in shades of red and the other, closer one, in shades of blue. ‘What am I even doing here,’ he thought to himself. When Builders League United hired him, they neglected to mention New Mexico as the location. What was this, some kind of arena? He walked in, looking around for anyone else. He caught sight of a man sitting on a tool chest, strumming a guitar idly. The man lifted his head, and smiled amiably. “Howdy. I suppose you’re number 2?” The thick Texan accent was accompanied by an outstretched hand. He tentatively shook it. “Uh… I suppose I am. And you are?” “I’ve been told that my real name shouldn’t be used, so y’all can call me The Engineer” “They told me the same. I’m Sniper. So you’re a mercenary? Sorry to say but you don’t look like much of a fighter” “Mercenary probably ain’t the best word to describe me. More like ‘Scientist-fer-hire,’ seein as my guns do the work for me” “My gun does my work too, after all I can’t will the bullet into their heads” The man laughed. “I don’t think yer gun,” He paused and smacked the side of the toolbox. The sound of servos and motors began and the box opened. A pair of legs popped out, followed by a small cylinder that sported a gun barrel on the front. It paused, then the front split, reforming the barrel into a pair of Gatling guns, with the bullet chains attaching to the body. One more pause, then it shifted again, producing a box on the top containing four rockets. The Texan sat on the top of the contraption, beaming. “Is quite the same as mine,” he finished. The Sniper gawked. “Cripes! That thing could take out an army!” “You bet. That’s why they hired me” The two’s talk was interrupted by a loud yell from a skinny kid running on, a duffle bag on his back and a sawed off shotgun in his hand. “Finally!” he shouted. “Thought dat train wasn’t ever gonna get here. Dat took too damn long!” A few people followed. A man who’s physique reminded Sniper of a propaganda poster grabbed the boy by the collar and lifted him up, bringing them eye-to-eye. ‘Well, eye-to-helmet’ Sniper mused. “Do you ever stop talking, maggot!?” “You better put me down or dat helmet a’ yours is gonna have a fresh new dent in it!” The boy wrapped his hand around a bat. He was dropped to the ground with a growl. The rest started filing out: A German man in a lab coat laughing with a monster of a man with a Russian accent guffawing about some story that the German had told about a stolen ribcage. A suited man walked out next, smoking a cigarette. Over his shoulder was slung another man, drunkenly mumbling and occasionally laughing. And at the rear was a portly man, also clad in a suit, arguing with the woman that had hired Sniper. ‘Ms. Pauling, I think?’ “Madam there is obviously a mistake, I am no killer! I’m a civilian! I am not supposed to be here!” “I understand, sir, and I will try to rectify the situation, but there is nothing I can do at the moment” She turned away and faced the mercenaries. “Now see here!” He grabbed her shoulder, Intending to speak to her face to face. Instead he was staring down the barrel of a large caliber handgun. “If you place your hands on me again, sir, getting to your proper destination will be the least of your worries” She went back to work. “Welcome, BLU team! Before I begin, let me just make sure everyone is here. Scout?” The Boston youth excitedly shouted to verify his presence. “Soldier?” He grunted. “Pyro?” A sound was heard in the corner of the court, which sounded like a muffled “Present,“ No one had seen the person get off the train, but they were there now. Sniper couldn’t see what he looked like, due to a large trench coat and a hat that was pulled down over his face. “Okay, Demoman?” Here the drunken man burst out laughing, concluded with a slurring sentence that was completely incoherent. “I’ll take that as a yes. Heavy Weapons Guy?” “HERE!” She flinched at his quick response. “Engineer?” “Here, li’l lady” “Medic” “Ja!” “Sniper?” “Present” “And Spy?” “Right here” She put her clipboard down at her side. “Okay, now that we’re all here, let’s get down to business. My name is Ms. Pauling. I am here on the behalf of your employer. We at Builder’s League United, or BLU as we normally go by, have reason to believe that Reliable Excavation and Demolition, also known as RED, is trying to sabotage our efforts. So to end their tyranny, we’ve hired you, the best in your areas. When RED heard of our plans to hire killers, they did the same. You will fight until RED gives in” “What if they refuse to yield?” The Spy flicked his cigarette away and pulled out a new one. “Then you’ll have to try harder. Now, should you die, there is a machine that we have created, able to bring you back to life after fatal injuries. Unfortunately, the thieves at RED have stolen our technology, and have the same Regenerator. In fact, when they stole the blueprints, they also attained something else. You will not only be fighting other mercenaries, you will be fighting clones of yourselves” “WHOA WHOA WHOA, There!” The Scout started shouting. “THEY’RE US!?” “Calm down. Yes, you will. And we have contracts with all of you, meaning you’re here until the contract is terminated. So I’d get used to it quickly,” she said as she walked away. She boarded the train and it pulled away. Before she disappeared, she shouted out the window, “Good luck!” ----- “So we kinda fell into our routine, and here we, six years later” “But wait…” Fluttershy had stayed quite throughout the entire story, but something had been on her mind for a good part of it. “What happened to that one man? The Civilian?” “Well, about a week after we all showed up…” ----- “AGGHHH!” The man stabbed his umbrella into the wall. “ANOTHER DAY WITH THESE BARBARIANS! I CAN’T TAKE IT!” “Will you SHUT UP you whiner!?” The Spy snapped back. Every day since his arrival the civilian was getting louder and louder in his hatred of being stuck. “I AM NOT WHINING! I REFUSE TO BE SPOKEN TO AS SUCH!” The Sniper placed his hand on his gun, trying his hardest not to turn the rifle on the loudmouthed Brit. Even his patience was being pushed towards it’s breaking point. If he died, though, that would be it. He wouldn’t come back… As he entertained the thought in his mind, a sound caught his attention. Train brakes…? “FINALLY!” He pulled the umbrella out of the wall. “I CAN LEAVE THIS PLACE AND NEVER COME BACK!” Ms Pauling walked off the train with a serious expression. The pudgy man ran up to her. “THANK YOU so much! You’ve come to take me away, right?” “Of a sort. As much as it pains me, you will not leave here. This operation is a secret, and if we let you out, we cannot trust you to keep it under wraps” A tense air began building. “Wh… What are you saying?” Ms. Pauling held up a revolver. “That I’ve been sent out to take you out” The Team dared not try to stop it. “You can’t kill me! I-I’m important! Very important!” “Not to us. It pains me to do this, it really does,” She raised the gun, firing once. The man groaned and fell to the ground. A pair of large men walked out of the train, picking the body up and taking it to the train. “As harsh as this is, let it be a lesson. Trying to leave will only end in tragedy” ----- Fluttershy shook, the picture replaying in her mind. Sniper sighed. “I’m sorry, I didn’t think it would upset you so much…” “No… But that’s not fair… It wasn’t his fault…” “It’s why we fight. Maybe if we go long enough they’ll let us go” Fluttershy shuttered. ‘I lose either way!’ Her mind screamed. ‘I don’t want to kill anyone, but they’ll… get rid of me if I don’t’ Sniper grabbed the rifle and stood up. “What are you doing!? Get down or he’ll get you!” “That’s the point,” He held the sight up to his eye. The trigger was left uncovered. “If you want to save your friends, sometimes you gotta make tough decisions. I’ve got ‘im in my sights, but I’m not gonna pull the trigger. You are” “What!?” She looked over the ledge, seeing the other sniper looking in another direction, distracted. “If he kills me, that’s it. I’m not coming back. The regenerator isn’t set to me anymore. But even if you kill him he’ll be back in a minute. So make your decision quick” A blue dot caught his eye, and he looked over. ’No’ He fumbled with the gun, trying to bring it up. The red dot hit the wall again. ‘No!’ It maneuvered toward her friends head. She looked at the trigger, tears coming to her eyes. “NO!” She closed her eyes an swung for the trigger. The loudest shot she’d heard since she had arrived rang out. Had she done it? She was too afraid to open her eyes, too afraid at the possibility she’d messed up and her friend was dead. Tears streamed down her cheeks. “You can look now” Her eyes shot open, and a blurry picture showed that she’d succeeded! She practically tackled the Australian in a hug. “Ohmygoodness! You’re alive!” “Well of course, you did take the shot,” He chuckled, wiping the tears away from her eyes carefully. “Now do you get it?” “I think I do,“ She nodded. “I’m not really hurting them, am I?” “Well, for a split second. But because they regenerate you’re not really killing anyone. So do you think you can do what you need to?” She pulled a hoof under her eye. “Yes, I think so…” The dot returned, but it felt different for her. It no longer symbolized the fear she felt. He stood up, walking away. “Good luck” She looked down the sights, taking the target. She closed her eyes and pulled the trigger.